GERMANY SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON ARMS TRANSFERS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 002828 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA, PM, ISN, AND EUR E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2016 TAGS: MARR MASS PARM PREL ETTC VE GM SUBJECT: GERMANY SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON ARMS TRANSFERS TO VENEZUELA REF: A. STATE 155336 ¶B. BERLIN 489 ¶C. 05 BERLIN 3924 Classified By: EMIN Robert F. Cekuta for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 4. ¶2. (C) Emboffs delivered ref A demarche September 22 to MFA Arms Export Control Division Desk Officer Jan Freigang and Venezuela Desk Officer Achim Troester. Freigang said Germany closely evaluates all export license applications involving goods on Germany's "military list," including applications to export arms to Venezuela. Freigang noted that Germany applies the criteria of the EU's code of conduct on a case-by-case basis and, in many instances, has invoked several criteria to deny licenses for exporting arms to Venezuela. Freigang said Germany has been "extremely cautious" for the past 12-15 months and approved few defense-related transfers to Venezuela. Freigang noted Germany has been in close touch with the USG on this issue through Wassenaar channels. ¶3. (C) Troester said Germany's assessment of recent steps taken by Venezuela's government is similar to ours, particularly with respect to domestic actions. Troester said Germany is aware of U.S. concerns about the risk of arms diversions to designated foreign terrorist groups operating in Colombia and asked whether there is evidence the Venezuelan government is directly supporting such groups. Freigang asked about the existence of evidence that the Venezuelan government has facilitated the diversion of arms to gray or black arms markets in the hemisphere. ¶4. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Troester and Freigang asked whether the USG would be able to share factual evidence with the German government that Germany's interagency export control working group could use in their considerations of arms-related export license applications. Troester and Freigang said such information would help convince German policy makers of the need for continued close scrutiny of arms export licenses to Venezuela. Post seeks Department's guidance to respond to the German request. TIMKEN JR