(S) IRANIAN MACHINE TOOL PROCUREMENT IN TAIWAN -

S E C R E T AIT TAIPEI 004167 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN AND EAP/TC E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2016 TAGS: PARM MTCRE PREL ETTC TW IR SUBJECT: (S) IRANIAN MACHINE TOOL PROCUREMENT IN TAIWAN - POINTS DELIVERED REF: STATE 200690 Classified By: AIT Economic Section Chief Daniel K. Moore, Reason 1.4 b /d ¶1. (S) Summary: On December 20, 2006, AIT/T delivered reftel points to Taiwan's Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT). BOFT informed us that it has added 109 items to its sensitive commodities list and is working on a list of luxury goods that would be banned for export to North Korea. End summary. ¶2. (S) AIT/T delivered reftel points to BOFT Export Control Task Force Head Wally Su on December 20, 2006. Su said that BOFT would look into the case and reply to AIT. BOFT will review export manifests for the period in question. According to Su, if BOFT finds that Dah Lih Machinery and Industry Co., the Taiwan company in question, exported goods to Iran or its neighbors, it will ask the firm to provide more information about the sales. If necessary, BOFT will refer the case to the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau. ¶3. (SBU) In addition, Su told us that Taiwan had added 109 items to its sensitive commodities list, bringing the total number of items on the list to 542. Su pointed out that BOFT had already announced the new items. (Note: Taiwan press reported the changes on December 21. End note.) Exports of any items on the list to North Korea or Iran require an export license, he explained. ¶4. (C) Su also reported on BOFT's efforts to prohibit luxury good exports to North Korea. He noted that BOFT had gathered information about the categories of luxury goods prohibited by Japan and Australia as well as the United States. The next step, he said, would be for BOFT to consult with other agencies on compiling a list for Taiwan. He predicted that no decision would be possible this month but was reluctant to speculate further on how soon Taiwan might announce its own list. Su said the United Nations was putting together a standard list and commented that such a list could help Taiwan reach a decision more quickly. WANG