Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SINGAPORE224
2007-01-31 11:04:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:
(S) GOS RELEASES PRECISION LATHES TO SHIPPER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHGP #0224 0311104 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 311104Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2360 INFO RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR IMMEDIATE 4445 RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 1953 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 6397
S E C R E T SINGAPORE 000224
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
ISN/CPI FOR MARK FELIPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2017
TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL MNUC ETTC SN KN MY
SUBJECT: (S) GOS RELEASES PRECISION LATHES TO SHIPPER
REF: A. SINGAPORE 23
B. 06 STATE 204021
C. 06 SINGAPORE 3849
Classified By: E/P Counselor Ike Reed for reasons 1.4(c) and (d)
S E C R E T SINGAPORE 000224
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
ISN/CPI FOR MARK FELIPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2017
TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL MNUC ETTC SN KN MY
SUBJECT: (S) GOS RELEASES PRECISION LATHES TO SHIPPER
REF: A. SINGAPORE 23
B. 06 STATE 204021
C. 06 SINGAPORE 3849
Classified By: E/P Counselor Ike Reed for reasons 1.4(c) and (d)
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5.
2. (S/NF) Post was informed at approximately 1:00 pm on
January 31 that the GOS had released to the original shipping
company (Evergreen) two containers detained at USG request on
or around December 16, 2006 (ref C). The containers were due
to depart Singapore at 2:00 pm January 31 bound for the
Starship Agency in Port Klang, Malaysia.
3. (S/NF) The containers were believed to hold precision
lathes shipped by the Taiwan-based firm Trans Merits to the
Rangoon office of North Korea's Korea Mining Development
Corporation (KOMID) (ref b). Although it was uncertain
whether these lathes were controlled under any multilateral
export control regime, the GOS agreed in December to detain
them pending further investigation. The GOS conveyed a
request for additional information regarding the lathes'
tolerances via separate channels in early January (ref A).
It appears that, based on the response, Singapore Customs did
not believe it had a legal basis for continued detention of
the shipment.
4. (S/NF) E/P Counselor contacted MFA's Michelle Teo-Jacob
Deputy Director, International Organizations, to confirm the
information and ask that the GOS delay the shipment's
departure until Washington could respond to Singapore's
decision. Teo-Jacob said she did not know the status of the
shipment but would contact the appropriate officials and call
us as soon as she could track down the information. As of
close of business, Teo-Jacob had not contacted us again.
5. (S/NF) Action request: Post requests that Washington
immediately supply any information that would support
Singapore's continued detention of the lathes in the event
that the shipment has not yet departed.
HERBOLD
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
ISN/CPI FOR MARK FELIPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2017
TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL MNUC ETTC SN KN MY
SUBJECT: (S) GOS RELEASES PRECISION LATHES TO SHIPPER
REF: A. SINGAPORE 23
B. 06 STATE 204021
C. 06 SINGAPORE 3849
Classified By: E/P Counselor Ike Reed for reasons 1.4(c) and (d)
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5.
2. (S/NF) Post was informed at approximately 1:00 pm on
January 31 that the GOS had released to the original shipping
company (Evergreen) two containers detained at USG request on
or around December 16, 2006 (ref C). The containers were due
to depart Singapore at 2:00 pm January 31 bound for the
Starship Agency in Port Klang, Malaysia.
3. (S/NF) The containers were believed to hold precision
lathes shipped by the Taiwan-based firm Trans Merits to the
Rangoon office of North Korea's Korea Mining Development
Corporation (KOMID) (ref b). Although it was uncertain
whether these lathes were controlled under any multilateral
export control regime, the GOS agreed in December to detain
them pending further investigation. The GOS conveyed a
request for additional information regarding the lathes'
tolerances via separate channels in early January (ref A).
It appears that, based on the response, Singapore Customs did
not believe it had a legal basis for continued detention of
the shipment.
4. (S/NF) E/P Counselor contacted MFA's Michelle Teo-Jacob
Deputy Director, International Organizations, to confirm the
information and ask that the GOS delay the shipment's
departure until Washington could respond to Singapore's
decision. Teo-Jacob said she did not know the status of the
shipment but would contact the appropriate officials and call
us as soon as she could track down the information. As of
close of business, Teo-Jacob had not contacted us again.
5. (S/NF) Action request: Post requests that Washington
immediately supply any information that would support
Singapore's continued detention of the lathes in the event
that the shipment has not yet departed.
HERBOLD