It's in the subjunctive mood:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_subjunctive

"The main use of the English present subjunctive, called the mandative or jussive subjunctive,[1] occurs in that clauses (declarative content clauses; the word that can sometimes be omitted) expressing a circumstance which is desired, demanded, recommended, necessary, or similar. Such a clause may be dependent on verbs like insist, suggest, demand, prefer,[2] adjectives like necessary, desirable,[3] or nouns like recommendation, necessity;[4] it may be part of the expression in order that... (or some formal uses of so that...); it may also stand independently as the subject of a clause or as a predicative expression.

The form is called the present subjunctive because it resembles the present indicative in form, not because it need refer to the present time. In fact this form can equally well be used in sentences referring to past, future or hypothetical time (the time frame is normally expressed in the verb of the main clause).

Examples:
I insist (that) he leave now.
We asked that it be done yesterday.
It might be desirable that you not publish the story."

The last example above is particularly close to the usage you've highlighted.

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Note added at 8 mins (2012-10-27 11:46:18 GMT)
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Oh, too slow!
In any case, maybe the explanation on Wikipedia will help. :)