POST SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: FREIWILLIGE FEUERWEHR MODRIACH,

UNCLAS VIENNA 002936 SIPDIS USDOC FOR 532/OEA/M.NICKSON-DORSEY/L.RITTER USDOC FOR 3133/USFCS/OIO/EUR/JOHN BRIDENSTINE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC AU SUBJECT: POST SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: FREIWILLIGE FEUERWEHR MODRIACH, EXPORT LICENSE NO. D303543 REF: USDOC 04050 [COMMENT2] ¶1. REFTEL REQUESTED A POST SHIPMENT VERIFICATION TO DETERMINE THE RELIABILITY OF FREIWILLIGE FEUERWEHR MODRIACH AS AN ULTIMATE CONSIGNEE OF SENSITIVE US-ORIGIN TECHNOLOGY. ¶2. BACKGROUND ON THE FREIWILLIGE FEUERWEHR (VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE) MODRIACH: MODRIACH IS A SMALL TOWN LOCATED IN THE AUSTRIAN PROVINCE OF STYRIA, AROUND 30 MINUTES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY OF GRAZ. WITH A POPULATION OF JUST UNDER 250 SOULS, THIS IS A SLEEPY LITTLE ALPINE VILLAGE WITH A SINGLE SCHOOL FOR GRADES K-12; THE BUILDING ALSO SERVES AS CITY HALL AND HOUSES THE TOWN'S ONLY BANK OFFICE. THE FIRE BRIGADE COMMANDER IS HANS PETER SCHEER. SECRETARY IS ANTON MOVIA. KARL LACKMAYER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VEHICLES, AND HIS BROTHER RAIMUND LACKMAYER FOR THE EQUIPMENT. THE REMAINING 30 MEMBERS OF THE FIRE BRIGADE ARE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN WHO PARTICIPATE IN DRILLS AND ARE CALLED ON TO BE AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE SITUATIONS. ¶3. MARTA SCHEIDL HAUSTEIN IS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO HAS BEEN WORKING FOR FCS SINCE 1994. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDUCTING BIS-RELATED CHECKS IN AUSTRIA, AND THIS CASE WAS NO EXCEPTION. HAUSTEIN AT FIRST HAD TROUBLE REACHING SCHEER IN MODRIACH. WHEN SHE FINALLY DID SPEAK WITH HIM, HE WAS VERY COOPERATIVE AND ASKED HER TO TALK TO HIS DEPUTY, MR. MOVIA, BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE THE LOGISTICS OF THE VISIT MUCH EASIER - WHILE SCHEER SPENT LITTLE OF HIS TIME IN MODRIACH, MOVIA WORKED AT THE CITY HALL AND WOULD BE EASIEST TO REACH. HAUSTEIN DULY CALLED MOVIA AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK (SEPTEMBER 20TH). ¶4. HAUSTEIN ARRIVED IN MODRIACH A FEW MINUTES EARLY, AND WAS WELCOMED IN A FRIENDLY FASHION BY MR. MOVIA. HE TOLD HER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TOWN, AND ASKED IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CAMERA, WHICH SHE OF COURSE DID. HE GRABBED A SET OF KEYS FROM HIS DESK AND THE TWO WALKED OUT OF HIS OFFICE AND AROUND TO THE BACK, WHERE THE FIRE BRIGADE BUILDING STOOD. HE UNLOCKED THE DOOR AND INVITED HAUSTEIN INTO THE LARGE ROOM WHERE TWO FIRE TRUCKS STOOD. MOVIA THEN CLIMBED UP INTO THE BIGGER TRUCK AND EMERGED A MOMENT LATER CARRYING A HEAVY-LOOKING BLACK SUITCASE. THEY WALKED INTO THE ADJOINING ROOM AND MOVIA OPENED THE CASE TO REVEAL A HANDHELD BULLARD INFRARED CAMERA IN RED FIRE-FIGHTING CASING. ¶5. HAUSTEIN ASKED IF THEY HAD USED IT YET, AND MOVIA REPLIED THAT IT WORKED WONDERFULLY. HE SEEMED VERY PROUD TO HAVE SUCH A CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY FOR HIS FIRE BRIGADE. HAUSTEIN ALSO ASKED TO SEE THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THE PURCHSE, INCLUDING THE STATEMENT OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS, BUT MOVIA WAS UNABLE TO FIND THESE PAPERS. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE PAPERS ARE PROBABLY ON FILE AT THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF STYRIA IN LEBRING, THE SAME OFFICE THAT FUNDED THE PURCHASE AND DECIDED WHICH VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES WOULD RECEIVE THE CAMERA. HE ALSO PROVIDED A CONTACT PERSON AT THIS AGENCY: LBDS GUSTAV SCHERZ. LANDESFEUERWEHRVERBAND STEIERMARK, FLORIANISTRASSE 22, A-8403 LEBRING, TEL. +43 3182 7000-0, FAX +43 3182 7000-19, EMAIL: KDO@LFV.STEIERMARK.AT. ¶6. HAUSTEIN ASKED IF THEY WERE AWARE OF THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE SALE OR EXPORT OF THE CAMERA, TO WHICH MOVIA REPLIED THAT THEY COULD NOT SELL OR EXPORT THE CAMERA AT ALL, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE THE OWNERS, ONLY THE END-USERS. ¶7. HAUSTEIN THEN ASKED HOW THE CAMERA WAS STORED AND WHO HAD ACCESS. REPLY FROM MOVIA: THE CAMERA IS STORED IN THE LARGE TANK-VEHICLE THAT IS USED IN EMERGENCY RESPONSES. THE VEHICLE IS HOUSED IN THE FIRE BRIGADE GARAGE, WHICH IS LOCKED. THOSE WHO HAVE ACCESS ARE: THE TOWN MAYOR, THE FIRE COMMANDER (SCHEER),THE FIRE BRIGADE SECRETARY (MOVIA),THE TWO FIRE BRIGADE MEMBERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SIPDIS VEHICLES AND THE EQUIPMENT (THE LACKMAYER BROTHERS MENTIONED EARLIER),AND THE CITY MAINTENENCE ENGINEER. ¶8. RECOMMENDATION: POST RECOMMENDS BOEHLER EDELSTAHL GESMBH AS A RELIABLE RECIPIENT OF US-ORIGIN COMMODITIES. (ORIGIN: CSVIENNA, MHAUSTEIN) MCCAW Remember to press after filling in each field for which a prompt appears at the bottom of the screen. Press Q after you are finished typing the body of your cable. (The computer will insert drafter and signoff lines.) Don't forget to press Q when you are done typing the body of your cable. Drafter and signoff will be entered automatically.