Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08BERLIN1467, ATTEMPTED EXPORT OF GERMAN-ORIGIN HELICOPTERS TO AFGHANISTAN

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08BERLIN1467.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08BERLIN1467 2008-10-30 06:29 2010-11-30 21:30 SECRET Embassy Berlin
Appears in these articles:
http://www.spiegel.de
WL:
This
URL?
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,732127,00.html
VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #1467/01 3040629
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 300629Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2490
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0654
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0572
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 9354
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 1505
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
S E C R E T BERLIN 001467

SIPDIS

EUR/CE FOR HODGES AND SCHROEDER T/PM/DDTC FOR MALONEY, TRIMBLE
AND ZERDEN DOD FOR DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGENCY DSCA FOR MAJ.
ORENCHICK DOD FOR DEFENSE CONTRACTING COMMAND CENTCOM FOR COL. KULVAS
EUCOM / TRANSCOM FOR LNO SIERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2033 TAGS: KOMC ECCT AF GM

SUBJECT: ATTEMPTED EXPORT OF GERMAN-ORIGIN HELICOPTERS TO AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: A/DCM Robert A. Pollard, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (U) This is an urgent action request. See comment and action requests in paragraphs 11 and 12.

2. (S) Summary: Embassy Berlin has become aware that a U.S. firm, Presidential Airways, appears to have moved German-origin helicopters to Turkey, with the intent of moving them NLT 30 Oct to Afghanistan, in likely violation of German export law. Presidential Airways is moving these helicopters to Afghanistan for the stated purpose of providing contracted-for logistical services for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The original export control case is being reviewed at very senior levels of the GOG. If German authorities determine that Presidential Airways has violated German export control law, we expect negative consequences for U.S. - German relations. A possible solution to this is for the helicopters to remain in Turkey, pending the GOG's final decision on this matter.

Background

3. (C) In approximately mid-September 2008, the vice-president of Presidential Airways, Mr. Tim Childrey, contacted Embassy Berlin's Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) requesting any assistance the ODC or Embassy Berlin could provide to secure a German Export License for three SA 330 J PUMA helicopters his company recently purchased from Eurocopter Deutschland. Presidential Airways purchased these helicopters for the stated purpose of executing its contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide logistical air services to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

4. (C) ODC Germany worked with the Economics/Global Affairs section of Embassy Berlin and determined that the export license application was being discussed at senior levels of the German Foreign Ministry, and would likely not be acted upon until the next scheduled meeting of the German federal security council under direction of the Chancellor's Office. Presidential Airways is owned by the Prince Group, Inc. which also owns the Blackwater security company.

5. (C) Efforts by Prince Group personnel and lobbyists from Eurocopter Deutschland did not succeed in forcing an early decision. The Puma issue was slated for discussion at the November federal security council meeting. Presidential Airways has expressed concerns about what they viewed as the long time it was taking to obtain BAFA export permission. In reaction, Presidential Airways notified BAFA on 3 Oct 2008 that it had changed its plans and now intended to move the helicopters to the United States and/or the United Kingdom. In Presidential's view, this did not require an export license from BAFA.

6. (C) On 10 Oct 2008, Eurocopter Deutschland received a letter from the German Economics Ministry stating they had information that these helicopters were enroute to the Netherlands. Significantly, this letter warned that if these helicopters arrived in Afghanistan, this would constitute a violation of German law. Sometime between 10 and 27 October, these helicopters were flown from Germany, possibly to the Netherlands, then on to the UK, and finally to Turkey.

7. (C) On 27 Oct 2008, the Senior Legal Counsel for Eurocopter Deutschland, Dr. Kraemer forwarded the above-described letter from the German Econ Ministry to Mr. Childrey and Mr. Schmitz, as well as other German officials. Kraemer advised Presidential Airways it was taking the Pumas to the US and/or the UK, not Afghanistan; and reminded all of the possible legal consequences. Also on 27 OCT 08, ODC Germany received a copy of the above letters via e-mail from a member of the German Chancellor's Office.

8. (SBU) On 28 OCT 2008, ODC Germany contacted Mr. Childrey of Presidential Airways and inquired about the case. Presidential Airways informed ODC that the helicopters were in Turkey with a stated final destination of Afghanistan.

Childrey noted that his company could no longer afford to wait on the German decision, and had decided to take the helicopters to the UK, which he asserted required no German export license. (Note: this appears to be an unsupported legal conclusion. End note.) Once the helicopters reached the UK, Childrey believed U.S. law and procedures would apply. He claimed to have informed the U.S. State Department of his plan to fly the helicopters to Afghanistan (NFI). ODC Germany expressed grave concern for the way in which Presidential had handled this case, but legal counsel for Presidential stated that he was following U.S. law and did not understand why the Germans were upset.

9. (S) We have conflicting information on the likely disposition of this matter by Germany's Federal Security Council, currently scheduled for discussion on November 5th. However, it appears clear from all sources that any movement of the helicopters without permission from Federal Security Council will constitute a violation of German law.

10. (S) At no time did Embassy Berlin advise Presidential Airways to remove the Pumas from Germany without proper export permission or otherwise to circumvent the German export control process or German law. Presidential represented in its e-mails to U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation officials in Germany that it kept the U.S. State Department updated" of its plans to remove the helicopters and of its determination that the lack of response from the Germans amounted to their tacit consent. Embassy Berlin is unaware of any such communication.

11. (S) COMMENT: If Presidential Airways and the Prince Group have played a role in exporting German-origin helicopters to Afghanistan without the necessary German export permission, this could have wider effects on bilateral cooperation. Because the helicopters would be used to support U.S. forces (even though in a contractual relationship), it would be very difficult to entirely dissociate the USG from the matter. It would complicate relationships with German export control officials -- on whom we depend for cooperation on Iran-related issues and other key proliferation concerns. The issue could become public in Germany and would take on proportions well beyond the significance of a few helicopters, given the widespread public skepticism about Germany's engagement in Afghanistan and the presence of opportunistic opposition political forces (especially the Greens and The Left). This could complicate relationships with those senior officials in the Chancellery and Foreign Office with whom we currently have an excellent working relationship, but who would have to lead the damage control. END COMMENT

12. (S) Action Request: We are unaware of which, if in fact any, State Department Office Presidential or Prince Group approached on this matter. We ask the Department and other relevant USG agencies to examine this matter immediately and to encourage Presidential Airways not to move these helicopters from their current location in Turkey.

Timken Jr