ESTONIA: NIE REPORT WILL NOT WEAKEN DUAL-USE

UNCLAS TALLINN 000789 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED STATE FOR EUR/NB KATHERINE GARRY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM KNNP MNUR IR EN SUBJECT: ESTONIA: NIE REPORT WILL NOT WEAKEN DUAL-USE WATCH PROCEDURES REF: STATE 164758 ¶1. (SBU) On December 11, Poloff shared reftel points with Riho Kruuv, Bureau Director for Armament and Strategic Goods Control at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kruuv gave assurances that the Government of Estonia (GOE) has in no way weakened their controls on export licenses to Iran in light of the National Intelligence Estimate and has no plans to do so in the future. Kruuv stated that the Estonian Customs Board is vigilant about tracking down and checking all consignments to Iran. In fact, the GOE has recently discouraged a few Estonian companies from exporting dual-use products such as aluminum powder and electronics equipment to Iran, suggesting that they find other 'not so sensitive markets.' (NOTE: Kruuv explained that since the companies in question only consulted with the Strategic Goods Commission about selling these products to Iran and did not actually apply for licenses, the GOE did not have grounds to officially notify other partners in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. END NOTE.) PHILLIPS