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