S63-03 IRANIAN ENTITIES SEEKING TO PROCURE CBW

S E C R E T ROME 001228 SIPDIS FOR NP/CBM AND INR/SPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6 (X1,X6) TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC IR IT EXPORT CONTROLS SUBJECT: S63-03 IRANIAN ENTITIES SEEKING TO PROCURE CBW MATERIAL FROM AG COUNTRIES REF: SECSTATE 71539 CLASSIFIED BY: ECONOMIC COUNSELOR KAREN MILLIKEN. REASON: 1.5 (C AND D) ¶1. (S) ECONOFF DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS TO MFA EXPORT CONTROL COORDINATOR UGO DE MOHR ON MARCH 21. DE MOHR (WHO HAS REASSUMED HIS POSITION FOLLOWING AN EXTENDED ABSENCE) WELCOMED THE RECEIPT OF FURTHER INFORMATION FROM THE U.S., FOLLOWING UP TO RECENT DISCUSSIONS AMONG AUSTRALIA GROUP MEMBERS OF IRANIAN EFFORTS TO PROCURE CBW MATERIAL FROM AG COUNTRIES. DE MOHR NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT OUR INFORMATION WOULD BE EVEN MORE USEFUL IF THERE WAS SOME INDICATION OF WHEN SUCH PROCUREMENT ATTEMPTS OCCURRED AND AT WHAT FREQUENCY, AS A MEANS OF DETECTING PATTERNS THAT MIGHT ASSIST OTHER AG MEMBERS IN HALTING SUCH EFFORTS. HE FURTHER COMMENTED THAT THE GOI HAD IN THE PAST PROHIBITED EXPORTS TO THE IRANIAN PASTEUR INSTITUTE (IPI) AFTER THE IRANIANS HAD REJECTED THE DETAILED LEVEL OF INSPECTIONS ON WHICH THE GOI CONDITIONED SUCH EXPORTS (THOUGH HE SAID ITALY NEVER SAW FIRM EVIDENCE THAT THE IPI WAS INVOLVED IN ANY ACTIVITY OF CONCERN). ¶2. (C) FOLLOWING UP ON THE AUSTRALIA GROUP MEETING IN JANUARY, DE MOHR FAVORABLY NOTED THE U.S. INITIATIVE TO DRAFT AND CIRCULATE A PAPER ON STREAMLINING THE PROCESS OF INTRODUCING NEW ITEMS TO THE CONTROLLED LIST. DE MOHR IS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE DRAFT. MORE GENERALLY, HE NOTED THAT THE CIRCULATION OF PAPERS FOR AG MEETINGS WAS INCREASINGLY OCCURRING VERY CLOSE TO MEETING DATES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR AG MEMBER GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING THE GOI, TO CARRY OUT ESSENTIAL INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS TO ALLOW A SUBSTANTIVE REACTION DURING THE MEETING. HE SUGGESTED CIRCULATION OF PAPERS AT LEAST TWO MONTHS BEFORE A MEETING WOULD BE IDEAL. ¶3. (SBU) BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: WE WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN OF DE MOHR'S RETURN TO HIS OLD JOB, APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AFTER HIS ASSISTANT TOLD US HE HAD QUIT THE POSITION AFTER BEING PASSED OVER FOR AN AMBASSADORIAL ASSIGNMENT. ACCORDING TO HIS ASSISTANT, DE MOHR IS APPROACHING THE MFA'S MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE, AND NEEDS TO RECEIVE SUCH AN APPOINTMENT SOON IN ORDER TO SPEND A FULL TOUR OVERSEAS. HE APPARENTLY HOPES THAT AN APPOINTMENT WILL BE FORTHCOMING NEAR THE END OF THIS YEAR. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME01228 - Classification: SECRET