MTAG 05-96: GOI HALTS MISSILE-RELATED TRANSFER

S E C R E T ROME 001605 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME FOR NP/CBM E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2013 TAGS: KSCA PARM PREL ETTC IT IR UK MTCRE EXPORT CONTROLS SUBJECT: MTAG 05-96: GOI HALTS MISSILE-RELATED TRANSFER BETWEEN ITALIAN FIRM AND IRAN (S) REF: A. SECSTATE 94815 ¶B. ROME 1566 ¶C. ROME 1502 ¶D. 02 STATE 35257 ¶E. 02 STATE 13875 CLASSIFIED BY: A/ECMIN DAVID MULENEX REASONS 1.5 (D) AND (E) ¶1. (S) ECONOFFS MET APRIL 15 WITH GIANPAOLO SCARANTE, DEPUTY DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR TO PM BERLUSCONI, TO RAISE CONTINUED SERIOUS USG CONCERNS REGARDING THE EXPORT OF CLIMATIC CHAMBERS FROM ITALY'S MAZZALI SYSTEMS TO IRAN'S SAFETY EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT INCORPORATED (REF A). SCARANTE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE, HAVING RECEIVED UK EMBASSY OFFICIALS TWICE LAST WEEK ON THE CASE (REFS B AND C),TO WHOM HE HAD CONFIRMED THE GOI'S ISSUANCE OF AN EXPORT LICENSE. SCARANTE TOLD US TODAY THAT ITALIAN CUSTOMS OFFICIALS HAD HALTED THE SHIPMENT APRIL 14. HE FURTHER CONFIRMED THAT THE GOI NOW IS CONSIDERING THE POSSIBLE REVOCATION OF THE EXPORT LICENSE. WE THANKED SCARANTE FOR THE GOI ACTIONS, AND ASKED THAT WE BE INFORMED OF ANY DEVELOPMENTS. ¶2. (S) WE ALSO PROVIDED REF A POINTS TO THE DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR TO MINISTER OF PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES MARZANO (MARZANO APPROVES EXPORT LICENSES, AND PRESUMABLY WILL BE THE OFFICIAL TO APPROVE ANY REVOCATION),AND HAVE REQUESTED A FOLLOW-UP MEETING TO SEEK ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE REVOCATION PROCEDURE. WE ARE PROVIDING THE INFORMATION IN REFS D AND E TO ALL RELEVANT GOI OFFICIALS IN ORDER TO BOLSTER THE CASE FOR REVOCATION. SCARANTE INDICATED THAT THE GOI MIGHT REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM US TO FURTHER SUPPORT A REVOCATION DECISION. ¶3. (S) EMBASSY WILL ALSO RAISE OUR CONCERNS WITH MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION GIANDOMENICO MAGLIANO LATE IN THE DAY APRIL 15, EXPRESSING OUR THANKS FOR FREEZING THE SHIPMENT, AND ASKING FOR DETAILS ON THE REVOCATION PROCEDURE. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME01605 - Classification: SECRET