IRAN SANCTIONS COMMITTEE WRITES TO CYPRUS, LOOKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000186 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/24/19 TAGS: PARM IR UNSC MNUC ETTC KNNP SUBJECT: IRAN SANCTIONS COMMITTEE WRITES TO CYPRUS, LOOKS TO IRAN/SYRIA REF: A. STATE 016217 ¶B. USUN 75 ¶C. USUN 97 ¶D. USUN 103 ¶E. NICOSIA 104 ¶F. NICOSIA 108 USUN NEW Y 00000186 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Amb. Susan Rice for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The chair of the UN Security Council's Iran Sanctions Committee (Japanese UN Perm Rep Takasu) has delivered to the Cypriot Perm Rep a letter from the Iran Sanctions Committee about the M/V Monchegorsk, a Cypriot-flagged vessel that was transferring Iranian arms-related materiel in violation of Security Council resolutions. The Cypriot Perm Rep was reportedly pleased with the letter, particularly that it stated clearly a violation had indeed occurred. The chair will now begin moving through the Committee a second set of letters that will ask Iran and Syria, the alleged violators, to explain themselves. This issue could be discussed in the Security Council around March 10 when the chair provides a regular update on the Iran Sanctions Committee's activities. The Iranian UN mission in New York is reportedly frustrated that Tehran has provided them with no instructions or information about the Monchegorsk. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On February 24, Japanese Perm Rep Yukio Takasu, chair of the UN Security Council Iran Sanctions Committee, hand-delivered a letter from the Committee to Cypriot Perm Rep Minas Hadjimichael regarding the M/V Monchegorsk, a Cypriot-flagged vessel found transferring Iranian arms-related materiel to Syria in violation of Security Council resolution 1747 (2007). This letter (text at para 7) referred to this transaction as a violation of resolution 1747, thanked Cyprus for sending the Committee a report on the ship's cargo, and said the Committee would welcome any further details about the ownership of the goods. ¶3. (C) According to the Japanese, Hadjimichael was pleased with the text and noted with pleasure that the letter stated clearly that a violation had indeed occurred. He asked about the request for more information on the ownership of the cargo, wondering if it referred to the three cargo containers (out of ninety-eight total) that Cyprus had not yet inspected. Takasu clarified that this sentence referred to the interest of Committee members in knowing whether any of the cargo can be tied to individuals or entities designated under previous Iran sanctions resolutions, for example the Defense Industries Organization (DIO). (NOTE: USUN urged Takasu to make this point in light of U.S. evidence that some of the cargo may have belonged to the DIO, an entity designated under resolution 1737. END NOTE.). Hadjimichael reportedly told Takasu that Cyprus would be willing to share any such information it uncovered. NEXT STEPS: SHIFTING FOCUS TO THE VIOLATORS -------------- ¶4. (C) The Japanese, French and UK missions have all reviewed informally the text of a possible draft letter (ref A) to Iran and Syria requesting written explanations for this violation. The Japanese thought the letter was fine and intend to begin moving it through the Committee as soon as February 25 or 26. After a period of negotiations, the letter could be approved by the Committee around Tuesday March 3 and would request replies from Iran and Syria by sometime around the third week of March. After replies are received, the Committee will then consider possible responses. ¶5. (C) According to the Japanese, the Japanese Perm Rep will deliver to the Security Council around March 10 a regular 90-day briefing about the activities of the Iran Sanctions Committee. This briefing will include a factual accounting of what the Committee has done to respond to the Monchegorsk incident and could generate a discussion in the Council. ¶6. (C) The Japanese have privately alerted USUN that the Iranian mission approached them recently to ask questions about the Committee's next steps on the Monchegorsk. The Iranian mission reportedly complained to the Japanese that Tehran had provided no instructions on the matter or any information regarding the contents of the Monchegorsk's cargo. ¶7. (SBU) IRAN SANCTIONS COMMITTEE LETTER TO CYPRUS //BEGIN TEXT// USUN NEW Y 00000186 002.2 OF 002 Excellency, On behalf of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006),I have the honour to hereby acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12 February 2009 regarding the cargo of the Cyprus-flagged vessel MONCHEGORSK that was being transferred in violation of paragraph five of resolution 1747 (2007). The Committee takes note of the additional inspections and the decision of your Government on storage of the ship's cargo. The Committee would like to express its gratitude for your detailed report and would welcome any further information that you may uncover relevant to this cargo, such as details about the ownership of the goods. Such information will help the Committee in carrying out its mandate to examine and take appropriate action on information about alleged violations of measures imposed in resolutions 1737 (2006),1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008). //END TEXT// MINIMIZE CONSIDERED Rice