RSVP EXTRANCHECK PRE-LICENSE CHECK: NIKON INSTRUMENTS

UNCLAS ROME 004035 SIPDIS USDOC FOR 532/OEA/ML NICKSON-DORSEY/ANTOINETTE DYSON 3133/USFCS/OIO/PBUCHER/JFAY STATE FOR EB/ESP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD ETTC IT BEXT SUBJECT: RSVP EXTRANCHECK PRE-LICENSE CHECK: NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA APPLICATION NUMBER: D326472 REF: USDOC 4148 ¶1. ON OCTOBER 15, 2004 DEPUTY SENIOR COMMERCIAL OFFICER LINDA ARCHER AND COMMERCIAL SPECIALIST BARBARA LAPINI VISITED THE COMPANY NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA AND MET WITH LORENZO VANNINI, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, AND ENGINEER GIANCARLO CAPPANI, CONSULTANT. ¶2. CS ITALY OFFICIALS WERE WELL RECEIVED AND WERE PROVIDED WITH AMPLE INFORMATION ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE COMPANY AND ON THE INTENDED USE OF THE PRODUCT UNDER INVESTIGATION, A THERMAL IMAGER BY MIKRON INFRARED, INC. OF OAKLAND, NJ. ¶3. UPON ARRIVAL, CS ITALY OFFICIALS LEARNED THAT THE PRE- LICENSE CHECK SHOULD ACTUALLY BE A POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION BECAUSE THE COMPANY HAD ALREADY RECEIVED THE THERMAL IMAGER UNDER EXPORT LICENSE D325611. DOCUMENTATION FROM DOC WAS PRESENTED. ¶4. NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA PURCHASED THE THERMAL IMAGER TO ALLOW ITS CLIENT COMPANY GENERAL CONTRACTOR SRL OF ROME TO USE THE INSTRUMENT ON A TRIAL BASIS (UNDER THE STRICT SUPERVISION OF NIKON INSTRUMENTS) TO EXPERIMENT ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PARTICULARLY FOR CIVIL PROTECTION PURPOSES SUCH AS THE DETECTION OF FOREST FIRES OR FREEZING ROAD CONDITIONS. IN PARTICULAR, NIKON AND GENERAL CONTRACTOR ARE PLANNING TO USE THE EQUIPMENT FOR AN EXPERIMENT ON ROAD CONDITIONS TO BE DONE ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN FLORENCE AND BOLOGNA. FOLLOWING THE EXPERIMENTAL PHASE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR ITSELF PLANS TO PURCHASE THERMAL IMAGERS THROUGH NIKON INSTRUMENTS AND AN APPLICATION FOR AN EXPORT LICENSE HAS ALREADY BEEN FILED FOR ITS FIRST PURCHASE. THE THERMAL IMAGER PURCHASED BY NIKON INSTRUMENTS IS TO REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF NIKON INSTRUMENTS. ¶5. NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA IS A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF NIKON HOLDING COMPANY BASED IN HOLLAND, WHICH IS IN TURN WHOLLY OWNED BY NIKON CORPORATION OF JAPAN. NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA IS THE ITALIAN DISTRIBUTOR OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT BY NIKON, NEC AND OTHER SUPPLIERS. BANK REFERENCES INCLUDE THE BANK OF TOKYO/MITSUBISHI FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS, THE BANCA NAZIONALE DEL LAVORO, BANCA INTESA, AND CASSA DI RISPARMIO DI FIRENZE. ¶6. CS ITALY OFFICIALS WERE SHOWN THE THERMAL IMAGER, WHICH IS STORED IN NIKON INSTRUMENTS OFFICES' IN SESTO FIORENTINO NEAR FLORENCE, ITALY. NIKON EMPLOYS 12 PEOPLE AT ITS OFFICES NEAR FLORENCE AND HAS THREE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE AT SALES OFFICES IN MILAN AND ROME. MR. VANNINI AND MR. CAPPANI WERE AWARE OF THE RESTRICTIONS AND RULES IMPOSED ON THE IMPORTS OF CONTROLLED ITEMS. ¶7. BASED ON THE COOPERATION AND ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, POST CONSIDERS NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA TO BE A SUITABLE RECIPIENT OF SENSITIVE U.S. TECHNOLOGY. (ORIGIN: USFCS FLORENCE/BLAPINI/LARCHER) SEMPLER NNNN 2004ROME04035 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED