US embassy cable - 03ROME1502

S E C R E T ROME 001502 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR NP/CBM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2013 
TAGS: KSCA, PARM, PREL, ETTC, IT, IR, UK, EXPORT CONTROLS 
SUBJECT: MTAG 05-96: IMMINENT MISSILE-RELATED TRANSFER 
BETWEEN ITALIAN FIRM AND IRAN (S) 
 
REF: SECSTATE 88280 
 
    CLASSIFIED BY: ECONOMIC COUNSELOR KAREN MILLIKEN REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D 
) 
 
1. (S) ECONOFF AND UK EMBASSY POLITICAL OFFICER NICK HOPTON 
DELIVERED REFTEL MESSAGE TO MFA EXPORT CONTROL COORDINATOR 
UGO DE MOHR ON APRIL 8.  OUR MEETING FOLLOWED THE APRIL 7 
MEETING BETWEEN UK EMBASSY DCM SCOTT WIGHTMAN WITH THE PM'S 
DEPUTY DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR GIANPAOLO SCARANTE ON THE SAME 
ISSUE (WIGHTMAN TOLD US HE ACTED AT HMG INSTRUCTIONS, BEFORE 
WE ALERTED HIM TO OUR INTEREST IN PRESENTING THE DEMARCHE 
JOINTLY). DE MOHR HAD ALREADY SPOKEN WITH SCARANTE ABOUT THE 
CASE, AND HE TOLD US THAT HE HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE 
MINISTRY OF PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES (WHICH ISSUES ALL EXPORT 
LICENSES) TO CONVEY OUR CONCERNS, TO SEEK A STATUS REPORT ON 
THE LICENSE APPLICATION (HE WAS NOT CERTAIN THE LICENSE HAD 
BEEN ISSUED YET), AND, IF A LICENSE HAD BEEN ISSUED, THE 
STATUS OF THE SHIPMENT FROM ITALIAN CUSTOMS OFFICIALS.  DE 
MOHR STRESSED THAT THE GOI WOULD DO WHAT IT COULD TO IMPEDE 
THE SHIPMENT, THOUGH HE NOTED THAT DOING SO COULD BE 
DIFFICULT LEGALLY IF THE LICENSE HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED. 
 
2. (S) DE MOHR FURTHER TOLD US THAT THE PROPOSED EXPORT FIRST 
CAME TO THE MFA'S ATTENTION APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS AGO, 
WHEN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE SUBMITTED IT FOR REVIEW BY THE 
GOI INTERAGENCY EXPORT CONTROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY 
DE MOHR.  ALTHOUGH THE CLIMATIC TEST CHAMBERS ARE NOT 
INCLUDED ON THE MTCR CONTROLLED LIST, THE MOD BELIEVED THAT 
SUCH A SHIPMENT TO IRAN WARRANTED ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY UNDER 
THE CATCH-ALL PROVISION OF THE EU'S EXPORT CONTROL LAW.  THE 
EXPORT CONTROL COMMITTEE'S CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED 
EXPORT TURNED UP NO COMPELLING INFORMATION TO DENY A REQUEST, 
    SAID DE MOHR, WHO ADDED THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY 
PREVIOUS DENIALS BY ITALY'S MTCR PARTNERS TO THE IRANIAN 
ENTITY SAFETY EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT (SEP) INCORPORATED.  DE 
MOHR ADDED THAT HE DID NOT RECALL THE U.S. PAPER PRESENTED AT 
THE 2002 MTCR PLENARY THAT IDENTIFIED SEP AS A FRONT COMPANY 
FOR THE IRANIAN MISSILE PROGRAM. 
 
3. (S) ECONOFF ALSO LEFT COPIES OF REFTEL MESSAGE WITH THE 
MFA'S IRAN DESK OFFICER FEDERICA FERRARI BRAVO AND WITH 
NONPROLIFERATION AND ARMS CONTROL OFFICE DIRECTOR ALESSANDRO 
CEVESE. 
SEMBLER 
 
NNNN 
 2003ROME01502 - Classification: SECRET