Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BERN498
2009-11-20 16:39:00
SECRET
Embassy Bern
Cable title:  

QUARTZCOM: CONCERN ABOUT SWISS FIRM'S ENGAGEMENT

Tags:  PARM MNUC PREL ETTC SY SZ 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSW #0498 3241639
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 201639Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6183
INFO RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0132
S E C R E T BERN 000498 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/MTR (JP.HERRMANN) AND EUR/CE (Y.SAINT-ANDRE)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2034
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL ETTC SY SZ
SUBJECT: QUARTZCOM: CONCERN ABOUT SWISS FIRM'S ENGAGEMENT
WITH SYRIAN ENTITY

REF: STATE 115194

Classified By: Poloff Chris Buck; reasons 1.4(b),(c),and (d).

S E C R E T BERN 000498

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/MTR (JP.HERRMANN) AND EUR/CE (Y.SAINT-ANDRE)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2034
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL ETTC SY SZ
SUBJECT: QUARTZCOM: CONCERN ABOUT SWISS FIRM'S ENGAGEMENT
WITH SYRIAN ENTITY

REF: STATE 115194

Classified By: Poloff Chris Buck; reasons 1.4(b),(c),and (d).


1. (S) Poloff delivered the reftel non-paper on November 10
to Pierre-Andre Farine, Acting Director of the Export
Controls Section, Swiss State Secretariat for Economic
Affairs (SECO). Farine thanked poloff for the information
and undertook to look into the matter.


2. (S) On November 20, Juergen Boehler, Director of SECO's
Export Controls Section, informed poloff that SECO shares USG
concerns about the Syrian entity noted in the reftel
non-paper, and would not approve any shipments of quartz
oscillators to it. He said that he had been in touch with
Quartzcom's head manager, warning him not to proceed with any
transactions with Syrian entities. According to Boehler, the
manager currently is on business travel in Asia. SECO has
requested a meeting with the Quartzcom manager upon his
return to Switzerland, and has asked him to provide any
documentation Quartzcom has relevant to possible orders from
Syrian entities. Boehler underlined that Swiss authorities
are keeping an eye on the company, and said he thinks it will
be possible to prevent the quartz oscillators from being
exported, per USG concerns in reftel.
BEYER