ALERTING GERMANY TO A SHIPMENT OF UAVS FROM IRAN

S E C R E T STATE 036834 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2034 TAGS: PARM PREL MASS ETTC GE TU VE IR SUBJECT: ALERTING GERMANY TO A SHIPMENT OF UAVS FROM IRAN TO VENEZUELA REF: A. SECSTATE 28302 ¶B. ANKARA 450 Classified By: EUR/PRA Acting Director Kathleen Morenski, Reason 1.4 (b),(c),and (d). -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶1. (S/NF) On March 25, we alerted Turkey to Iranian plans to ship unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Venezuela (REF A). The GOT expressed appreciation for the information and promised to share it with select officials on that same day. Turkish officials agreed to take the necessary action to prevent this shipment and requested additional information about the timing and possible companies involved in the shipment (REF B). We are in the process of sharing additional information with Turkey. ¶2. (S) The U.S. also has information indicating that Venezuela was considering diverting some disassembled UAV components through the port of Hamburg, Germany in order to minimize the risk of detection and interdiction. We would therefore also like to alert Germany to this activity. The U.S. believes this shipment constitutes arms and related materiel, which Iran is prohibited from transferring pursuant to the UN Security Council Resolution 1747, operative paragraph 5. While UAVs are not directly included in the UN Register of Conventional Arms, they are included in the Wassenaar Arrangement's list of arms (Section 4.2). (Germany is a member of the Wassenaar Arrangement.) -------------- ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶3. (S) Department requests post approach appropriate German officials to deliver the talking points in paragraph 5 and report response. (Talking points may also be left as a non-paper.) If the cargo is found to be in violation of UNSCR 1747, Post should request that Germany use all available means to prevent the transshipment of this cargo and detain it. -------------- OBJECTIVES -------------- ¶4. (S) Post should seek to achieve the following: -- Provide German officials with information regarding Iran's attempt to ship unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related materiel to Venezuela via Turkey and possibly Germany; -- Emphasize to German officials that UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1747, operative paragraph 5, prohibits Iran from transferring any arms or related materiel; -- Emphasize that these goods are produced by an Iranian 
entity listed in the Annex to UNSCR 1747; -- Urge the Government of Germany (GOG) to take action against this potential shipment pursuant to UNSCR 1747 and possibly 1737, and in accordance with the GOG's laws and authorities; -- As a NATO Ally, we try to provide Germany with as much information as possible on these issues, which could help lead them to take action in detaining shipments; and -- Emphasize that, should we receive additional information regarding this shipment, we will provide it as expeditiously as possible. -------------- TALKING POINTS/NON-PAPER -------------- ¶5. (S/REL GERMANY) -- We would like to share some information with you in an effort to prevent a potential transfer of proliferation concern and to ensure that Iran does not make use of your territory to export items proscribed by UN Security Council Resolution 1747. -- Venezuelan officials were expecting the shipment of Iranian Mohajer-2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and UAV-related equipment from Iran by May 2009. Those officials believed that the equipment would be repackaged and labeled as electronic equipment before being transported overland from Iran to Turkey, and from there to Venezuela by ship. -- Venezuelan officials were also considering the possibility of diverting some of the disassembled UAV components through the port of Hamburg to minimize the risk of detection and interdiction. -- We believe these reconnaissance UAVs and the related items -- produced by the UN-designated Qods Aviation Industries -- will be used by the Venezuelan military and meet the standard for arms and related materiel captured under UNSCR 1747. If owned or controlled by Qods Aviation Industries, the UAVs and related items would also be subject to the asset freeze called for under UNSCR 1737. -- UN Security Council Resolution 1747, operative paragraph 5, prohibits Iran from supplying, selling or transferring any arms or related materiel. It also requires all states to prohibit the procurement of such items from Iran by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, and whether or not such transfers originated in the territory of Iran. -- We deeply appreciate the Government of Germany's continued cooperation, support, and willingness to enact prompt and thorough efforts in promoting interdictions designed to prevent the transfer of sensitive materials by Iran. END POINTS -------------- REPORTING REQUIREMENT -------------- ¶6. (U) Post is instructed to report results of its efforts as soon as possible. -------------- POINTS OF CONTACT -------------- ¶7. (U) Washington points of contact for follow up are Margaret T. Mitchell, ISN/CATR, and Matt Hardiman, EUR./PRA. ¶8. (U) Department thanks post for its assistance. Please slug all responses for ISN, EUR, NEA, IO, WHA, and T. CLINTON