US embassy cable - 05VIENNA2345

S E C R E T VIENNA 002345 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NP/CBM AND EUR/AGS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2015 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, ETTC, AU, IR, CBW 
SUBJECT: SHIELD S08-02, S63-02, S21-04: GOA RESPONSE TO USG 
CONCERNS REGARDING AUSTRIAN-IRANIAN WMD PROLIFERATION 
COOPERATION (S) 
 
REF: STATE 121596 
 
Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Gregory E. Phillips for 
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
Iranian Technology and Trade Center 
----------------------------------- 
1.  (S) On July 1, Econ Unit Chief delivered reftel talking 
points to Helmut Krehlik, Head of the Economic Ministry's 
Export and Import Control Division, underscoring USG concerns 
with plans to build an Iranian Trade and Technology Center in 
Austria.  Krehlik (strictly protect) said certain Austrian 
"political circles," particularly within the Freedom Party, 
had initiated the idea of the Trade and Technology Center. 
Krehlik agreed that the Trade and Technology Center could 
easily serve the same function as the aborted Technology 
Cooperation Office.  Krehlik said he did not believe 
development of the Trade and Technology Center was moving 
forward, but he agreed that now was the appropriate time for 
the USG to raise any concerns.  Krehlik promised to send an 
information memo to his Minister's Chef de Cabinet outlining 
USG concerns. 
 
2.  (S) In a separate meeting with Econ-Pol Counselor and 
Econ Unit Chief on July 8, Dorothea Auer, Head of the MFA's 
Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Division, cautioned that 
the MFA could not impede Iranian-Austrian commercial and 
technological cooperation unless there was clear evidence of 
violations of Austria's Foreign Trade Act's dual-use 
provisions.  Auer welcomed the information on individuals 
involved in developing the Trade and Technology Center and 
said the GoA would welcome additional, more specific 
information on companies and individuals.  Auer cautioned 
that the MFA could not, absent hard evidence of Iranian WMD 
intenst, legally abrogate the 2004 MoU with Iran, as it 
originated from the Health and Social Affairs Ministry.  Auer 
also expressed doubts whether the center would actually 
materialize, but she promised to pass our concerns to senior 
MFA officials. 
 
3.  (S) Post will continue to follow developments related to 
the Trade and Technology Center and remain actively engaged 
with our GoA interlocutors on the issue. 
 
 
Autumn 2004 Seminar on Dual-Use Issues 
-------------------------------------- 
4.  (S) Krehlik told us the autumn 2004 seminar for Austrian 
researchers was an MFA/MoE initiative to emphasize the GoA's 
dual-use regulations and to make scientists particularly 
aware of potential WMD projects.  The conference, according 
to Krehlik, was also a vehicle for the GoA to obtain 
information about any suspect cooperation.  Krehlik said that 
initial discussions had led to more intensive investigations 
of two current programs.  Krehlik emphasized that analyses of 
these programs fully satisfied all GoA concerns.  Krehlik 
said the response from the researchers had been "surprisingly 
cooperative."  Krehlik said the GoA might consider organizing 
a follow-up seminar, particularly since Parliament had 
recently passed major amendments to the Foreign Trade Act. 
He noted that this would be the third such conference since 
2002. 
Brown