(S) GERMANY REQUESTS INFORMATION CONCERNING IRANIAN PROCUREMENT OF ICS-SCHNEIDER TEST CHAMBER

S E C R E T BERLIN 000643



SIPDIS, ISN/MTR, EUR/AGS AND EUR/PRA



E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2033

TAGS: PARM, PREL, ETTC, MTCRE, KSCA, IR, GM

SUBJECT: (S) GERMANY REQUESTS INFORMATION CONCERNING

IRANIAN PROCUREMENT OF ICS-SCHNEIDER TEST CHAMBER



REF: A. 07 STATE 75839

B. STATE 15220

C. BERLIN 195

D. STATE 40087

E. BERLIN 511



Classified By: Glbal Affairs Unit Chief Don L. Brown for

reasons 14 (b) and (d).



1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. PLEASE SEE PARA 5.



2. (S) On May 13, MFA Export Control Division Desk Officer

Wiebke Wacker provided Global Affairs Oficer with a

German-language nonpaper requesting nformation from U.S.

concerning an Iranian natioal, Abdolmajid Naji, and a German

citizen, Andreas Schneider, in connection with the Iranian

procurement of a German origin environmental test chamber

from the firm ICS-Schneider Messtechnik. In support of a

current investigation, the Germans are specifically

interested in knowing whether the USG has any information

indicating that Andreas Schneider was aware that the Iranian

firm Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG) would be the

actual end-user of the environmental test chamber.



3. (S) In a May 5 meeting, Wacker provided Global Affairs

Officer with further background information concerning this

information request. According to the German Customs Office

of Criminal Investigation (Zollkriminalamt, or ZKA),Wacker

said, Abdolmajid Naji was confronted (and possibly detained)

by U.S. authorities in February 2008 while applying for a

visa at AmConGen Dubai. Wacker said the ZKA has assessed

that information concerning Naji's business contacts with

Andreas Schneider is a critical piece of evidence needed to

support the ZKA's ongoing investigation into Andreas

Schneider and Iranian efforts to procure an environmental

chamber from ICS-Schneider Messtechnik.



4. (S) Begin informal Embassy translation of German-language

nonpaper:



With reference to the Non-Papers from June 1, 2007, August 3,

2007, December 18, 2007, February 15, 2008, and April 21,

2008 regarding the procurement of an environmental test

chamber by the Iranian firm Rakin from the German firm ICS

Schneider via Romania and Croatia, we take this opportunity

to ask the U.S. authorities about the following points:



The German export control authorities have learned that

Abdolmajid Naji was approached by U.S. authorities about

these matters. Because the German authorities have also

undertaken investigative measures, we are interested in

information concerning the results of these conversations.



The U.S. authorities reported in their Non Paper from April

21, 2008, that the Iranian firm SBIG is the actual intended

recipient of the test chamber. The German export control

authorities are accordingly interested in knowing whether the

German citizen Andreas Schneider had knowledge of this

end-user.



We thank you for the information in connection with the

SBIG's procurement attempts and we look forward to continuing

our excellent cooperation in the area of export controls.



End text of informal Embassy translation.



5. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Post requests Department guidance

in responding to the questions posed in the German nonpaper.

TIMKEN JR