(S) SHIELD S06-06: GERMAN INSTITUTES DECLINE

S E C R E T BERLIN 003374 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN, EAP, AND EUR/AGS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2016 TAGS: PARM PREL CBW ETTC GM CH SUBJECT: (S) SHIELD S06-06: GERMAN INSTITUTES DECLINE SENDING PATHOGENS TO CHINA REF: A. BERLIN 976 ¶B. STATE 52743 Classified By: Global Affairs Counselor Donald R. Shemanski, for reason s 1.4 (b),(d),and (h). ¶1. (S) Global Affairs officer discussed WMD nonproliferation issues with German MFA Export Control Division Desk Officer Andreas Kauke November 27. Kauke provided a German-language nonpaper in response to ref B demarche concerning contacts between the Chinese Center for Disease Control (CCDC) and two German biological research institutes, the Marburg Institute of Virology and the Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Diseases. Kauke said that neither German institute transferred any virus-related material or any Australia Group-listed items to the CCDC. He also said that both institutes were alerted to the requirement of applying for a license with the German Federal Economic and Export Licensing Agency (BAFA) before exporting such items. ¶2. (S) Begin text of unofficial embassy translation of the German-language nonpaper: Regarding the nonpaper from April 10, 2006, (Australia Group) concerning contacts between the Chinese Center for Disease Control (CCDC) and the Marburg Institute of Virology (University Hospital Giessen and Marburg) and also the Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Diseases in Hamburg, allow us to bring the following information to the attention of the U.S. authorities: -- We thank you for the information concerning the cooperation that the CCDC intended with the previously named German institutes in the area of detecting Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa Fever viruses. Also, according to local findings, the goods (virus material) named in the referent nonpaper should be subject to approval, since they are included in Australia Group lists. -- Inquiries by the responsible authorities have established that the Marburg Institute of Virology had received no such inquiries from the CCDC. The Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Diseases had twice in December 2005 received such inquiries, although it had neither initiated any cooperation nor sent any material. Both institutes will notify BAFA if they possibly receive such future inquiries. -- We have no relevant proliferation-related knowledge concerning the CCDC. According to local information, the CCDC is in charge of the organizational and scientific measures for controlling infectious diseases, such as SARS, tuberculosis, etc., in Chinese provinces. We are pleased with the continuing outstanding cooperation in the area of export controls. End text of German-language nonpaper. TIMKEN JR