US embassy cable - 04ROME2964

S E C R E T ROME 002964 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/PRA, NP/ECNP, INR/SPM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2014 
TAGS: ETTC, EIND, PREL, IT, IR, EXPORT CONTROLS 
SUBJECT: FAST BOATS TO IRAN: COMPANY PRESSES GOI 
 
REF: A. ROME 2829 
     B. ROME 776 
 
Classified By: Acting Economic Minister Counselor Kathleen Reddy for Re 
asons 1.5 (a), (b) and (d) 
 
1. (S) The Italian Ministry of Productive Activities (MPA) 
continues to be pressed by Italian fast boat manufacturer FB 
Design to allow it to resume business with Iran, according to 
Amedeo Teti, Director General for Commercial Agreements - 
Foreign Trade.  Teti himself contacted econoff July 28 to 
relay this information, noting that the company's request had 
been conveyed to Massimo Goti, Director General for 
Productive Development and Competitiveness at the MPA. 
 
2. (S) In response to Teti's inquiry regarding current U.S. 
thinking on Iran, econoff reiterated the message that the 
U.S. delegation had delivered to the GOI during the June 23 
Bilateral Dual Use Export Control Consultations (ref A). 
Econoff told Teti that Iran remained a serious threat to 
coalition forces in the Persian Gulf, and the U.S. continued 
to strongly oppose the export of any items to Iran that might 
augment its naval capabilities. Teti thanked econoff for the 
information, and noted that the Ministry would continue to 
maintain its restrictions on FB Design exports to Iran. 
 
3. (S) Note: FB Design's business with Iran was the subject 
of an official letter to the firm, co-signed by Teti and Goti 
on February 26, 2004, that prohibited the company from 
exporting any additional high-speed boats to Iran, as well as 
the provision of related technical assistance and components 
(ref B). That letter also required the company to submit for 
Ministry review any future proposed exports to Iran. (Teti 
did not indicate whether the company's most recent contact 
with the Ministry consisted of a request for review of a 
particular export, however.) End note. 
 
4. (S) Comment: Embassy was encouraged by the willingness of 
Teti (one of Italy's most senior trade officials) to brief us 
on FB Design's contacts with the GOI, and by his statement 
that the Ministry of Productive Activities would maintain its 
restrictions on the company's exports to Iran.  The company's 
inquiry to the Ministry indicates its hesitancy to engage in 
business with Iran behind the GOI's back, and also 
demonstrates that the Goti/Teti letter appears to have at 
least some teeth, despite its ad hoc nature. Embassy will 
seek an update from Teti on the company's contacts with the 
GOI following the August vacation period. End comment. 
 
Visit Rome's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/rome/index.cf m 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2004ROME02964 - Classification: SECRET