BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: APPLICATION 05-1009444

UNCLAS PANAMA 002248 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN TELLO STATE FOR WATKINS FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC PM SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: APPLICATION 05-1009444 REF: STATE 177018 ¶1. (U) EconOff spoke with Rogelio Medina, owner and director of Helicopteras Agricolas SA (HA),on November 13, 2006, and Robert Harmon, HA maintenance officer, on November 8, 2006. ¶2. (U) Both HA officials confirmed the order to purchase one SA319B Alouette helicopter from William Seltenrich. Both also confirmed that HA has no military or law enforcement customers. HA's customers are tourists, farmers and local citizens. Both said the helicopter would be used to transit passengers within the Province of Veraguas, conduct tourist sightseeing trips, allow farmers to survey their property and provide crop dusting services. Harmon said some passengers may be foreign tourists visiting the area, typically American or German. Medina said he was aware of, and understood, the helicopter was on the United States Munitions List (USML), and the USML restrictions on re-export and re-transfer. ¶3. (U) Post has not visited the HA facilities. EATON