NORWEGIAN MFA VIEW ON ILLEGAL WEAPON SHIPMENT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000642 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2018 TAGS: PARM SUBJECT: NORWEGIAN MFA VIEW ON ILLEGAL WEAPON SHIPMENT TO IRAN Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d) ¶1. (C) Poloff met with MFA Nonproliferation Deputy Director Bjorn Midthun and Export Control specialist Ole-Morten Parelius on December 1 to discuss the recent fine of a Norwegian freight forwarder for sending sensitive missile technology to Iran. Echoing Foreign Minister Stoere, Midthun emphasized that the GON takes the incident very seriously, although it was not yet clear that there was any kind of loophole in the "robust" Norwegian export control system. ¶2. (C) Midthun and Parelius shared the following facts about the case. The UK exporter of the items, guidance gyroscopes, attempted to send them to Iran via a freight forwarder in Malta. The end-user was known at that time, and the Maltese freight forwarder refused the shipment and sent it back to the exporter. The exporter then somehow "camouflaged" his behavior, either with or without cooperation from a Norwegian freight forwarding firm, Airsped. The papers for customs did not accurately declare the item to be exported, and one to two items got through to Iran, out of nine that the exporter originally wanted to ship. ¶3. (C) Midthun and Parelius referred poloff to the UK presentation to the MTCR UK report in Canberra. The UK has prosecuted the exporter. The Norwegian MFA was not directly involved in the case because the exporter, not being Norwegian, did not ask for an export license. Airsped has not yet accepted the fine, and although the police investigation is closed at this time, it may be reopened for further investigation in order to provide a comprehensive prosecution case. WHITNEY