AUSTRALIA GROUP: GERMANY INFORMED ON US

UNCLAS BERLIN 001003 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER STATE FOR ISN/CB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC PARM PGOV PREL PINR TBIO KSTC FR GM SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA GROUP: GERMANY INFORMED ON US MICRO-REACTORS PROPOSAL FOR PARIS PLENARY REF: STATE 82614 ¶1. (SBU) On August 12, EconOff delivered ref A non-paper to MFA Export Control Division Deputy Office Director, Markus Klinger, informing Germany of the US intention to submit a proposal for a "Chemical Micro-Reactor Systems Experts Group" at the September 2009 Australia Group (AG) Plenary in Paris. After a first-glance examination of the non-paper, Klinger said that in principle he supports this proposal, but Germany would need time to discuss it with their technical experts before giving an official response. ¶2. (SBU) Klinger said proliferation concerns regarding micro-reactors in the framework of the AG is "well known to Germany" and supports further discussion on this matter. Klinger said that a specific experts group on chemical micro-reactor systems gave him pause, and wondered if it would be better to lump the micro-reactor topic with other emerging chem/bio technologies of proliferation concern such as oligonucleotides into a more general "New Technologies Experts Group." ¶3. (SBU) Klinger said he would forward the non-paper immediately to German "experts" and would try to respond with feedback before the AG Paris Plenary. Post will report any substantive German response septel. Bradtke