EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK PROSPORTS

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001478 SIPDIS USDOC FOR 532/OEA/MARY R. CORSEY/DAVID POOLE SECSTATE FOR EB/ESP AND NEA/LAURA MALENAS US CUSTOMS HQ FOR STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS ROME FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE DUBAI FOR FCS USDOC 3131 FOR FCS ANESA REGIONAL DIRECTOR BOBBETTE ORR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC TC SUBJECT: EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL REF A)USDOC 00754 B) USDOC 01173; APPLICATION NOS. D304672/D304689 1.REFTEL B WAS A FOLLOW UP TO A REQUEST FOR A PRE-LICENSE CHECK TO DETERMINE THE SUITABILITY OF PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL, BOX 26723 DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AS A RECIPIENT OF US ORIGIN GOODS OR TECHNICAL DATA. POST HAD NOT RECEIVED REFTEL A, WHICH WAS FAXED TO POST ON MARCH 10, ¶2003. ¶2. ON MARCH 12, 2003, COMMERCIAL OFFICER MARY O'BRIEN CONDUCTED A PLC ON PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL, LOCATED IN DUBAI, TELEPHONE NUMBER 971-04-34-34-008, FAX 971-04-34-34- ¶007. COMMOFF MET WITH MR. JULIAN HOLMES, GENERAL MANAGER, PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL AND HIS ASSISTANT. ¶3. MR. HOLMES STATED THAT PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL IS A WHOLESALE COMPANY AND IS OWNED BY SHEIKH SAEED BIN MOHAMMED AL MAKTOUM, A MEMBER OF THE RULING FAMILY IN DUBAI AND AN OLYMPIC LEVEL MARKSMAN, WHO RECENTLY WON A GOLD MEDAL IN COMPETITIVE SHOOTING AT THE ASIAN SHHOTING COMPETITION. MR. HOLMES SAID THAT PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTS SEVERAL MAJOR COMPANIES, INCLUDING ADIDAS, ANTIGUA AND MOOSE APPAREL FROM CANADA. MR. HOLMES SAID THAT PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL IS MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION ADJACENT TO WHERE THEIR WAREHOUSE IS NOW LOCATED. ¶4. MR. HOLMES SAID THAT ACCORDING TO THEIR AGREEMENT WITH BUSHNELL, PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL IS THE EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR BUSHNELL FOR THE MIDDLE EAST. BUSHNELL OWNS BOLLE SUNGLASSES AND SMITH ATHLETIC EYEWEAR, WHICH PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTES. ¶5. MR. HOLMES GAVE COMMOFF MARY O'BRIEN A COPY OF PROSPORTS' TRADE LICENSE ISSUED ON 04/05/1995 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GOVERNMENT OF DUBAI. THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE IMAGED AND FORWARDED BY E-MAIL UPON REQUEST. ¶6. MR. HOLMES SAID THE RIFLESCOPES AND ACCESSORIES LISTED ON THE EXPORT LICENSE APPLICATION WILL BE DISPLAYED AT THE HUNTING SHOW SCHEDULUED FOR ABU DHABI THIS YEAR. BUSHNELL PLANS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SHOW AS AN EXHIBITOR. IN ADDITION, MR. HOLMES HAS RECEIVED INQUIRIES FROM SOME RETAIL SPORTING GOODS AND SHOOTING ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE UAE ABOUT SELLING RIFLESCOPES. PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL HAS NOT YET ORDERED ANY SCOPES AND THINKS THAT THE NUMBERS ON THE APPLICATION MAY BE OPTIMISTIC FOR THE TWO-YEAR LIFE OF THE LICENSE. IT APPEARS BUSHNELL IS SEEKING THIS LICENSE IN ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE ORDERS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST OVER THE TWO-YEAR LIFE OF THE LICENSE. ¶7. RECOMMENDATION: COMMOFF BELIEVES PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL, WHILE NOT AN EXPERIENCED IMPORTER/EXPORTER OF FIREARMS OR ACCESSORIES, IS A RELIABLE RECIPIENT OF U.S. ORIGIN COMMODITIES.