(S) GERMANY INFORMED ABOUT POSSIBLE IRANIAN UAV

S E C R E T BERLIN 000449 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER STATE FOR ISN/CATR MARGARET T. MITCHELL STATE FOR EUR/PRA MATT HARDIMAN STATE FOR NEA, IO, WHA AND T E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2034 TAGS: PARM PREL MASS ETTC TU VE IR GM SUBJECT: (S) GERMANY INFORMED ABOUT POSSIBLE IRANIAN UAV SHIPMENT THROUGH HAMBURG REF: A. STATE 28302 ¶B. ANKARA 450 ¶C. STATE 36834 Classified By: Global Affairs Unit Chief Don L. Brown for reasons 1.4 (b),(c),and (d). ¶1. (S//NF) German officials have agreed to immediately notify their competent authorities about an imminent shipment of Iranian origin UAV parts to Venezuela in the coming weeks, possibly through Hamburg. On April 15, EconOff delivered the REF C demarche to German MFA export control officers led by Markus Klinger, Deputy Office Director for Export Controls. PolOff delivered the demarche in parallel to MFA Arms Control Desk Officer Hans Koeppel. Klinger said Germany is glad to assist in preventing this shipment to Venezuela, but said that more detailed information concerning the goods and date of possible shipment would be very helpful. Koeppel, having previously served in Caracas, noted that cargo flights between Iran and Venezuela are scheduled to occur on a weekly basis and questioned why the Iranians wouldn,t simply fly this shipment directly to Venezuela. ¶2. (S//NF) The German export control officials, ever sensitive to potential legal vulnerability on export control matters, said that based on the REF C information they would need to examine their legal position on this case, given that action may be required. Specifically, they asked whether these items (UAV components) are clearly Wassenaar-listed items and whether they would be considered "arms or related materials" pursuant to the UNSCR 1747 operative paragraph 5, prohibiting Iran from exporting arms or related materials. Post will report any substantive German response septel. Koenig