Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07VIENNA1342
2007-05-22 10:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:
DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AUSTRIA: IRANIAN LIGHT WATER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0012 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHVI #1342 1421015 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 221015Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7372 INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0383
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 001342
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR ISN, NEA AND EUR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017
TAGS: PARM PREL EFIN KNNP IR AU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AUSTRIA: IRANIAN LIGHT WATER
REACTOR TENDER AND BANK SEPAH ASSETS
REF: STATE 66574
Classified By: Acting Economic-Political Counselor Phillip R. Nelson
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
GoA Closes Iran's Bank Austria/Creditanstalt Account
--------------------------------------------- -------
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 001342
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR ISN, NEA AND EUR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017
TAGS: PARM PREL EFIN KNNP IR AU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AUSTRIA: IRANIAN LIGHT WATER
REACTOR TENDER AND BANK SEPAH ASSETS
REF: STATE 66574
Classified By: Acting Economic-Political Counselor Phillip R. Nelson
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
GoA Closes Iran's Bank Austria/Creditanstalt Account
-------------- --------------
1. (C) EconPolCouns and EconUnit Chief delivered reftel
talking points on May 16 to Kurt Pribil and Heinrich
Traumueller, Co-Executive Directors of Austria's Financial
Market Authority. Traumueller characterized the Iranian
Mission's use of its diplomatic account as a repository for
bidders on the light water reactor as "serious." Traumueller
promised to discuss the issue with the Ministry of Finance in
advance of our March 21 with the MoF.
2. (C) On May 21, EconUnit Chief followed up with Thomas
Wieser, Director General of the Ministry of Finance's
Economic Policy and Financial Markets Directorate, and with
Birgit Ertl, Wieser's Assistant. Ertl noted that, several
weeks ago when the GoA became aware that the Iranian Mission
was using its Bank Austria/Creditanstalt (BA/CA) account as a
repository for bids, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had
raised its concerns directly with the Iranian Ambassador.
Ertl confirmed that BA/CA had closed the account the week of
May 14-18.
Bank Sepah Assets in Austria
--------------
3. (C) We also raised reftel concerns about timely
implementation of UNSCR 1747, specifically concerns about
asset flight from Bank Sepah accounts in Austria prior to the
implementation of UNSCR 1747 sanctions. Wieser replied that
the Austrian National Bank had frozen the Sepah accounts on
the basis of an April 20 European Council regulation. Wieser
said he was not aware of any asset flight from the Sepah
accounts in Austria.
McCaw
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR ISN, NEA AND EUR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017
TAGS: PARM PREL EFIN KNNP IR AU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AUSTRIA: IRANIAN LIGHT WATER
REACTOR TENDER AND BANK SEPAH ASSETS
REF: STATE 66574
Classified By: Acting Economic-Political Counselor Phillip R. Nelson
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
GoA Closes Iran's Bank Austria/Creditanstalt Account
-------------- --------------
1. (C) EconPolCouns and EconUnit Chief delivered reftel
talking points on May 16 to Kurt Pribil and Heinrich
Traumueller, Co-Executive Directors of Austria's Financial
Market Authority. Traumueller characterized the Iranian
Mission's use of its diplomatic account as a repository for
bidders on the light water reactor as "serious." Traumueller
promised to discuss the issue with the Ministry of Finance in
advance of our March 21 with the MoF.
2. (C) On May 21, EconUnit Chief followed up with Thomas
Wieser, Director General of the Ministry of Finance's
Economic Policy and Financial Markets Directorate, and with
Birgit Ertl, Wieser's Assistant. Ertl noted that, several
weeks ago when the GoA became aware that the Iranian Mission
was using its Bank Austria/Creditanstalt (BA/CA) account as a
repository for bids, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had
raised its concerns directly with the Iranian Ambassador.
Ertl confirmed that BA/CA had closed the account the week of
May 14-18.
Bank Sepah Assets in Austria
--------------
3. (C) We also raised reftel concerns about timely
implementation of UNSCR 1747, specifically concerns about
asset flight from Bank Sepah accounts in Austria prior to the
implementation of UNSCR 1747 sanctions. Wieser replied that
the Austrian National Bank had frozen the Sepah accounts on
the basis of an April 20 European Council regulation. Wieser
said he was not aware of any asset flight from the Sepah
accounts in Austria.
McCaw