SALE OF TELESCOPING MASTS TO SYRIA

S E C R E T HELSINKI 000495 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2016 TAGS: ETRD ETTC FI PARM PCI PREL SY SUBJECT: SALE OF TELESCOPING MASTS TO SYRIA REF: STATE 085584 Classified By: PolChief Gregory Thome, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Laura Kansikas-Debraise, MFA Director for the Unit on Arms Control. Kansikas-Debraise was unfamiliar with the Finnish company Mastsystem International which, as yet, has made no application for an export license to sell any communication or other equipment to the Government of Syria. She noted, however, that the telescopic masts in question clearly have dual uses and that the GOF would view any such license request very skeptically. Because Mastsystem has not yet applied, Debraise could not yet confirm with certainty that the GOF would deny its request. However, she noted that MFA practice is to deny any remotely questionable sale to Syria. ¶2. (C) Kansikas-Debraise promised to inform us promptly should Mastsystem make an application. WARE