(S) GERMAN QUERY CONCERNING THE EXPORT OF

S E C R E T BERLIN 000533 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN, NEA/IPA, AND EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2017 TAGS: MNUC ETTC PARM PREL IS GM SUBJECT: (S) GERMAN QUERY CONCERNING THE EXPORT OF VIBRATION TEST EQUIPMENT TO ISRAEL Classified By: Global Affairs Counselor Donald R. Shemanski, for reason s 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request -- please see paragraph 4. ¶2. (S) German MFA Export Control Desk Officer Andreas Kauke provided a German-language nonpaper to Global Affairs Officer March 12. The nonpaper requests USG input for a German export licensing decision concerning the delivery of vibration test equipment to a branch of Israel's Rafael Ordnance System Division. What concerns the German Government is a U.S. denial in 2003 for a license to export vibration test equipment to parent company Rafael Armament Development Authority. The German Government now asks for a U.S. assessment by April 13, 2007, of the risk of the vibration test equipment being diverted to Rafael Armament Development Authority for nuclear-related testing. If the German Government receives no derogatory information from the USG by this date, it is inclined to grant the export license. ¶3. (S) Begin unofficial embassy translation of the German-language nonpaper: Allow us to request information from the U.S. authorities concerning the following matter: -- The German export control authorities are currently examining an application for the granting of export approval for components of a vibration test system (accelerometer and further accessories),which are to be delivered through the firm Rafael Purchasing Department, Division 2, in Haifa, to the firm Rafael Ordnance System Division, also in Haifa, Israel. The latter firm is a subsidiary of Rafael Armament Development Authority (Israel Defense Force). -- The items are supposed to be installed in a vibration test chamber for civilian (medical scanners and communications equipment) and military (anti-armor, air-to-air, and surface-to-air rockets and aviation black boxes) products. -- There is an American NSG denial, NSG-US 03-005, from November 13, 2003, concerning the export of vibration test equipment to Rafael Armament Development Authority. The stated grounds for denial was the risk of the proliferation connected with nuclear explosion activities. This denial is not directly controlling, since it does not deal with identical items, but is relevant in our view in the assessment of the application because the use of the items in the same place is possible. -- In view of the potentially sensitive use of the items, we would be grateful for an assessment and report by the U.S. authorities by April 13, 2007, whether in their view they have reservations regarding the export of the given items to the named recipient. -- The German authorities are in possession of information pertaining to the end user in connection with conventional armaments, but not in the area of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery. We are grateful for our continuing excellent cooperation in the area of export controls. End text of German-language nonpaper. ¶4. (U) Post requests a response to provide to the Germans by the April 13 deadline. TIMKEN JR