VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #6834 1042203
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O P 142144Z APR 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0000
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0000

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