Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI1768
2003-04-14 04:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK

Tags:  KOMC ETTC TC 
pdf how-to read a cable
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Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:32:12 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results

Cable 
Text: 
 
 
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM April 14, 2003


To: No Action Addressee 

Action: Unknown 

From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1768 - ROUTINE) 

TAGS: ETTC, KOMC 

Captions: None 

Subject: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK 
 APPLICATION TA-1017-03 

Ref: None 
_________________________________________________________________
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 01768

SIPDIS
CXABU:
 INFO: ECON AMB DCM 
Laser1:
 ACTION: FCS 

DISSEMINATION: FCS
CHARGE: FCS

APPROVED: ECON: T. WILLIAMS
DRAFTED: FCS: MARY O'BRIEN
CLEARED: FCS: NCHARLES-PARKER

VZCZCADI358
RR RUEHC RUCPDOC RUEHDI
DE RUEHAD #1768 1040451
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140451Z APR 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9395
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHDI/AMCONSUL DUBAI 3031
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001768 

SIPDIS

USDOC FOR BIS/ S. HAN
SECSTATE FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR
DUBAI FOR T. LERSTEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KOMC ETTC TC

SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK
APPLICATION TA-1017-03

REF: STATE 062909

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001768

SIPDIS

USDOC FOR BIS/ S. HAN
SECSTATE FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR
DUBAI FOR T. LERSTEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KOMC ETTC TC

SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK
APPLICATION TA-1017-03

REF: STATE 062909


1. REFTEL REQUESTED POST CONDUCT A PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON
MIDDLE EAST OPTRONICS, LISTED AS THE FOREIGN CONSIGNEE ON
DTC CASE #TA-1017-03, WHICH PROPOSES THE TRANSFER BY FLIR
SYSTEMS OF TECHNICAL DATA FOR THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF
FLIR THERMAL IMAGING EQUIPMENT TO MIDDLE EAST OPTRONICS.


2. ON APRIL 5, 2003, AT THE REQUEST OF THE
POLITICAL/ECONOMIC OFFICER IN DUBAI, COMMERCIAL OFFICER MARY
O'BRIEN MET WITH HADIF AL-MANSOURI OF EMIRATES AVIATION,
HAMDAN STREET, ABU DHABI. ON APRIL 6, 2003, COMMOFF O'BRIEN
ALSO MET WITH MOUHIDDINE (MIKE) GHALAYINI, UAE
REPRESENTATIVE OF FLIR SYSTEMS AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF
MIDDLE EAST OPTRONICS, DUBAI AIRPORT FREE ZONE, DUBAI.


3. IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TWO PRINCIPALS, THE FOLLOWING
INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED: CURRENTLY ALL FLIR THERMAL IMAGING
PRODUCTS IN THE GULF REGION, THOSE LOCALLY OWNED AND THOSE
OWNED BY US MILITARY STATIONED HERE, MUST BE SENT TO THE
U.S. FOR REPAIR. THIS PROCESS CAN TAKE UP TO 3 MONTHS DUE
TO TRANSPORTATION AND CUSTOMS PROCEDURES. IF FLIR HAD AN
APPROVED REPAIR STATION HERE IN THE UAE, THE TIME FOR REPAIR
COULD BE CUT TO 48 HOURS FOR UNITS IN THE UAE AND A WEEK FOR
UNITS IN APPROVED GULF COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS EGYPT, JORDAN
AND MOROCCO. FLIR APPROACHED EMIRATES AVIATION AS A PARTNER
DUE TO THEIR EXCELLENT REPUTATION WITH THE UAE MILITARY.


4. EMIRATES AVIATION HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 1991 AS A
SUPPLIER OF SPARE PARTS AND OTHER SERVICES FOR THE UAE
MILITARY. THE COMPANY AND MR. AL MANSOORI ARE WELL KNOWN TO
THE COMMERCIAL OFFICE HERE IN ABU DHABI AND ENJOY AN
EXCELLENT REPUTATION. MR. AL-MANSOORI PROVIDED A COPY OF A
SIGNED CONTRACT #DP/A1-2-3-4/98/62/4/32 WITH THE UAE
MILITARY TO PROVIDE OVERHAUL, REPAIR AND MODIFICATION
SERVICES FOR HELICOPTERS, MISSILES, AMMUNITION, GROUND POWER
UNITS, GENERATORS, AND BATTLEFIELD-CONSUMABLE EQUIPMENT.
THEY ALSO ARE APPROVED BY THE UAE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
AS A STOCKIST AND SUPPLIER FOR AIRCRAFT PARTS AND EQUIPMENT,
AND ARE A MEMBER OF THE AIRLINE SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION.
LASTLY THEY ARE REGISTERED WITH NATO AS A SUPPLIER OF
MILITARY SPARE PARTS AND EQUIPMENT. THE COMPANY HAS TEN
EMPLOYEES AND IN 2002 EMIRATES CLOSED 70 ORDERS WITH 23 U.S.
COMPANIES FOR A TOTAL OF $1,000,000.


5. FLIR SYSTEMS AND EMIRATES AVIATION ARE EACH 50%
SHAREHOLDERS IN MIDDLE EAST OPTRONICS (MEO),WHICH HAS BEEN
ESTABLISHED IN THE DUBAI AIRPORT FREE ZONE (DAFZA),LICENSE
#196 (DOCUMENTS BEYOND THIS INFORMATION ARE NOT PUBLIC
RECORD HERE AS THEY ARE IN THE US). THE OFFICES, MEASURING
OVER 300 SQUARE METERS, ARE LOCATED IN AN OFFICE/WAREHOUSE
FACILITY. ONLY THE OFFICES ARE IN CURRENT USE UNTIL THE
EXPORT LICENSE IS APPROVED TO ESTABLISH THE REPAIR FACILITY.


6. DAFZA IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT AND WILL
THEREFORE SHORTEN TRANSIT TIME FOR PRODUCTS TO BE REPAIRED.
IN ADDITION, MEO'S LOCATION IN DAFZA ALLOWS IMPORTS AND
EXPORTS WITHOUT PAYMENT OF UAE TARIFFS. MEO WILL BEGIN AS A
REPAIR SHOP FOR FLIR BUT MEO IS ALSO LOOKING TO ESTABLISH
REPAIR AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER MANUFACTURERS AS WELL. MR.
GHALAYINI HAS BEEN SELLING FLIR MILITARY SYSTEMS, ALL OF
WHICH REQUIRE EXPORT LICENSES, IN THE GULF REGION FOR OVER
SIX YEARS AND HE IS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE EXPORT LICENSE
PROCESS AND COMPLIANCE WITH CONDITIONS ON SUCH LICENSES. HE
UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE MAY BE RESTRICTIONS REGARDING
TRANSFER OF THIS TECHNOLOGY, EVEN THOUGH IT IS MAINTENANCE
AND REPAIR TECHNOLOGY, NOT DESIGN OR PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY.
COMMOFF O'BRIEN CAN VERIFY MEO'S INTENT TO ABIDE BY ANY
LICENSE CONDITIONS IMPOSED FOR THE REEXPORT OF SPARE PARTS.


7. PLEASE DIRECT FOLLOWUP INQUIRIES IF ANY TO MARY
O'BRIEN, EMAIL MARY.O'BRIEN@MAIL.DOC.GOV.

WAHBA