AUSTRALIA GROUP: GERMANY TO PARTICIPATE IN PLENARY

S E C R E T BERLIN 000996 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/CB, EUR/PRA, EUR/AGS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2022 TAGS: PARM PREL CBW GM SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA GROUP: GERMANY TO PARTICIPATE IN PLENARY INFO EXCHANGE AND EXPERTS ENFORCEMENT MEETINGS REF: STATE 58355 Classified By: Global Affairs Counselor Donald R. Shemanski, for reason s 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Global Affairs officer passed ref demarche to German MFA Export Control Division Deputy Chief Markus Klinger May ¶4. Klinger said the German Government was already considering presentations to make at the Australia Group (AG) Information Exchange sessions during the June 4-7 AG Plenary in Paris. He noted that the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) will be part of the German delegation and will make any presentations concerning Germany's assessment of Iran's chemical and biological warfare manufacturing capabilities and/or programs. Klinger said he will convey the USG interest in Germany's assessment to the appropriate officials of the German Government. ¶2. (S) Concerning an assessment of Russia's chemical and biological weapons programs, Klinger said the German Government is still studying the issue. He noted that the EU members in the AG presented a Common Position at the 2006 AG Plenary in which they said that, although it would be desirable for Russia to be admitted into the AG, questions still remained about its export control system. ¶3. (S) On a separate issue, Klinger mentioned that the Canadian delegation requested a June 3 meeting of several like-minded countries, including Germany, in Paris to discuss a 2006 Canadian proposal to consider the biological warfare applications of oligonucleotides. Klinger suggested that this issue be discussed in a breakout meeting between AG Plenaries. In his view, this issue is too technical for the AG delegates to discuss a day before the 2007 Plenary. Furthermore, the German Government has identified only one expert on this topic, and he will not attend the 2007 Plenary. ¶4. (U) Post will report any additional German response concerning the upcoming AG Plenary septel. TIMKEN JR