MTAG 05-96: IMMINENT MISSILE-RELATED TRANSFER

S E C R E T ROME 001502

SIPDIS


FOR NP/CBM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2013
TAGS: KSCA PARM PREL ETTC IT IR UK EXPORT CONTROLS
SUBJECT: MTAG 05-96: IMMINENT MISSILE-RELATED TRANSFER
BETWEEN ITALIAN FIRM AND IRAN (S)

REF: SECSTATE 88280

CLASSIFIED BY: ECONOMIC COUNSELOR KAREN MILLIKEN REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D
)


1. (S) ECONOFF AND UK EMBASSY POLITICAL OFFICER NICK HOPTON
DELIVERED REFTEL MESSAGE TO MFA EXPORT CONTROL COORDINATOR
UGO DE MOHR ON APRIL 8. OUR MEETING FOLLOWED THE APRIL 7
MEETING BETWEEN UK EMBASSY DCM SCOTT WIGHTMAN WITH THE PM'S
DEPUTY DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR GIANPAOLO SCARANTE ON THE SAME
ISSUE (WIGHTMAN TOLD US HE ACTED AT HMG INSTRUCTIONS, BEFORE
WE ALERTED HIM TO OUR INTEREST IN PRESENTING THE DEMARCHE
JOINTLY). DE MOHR HAD ALREADY SPOKEN WITH SCARANTE ABOUT THE
CASE, AND HE TOLD US THAT HE HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE
MINISTRY OF PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES (WHICH ISSUES ALL EXPORT
LICENSES) TO CONVEY OUR CONCERNS, TO SEEK A STATUS REPORT ON
THE LICENSE APPLICATION (HE WAS NOT CERTAIN THE LICENSE HAD
BEEN ISSUED YET),AND, IF A LICENSE HAD BEEN ISSUED, THE
STATUS OF THE SHIPMENT FROM ITALIAN CUSTOMS OFFICIALS. DE
MOHR STRESSED THAT THE GOI WOULD DO WHAT IT COULD TO IMPEDE
THE SHIPMENT, THOUGH HE NOTED THAT DOING SO COULD BE
DIFFICULT LEGALLY IF THE LICENSE HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED.


2. (S) DE MOHR FURTHER TOLD US THAT THE PROPOSED EXPORT FIRST
CAME TO THE MFA'S ATTENTION APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS AGO,
WHEN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE SUBMITTED IT FOR REVIEW BY THE
GOI INTERAGENCY EXPORT CONTROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY
DE MOHR. ALTHOUGH THE CLIMATIC TEST CHAMBERS ARE NOT
INCLUDED ON THE MTCR CONTROLLED LIST, THE MOD BELIEVED THAT
SUCH A SHIPMENT TO IRAN WARRANTED ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY UNDER
THE CATCH-ALL PROVISION OF THE EU'S EXPORT CONTROL LAW. THE
EXPORT CONTROL COMMITTEE'S CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED
EXPORT TURNED UP NO COMPELLING INFORMATION TO DENY A REQUEST,
SAID DE MOHR, WHO ADDED THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY
PREVIOUS DENIALS BY ITALY'S MTCR PARTNERS TO THE IRANIAN
ENTITY SAFETY EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT (SEP) INCORPORATED. DE
MOHR ADDED THAT HE DID NOT RECALL THE U.S. PAPER PRESENTED AT
THE 2002 MTCR PLENARY THAT IDENTIFIED SEP AS A FRONT COMPANY
FOR THE IRANIAN MISSILE PROGRAM.


3. (S) ECONOFF ALSO LEFT COPIES OF REFTEL MESSAGE WITH THE
MFA'S IRAN DESK OFFICER FEDERICA FERRARI BRAVO AND WITH
NONPROLIFERATION AND ARMS CONTROL OFFICE DIRECTOR ALESSANDRO
CEVESE.
SEMBLER

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2003ROME01502 - Classification: SECRET