VZCZCXYZ0007
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVT #0467/01 2941508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211508Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY VALLETTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2377
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0037
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0041

UNCLAS VALLETTA 000467 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR, ISN, NEA, P AND T 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC IR UK LY EG GM MT
SUBJECT: MALTA SUBMITS REPORT OF IRAN SANCTIONS VIOLATION 
TO UN 1737 COMMITTEE 
 
REF: A. STATE 104749 
     ¶B. VALLETTA 437 
     ¶C. VALLETTA 444 
     ¶D. VALLETTA 456 
 
¶1. (SBU) This cable provides additional response to reftel A. 
 On October 16, the office of Malta's Permanent 
Representative to the UN submitted to the Chairman of the 
UNSCR 1737 Sanctions Committee a report of Malta's actions 
described in reftels through D to the Chairman. The report 
was addressed to H.E. Mr. Yukio Takasu, Chairman, Security 
Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1737 
(2006), Room S-3055, United Nations, New York, NY 10017. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The text of report was as follows. 
 
Begin Text: 
 
16th October 2009 
 
Excellency, 
 
The Government of Malta has the honour to share with the 
Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) 
information regarding a recently-discovered violation of UN 
sanctions regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran.  We 
understand that your Committee has a mandate to examine and 
take appropriate action regarding violations of the measures 
contained in resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007) and 1803 
(2008).  We hope information about this violation may assist 
you in carrying out this mandate. 
 
On October 8 2009 the Maltese authorities were informed by 
the authorities of the United States of America and of the 
Federal Republic of German (sic) that the vessel Hansa India, 
which was imminently due to arrive in Malta, had been 
discovered to be carrying cargo which was in breach of 
paragraph 5 of Security Council Resoluation 1747 (2007) and 
the cooperation of the Maltese authorities was sought for the 
purpose of offloading in Malta the cargo in question.  On 
October 9 the said vessel entered a Maltese port and at the 
request of the Maltese authorities the containers suspected 
of containing cargo in violation of the said Resolution were 
offloaded from the German-flagged vessel Hansa India in the 
Malta Freeport and were inspected.  This inspection revealed 
the presence of arms-related material (bullet casings and 
blank brass disks) The ship's manifest indicated the items 
originated in Bandar Abbas, Iran, and were destined for 
Latakia, Syria.  The vessel was chartered by the Islamic 
Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL).  The contents were in 
barrels marked "SAZEMANE SENAYE DEFA" which we understand is 
Farsi for "Defense Industries Organisation (DIO)", an entity 
designated under the UN Security Council resolution 1737 
(2007).  The barrels were numbered as follows:  IRSU217282/3, 
IRSU218070/5, IRSU220755/5, IRSU221206/3, IRSU219901/7, 
IRSU215184/1, IRSU217725/5 and IRSU221007/6. 
 
A complete report on the inspection is enclosed. 
 
As you are aware, paragraph 5 of resolution 1747 (2007) 
states that Iran shall not transfer arms or related material 
from its territory and that all States shall prohibit the 
procurement of such items from Iran.  Therefore, in line with 
our international obligations, our authorities have retained, 
unloaded and stored the aforesaid cargo and will ensure that 
the items are neither allowed to reach their intended 
destination nor returned to their origin. 
 
Reference is also made to paragraphs 11 and 12 of the UNSC 
Resolution 1803 (2008) which inter alia call on States that 
in accordance with their national legal authorities and 
legislation and consistent with international law, to inspect 
the cargoes to and from Iran, of aircraft and vessels, at 
their airports and seaports, owned or operated by Iran Air 
Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line, provided 
there are reasonable grounds to believe that the aircraft or 
vessel is transporting goods prohibited under this resolution 
or resolutions 1737 (2006) or resolution 1747 (2007); the 
resolution requires all States, in case when inspection is 
undertaken, to submit to the Security Council within five 
working days a written report on the inspection. 
 
The Government of Malta kindly requests that this report is 
treated as strictly confidential and its circulation is 
restricted to the Members of the Committee only. 
 
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest 
consideration. 
 
 
//s// 
 
Savior F. Borg 
Ambassador 
Permanent Representative 
 
End Text. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Per reftels c and d, post again requests guidance 
from the Department as to the eventual disposition of the 
materials seized. 
KMIEC