NORWEGIAN FAST BOATS TO IRAN

S E C R E T OSLO 000559 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2016 TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC IR NO SUBJECT: NORWEGIAN FAST BOATS TO IRAN REF: SECSTATE 69680 Classified By: P/E Counselor Mike Hammer, reason 1.4 (b) and (d) (S) We delivered reftel demarche to MFA DAS for Export Control Jan Grevstad on May 4. Grevstad said that he had spoken earlier in the week with the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) about the sale by the Norwegian firm Batservice A/S of fast boats to Iran. According to Grevstad, PST runs a program to try and inform civilian Norwegian companies about their possible unwitting contribution to weapons proliferation. According to Grevstad, PST has spoken with Batservice in the past and will contact them again within the next three to four weeks, to learn more about Batservice's planned cooperation with Iran and explain the proliferation concerns about the proposed construction of a facility to produce fast boats in Iran. Grevstad listened carefully to our policy concerns regarding Iran's errant behavior, but made no substantive comment, other than to note the legal limitations that Norway has in trying to stop a Norwegian company from exporting a non-controlled commercial good to a civilian entity abroad. However, Grevstad promised to let us know the outcome of PST's forthcoming visit to Batservice. Visit Oslo's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m WHITNEY