Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE15220
2008-02-14 14:33:00
SECRET
Secretary of State
Cable title:
(S) FURTHER SCHEMING BY GERMAN FIRM TO EXPORT TEST CHAMBER TO IRANIAN BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM
how-toP 141433Z FEB 08 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY INFO MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
S E C R E T STATE 015220
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2033
TAGS: PARM, PREL, ETTC, MTCRE, KSCA, GM, IR
SUBJECT: (S) FURTHER SCHEMING BY GERMAN FIRM TO EXPORT
TEST CHAMBER TO IRANIAN BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM
REF: A. 05 STATE 201650
B. 05 BERLIN 3726
C. 05 STATE 211408
D. 05 BERLIN 3954
E. 06 STATE 36325
F. 06 BERLIN 674
G. 06 STATE 62278
H. 06 BERLIN 1123
I. 06 STATE 70328
J. 06 BERLIN 1229
K. 06 BERLIN 1550
L. MTCR POC 201/2006 - MAY 16 2006
M. 07 STATE 75839
N. 07 BERLIN 1137
O. 07 STATE 108420
P. 07 BERLIN 002163
Q. 07 STATE 166482
R. 07 BERLIN 2216
Classified By: ISN/MTR DIRECTOR PAM DURHAM
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D).
S E C R E T STATE 015220
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2033
TAGS: PARM, PREL, ETTC, MTCRE, KSCA, GM, IR
SUBJECT: (S) FURTHER SCHEMING BY GERMAN FIRM TO EXPORT
TEST CHAMBER TO IRANIAN BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM
REF: A. 05 STATE 201650
B. 05 BERLIN 3726
C. 05 STATE 211408
D. 05 BERLIN 3954
E. 06 STATE 36325
F. 06 BERLIN 674
G. 06 STATE 62278
H. 06 BERLIN 1123
I. 06 STATE 70328
J. 06 BERLIN 1229
K. 06 BERLIN 1550
L. MTCR POC 201/2006 - MAY 16 2006
M. 07 STATE 75839
N. 07 BERLIN 1137
O. 07 STATE 108420
P. 07 BERLIN 002163
Q. 07 STATE 166482
R. 07 BERLIN 2216
Classified By: ISN/MTR DIRECTOR PAM DURHAM
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D).
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see
Paragraph 7.
2. (S) Background/Objective: Since November 2005, we have
discussed with German officials efforts by Iran's solid
propellant missile developer - the Shahid Bakeri Industrial
Group (SBIG) - to procure environmental test chambers from
the German firm ICS Schneider Messtechnik (Schneider) (Refs).
SBIG has conducted its dealings with Schneider through the
Iranian intermediary Rakin Ltd. and the missile-related front
companies Aban Commercial and Industrial Group (Aban),Saba
Machinery Supply Company (Saba),and Pooya Commercial and
Engineering (Pooya).
3. (S) In April 2006, Germany denied a request by Schneider
to export environmental chambers to Saba (Ref K). This
denial came shortly after having been alerted by the USG to
SBIG's use of Saba as a front company (Refs E & G). Germany
has also sensitized Voetsch Industrietechnik GmbH - the
manufacturer of the test chamber - to its concerns about this
case (Ref P).
4. (S) In June 2007, we alerted the FRG that Schneider - in
a further attempt to evade German export controls - in
mid-March 2007 suggested to Rakin that a thermal shock
chamber be shipped to Iran using Croatian, Romanian or
Russian intermediaries (Ref M). We subsequently advised
German officials that in late May 2007, the Croatian firm
Belmet 97 made an offer to Rakin - on behalf of Schneider -
for the sale of a shock chamber (Ref O).
<br />5. (S) We now have information indicating that as of
mid-December 2007, Schneider and Rakin's Abdolmajid Naji had
discussed routing the shock chamber through Edib Oil General
Trading (LLC) in the United Arab Emirates. Schneider and
Naji apparently agreed to falsely list an entity in
Tajikistan as the end-user, but Edib Oil would actually
forward the chamber directly from the UAE to Iran. Naji also
requested an inspection and training course in Germany for
two or three engineers prior to the machine's shipment to
Iran.
6. (S) Objective: We want to share this most recent
information with FRG officials, and encourage them to
continue their work to prevent Schneider from supplying
Iran's solid-fueled ballistic missile program with shock
chambers.
7. (U) Action Request: Department requests Embassy
Berlin approach appropriate host government officials
to deliver the talking points in Paragraph 8 and report
response. Talking points may be left as a non-paper.
8. (S) Begin talking points/non-paper:
(SECRET//REL GERMANY)
-- Since November 2005, we have been discussing with you
efforts by Iran's Rakin Ltd. to procure environmental test
chambers from the German firm ICS Schneider Messtechnik on
behalf of Iran's missile program.
-- In early June 2007, we shared information with you
indicating that in mid-March 2007, ICS Schneider was working
with Rakin to provide a 2-zone thermal shock chamber type VT
7030 S2 to Iran's Pooya Commercial and Engineering, an entity
associated with the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG),
Iran's primary developer of solid-fueled ballistic missiles.
-- As we advised you in June, ICS Schneider representatives
Andreas Schneider and Kerstin Schaeffer had suggested to
Rakin that the shipment be routed through Croatia, Romania,
or Russia in order to disguise the fact that the actual
end-user is in Iran.
-- You will also recall from our subsequent discussions in
August that Croatia's Belmet 97 D.O.O. had made a late-May
offer to Rakin - on behalf of ICS Schneider - for the sale of
the shock chamber, and that ICS Schneider had developed plans
to ship the chamber to Croatia, where Belmet would act as an
intermediary and forward the equipment to Iran.
-- We now have information indicating that as of December
2007, ICS Schneider and Abdolmajid Naji of Rakin Ltd.
continued their discussions related to the purchase by Rakin
of a thermal shock chamber on behalf of Iran's solid-fueled
ballistic missile program.
-- Specifically, we understand that ICS Schneider and Naji
have discussed shipping the test chamber to Edib Oil General
Trading (LLC) in the United Arab Emirates.
-- Schneider and Naji appear to have agreed to falsely list
an entity in Tajikistan as the end-user, but Edib Oil would
actually forward the chamber directly from the UAE to Iran.
-- The test chamber is to be shipped within two to three
months after an advance payment has been made. We do not
know if any such payment has yet occurred.
-- We also understand that Naji requested an inspection and
training course in Germany for two or three engineers prior
to the machine's shipment to Iran.
-- We are grateful for your continued cooperation on this
case, and for measures you have taken in the past to prevent
the shipment of this equipment to Iran.
-- We will continue to provide you with relevant information
on this issue as it becomes available, and look forward to
hearing of any actions your government takes in response to
this information.
End talking points/non-paper.
9. (U) Please contact ISN/MTR's John Paul Herrmann with any
questions or follow-up related to this case (202-647-1430 -
herrmannjp2@state.gov or herrmannjp@state.sgov.gov) and slug
reporting on this issue for ISN/MTR, EUR/AGS and EUR/PRA.
10. (U) A word version of this document will be posted at
www.state.sgov.gov/demarche.
RICE
NNNN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2033
TAGS: PARM, PREL, ETTC, MTCRE, KSCA, GM, IR
SUBJECT: (S) FURTHER SCHEMING BY GERMAN FIRM TO EXPORT
TEST CHAMBER TO IRANIAN BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM
REF: A. 05 STATE 201650
B. 05 BERLIN 3726
C. 05 STATE 211408
D. 05 BERLIN 3954
E. 06 STATE 36325
F. 06 BERLIN 674
G. 06 STATE 62278
H. 06 BERLIN 1123
I. 06 STATE 70328
J. 06 BERLIN 1229
K. 06 BERLIN 1550
L. MTCR POC 201/2006 - MAY 16 2006
M. 07 STATE 75839
N. 07 BERLIN 1137
O. 07 STATE 108420
P. 07 BERLIN 002163
Q. 07 STATE 166482
R. 07 BERLIN 2216
Classified By: ISN/MTR DIRECTOR PAM DURHAM
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D).
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see
Paragraph 7.
2. (S) Background/Objective: Since November 2005, we have
discussed with German officials efforts by Iran's solid
propellant missile developer - the Shahid Bakeri Industrial
Group (SBIG) - to procure environmental test chambers from
the German firm ICS Schneider Messtechnik (Schneider) (Refs).
SBIG has conducted its dealings with Schneider through the
Iranian intermediary Rakin Ltd. and the missile-related front
companies Aban Commercial and Industrial Group (Aban),Saba
Machinery Supply Company (Saba),and Pooya Commercial and
Engineering (Pooya).
3. (S) In April 2006, Germany denied a request by Schneider
to export environmental chambers to Saba (Ref K). This
denial came shortly after having been alerted by the USG to
SBIG's use of Saba as a front company (Refs E & G). Germany
has also sensitized Voetsch Industrietechnik GmbH - the
manufacturer of the test chamber - to its concerns about this
case (Ref P).
4. (S) In June 2007, we alerted the FRG that Schneider - in
a further attempt to evade German export controls - in
mid-March 2007 suggested to Rakin that a thermal shock
chamber be shipped to Iran using Croatian, Romanian or
Russian intermediaries (Ref M). We subsequently advised
German officials that in late May 2007, the Croatian firm
Belmet 97 made an offer to Rakin - on behalf of Schneider -
for the sale of a shock chamber (Ref O).
<br />5. (S) We now have information indicating that as of
mid-December 2007, Schneider and Rakin's Abdolmajid Naji had
discussed routing the shock chamber through Edib Oil General
Trading (LLC) in the United Arab Emirates. Schneider and
Naji apparently agreed to falsely list an entity in
Tajikistan as the end-user, but Edib Oil would actually
forward the chamber directly from the UAE to Iran. Naji also
requested an inspection and training course in Germany for
two or three engineers prior to the machine's shipment to
Iran.
6. (S) Objective: We want to share this most recent
information with FRG officials, and encourage them to
continue their work to prevent Schneider from supplying
Iran's solid-fueled ballistic missile program with shock
chambers.
7. (U) Action Request: Department requests Embassy
Berlin approach appropriate host government officials
to deliver the talking points in Paragraph 8 and report
response. Talking points may be left as a non-paper.
8. (S) Begin talking points/non-paper:
(SECRET//REL GERMANY)
-- Since November 2005, we have been discussing with you
efforts by Iran's Rakin Ltd. to procure environmental test
chambers from the German firm ICS Schneider Messtechnik on
behalf of Iran's missile program.
-- In early June 2007, we shared information with you
indicating that in mid-March 2007, ICS Schneider was working
with Rakin to provide a 2-zone thermal shock chamber type VT
7030 S2 to Iran's Pooya Commercial and Engineering, an entity
associated with the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG),
Iran's primary developer of solid-fueled ballistic missiles.
-- As we advised you in June, ICS Schneider representatives
Andreas Schneider and Kerstin Schaeffer had suggested to
Rakin that the shipment be routed through Croatia, Romania,
or Russia in order to disguise the fact that the actual
end-user is in Iran.
-- You will also recall from our subsequent discussions in
August that Croatia's Belmet 97 D.O.O. had made a late-May
offer to Rakin - on behalf of ICS Schneider - for the sale of
the shock chamber, and that ICS Schneider had developed plans
to ship the chamber to Croatia, where Belmet would act as an
intermediary and forward the equipment to Iran.
-- We now have information indicating that as of December
2007, ICS Schneider and Abdolmajid Naji of Rakin Ltd.
continued their discussions related to the purchase by Rakin
of a thermal shock chamber on behalf of Iran's solid-fueled
ballistic missile program.
-- Specifically, we understand that ICS Schneider and Naji
have discussed shipping the test chamber to Edib Oil General
Trading (LLC) in the United Arab Emirates.
-- Schneider and Naji appear to have agreed to falsely list
an entity in Tajikistan as the end-user, but Edib Oil would
actually forward the chamber directly from the UAE to Iran.
-- The test chamber is to be shipped within two to three
months after an advance payment has been made. We do not
know if any such payment has yet occurred.
-- We also understand that Naji requested an inspection and
training course in Germany for two or three engineers prior
to the machine's shipment to Iran.
-- We are grateful for your continued cooperation on this
case, and for measures you have taken in the past to prevent
the shipment of this equipment to Iran.
-- We will continue to provide you with relevant information
on this issue as it becomes available, and look forward to
hearing of any actions your government takes in response to
this information.
End talking points/non-paper.
9. (U) Please contact ISN/MTR's John Paul Herrmann with any
questions or follow-up related to this case (202-647-1430 -
herrmannjp2@state.gov or herrmannjp@state.sgov.gov) and slug
reporting on this issue for ISN/MTR, EUR/AGS and EUR/PRA.
10. (U) A word version of this document will be posted at
www.state.sgov.gov/demarche.
RICE
NNNN