MALTA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON IRISL SHIPMENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L VALLETTA 000273 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2018 TAGS: KTFN PTER ETTC UNSC MT PREL SUBJECT: MALTA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON IRISL SHIPMENTS THROUGH FREEPORT REF: STATE 60339 Classified By: DCM Jason Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On July 2 Ambassador and DCM met with Minister of Finance Tonio Fenech and his chief of staff Alan Caruana to convey the IRISL-related points contained reftel. Ambassador emphasized that all UN member states had a responsibility under UNSCR 1803 to exercise vigilance over IRISL cargoes transported through their jurisdiction, and to inspect IRISL cargoes whenever there was grounds to believe that the vessel might be transporting prohibited items under UNSCR 1803 or UNSCRs 1737 or 1747. Given the extensive use that IRISL made of Malta's Freeport, it was incumbent upon Malta to be exceedingly vigilant. ¶2. (C) Minister Fenech reviewed reftel information (releasable Malta) carefully, and assured the Ambassador that he would direct the head of Malta Customs and other officials at the Freeport to be vigilant with regard to IRISL vessels. He reiterated what other Maltese officials have told us: that they would welcome, and act quickly, upon any information the U.S. might be able to provide regarding IRISL shipment transiting Malta. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) With U.S. assistance and training, Malta Customs has developed in recent years into one of the top Customs operations in Europe. Their vigilance, using U.S.-provided equipment, resulted in a 2006 "bust" of an operation to ship gyroscopes used in missile production to Iran, for which a suspect was recently indicted in the U.K. BORDONARO