BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON

UNCLAS MOSCOW 004453 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR PM/DDTC - BLUE LANTERN COODINATOR SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KOMC ETTC RS SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON APPLICATION 050056021 REF: STATE 113599 ¶1. (U) Reftel requested a pre-license check to confirm the bona fides of FNPZ NefteGazAeroKosmos Ltd., the foreign end-user and NPO Geophizika-NV, the foreign consignee listed on application ¶050056021. The commodities in question are 10 NV-2AMA White filters (216mm x 168mm x 3mm) (NVIS filters) valued at USD 23,000.00. ¶2. (U) On September 4, 2007, we visited the headquarters of NPO Geophizika-NV located at Matrosskaja Tishina 23, Building 2, Moscow 107076, Russia. The team met with Mr. Yury K. Gruzevich, Vice President of NPO Geophisika-NV and Mr. Valery Toryanin, General Director of FNPZ NefteGazAeroKosmos Ltd. ¶3. (U) FNPZ NefteGazAeroKosmos Ltd. and NPO Geophizika-NV have supporting documentation for the transaction, including licenses for research and development, production, and repair of equipment. ¶4. (U) NPO Geophizika-NV occupies 70,000 sq. meters in Eastern Moscow. This location is restricted and secured by special Federal Police Directorate. Only high-ranking company officials have access to the highly-secure areas of the compound. ¶5. (U) At the request of FNPZ NefteGazAeroKosmos Ltd., NVIS filters will be installed on 10 Ka-226 light civilian helicopters by Geophisika-NV. These helicopters will then be used to monitor oil and gas pipelines in remote areas. Gazprom eventually wants to equip 150 helicopters with NVIS filters. NVIS filters are necessary to make lights inside the helicopter crew cabin not interfere with night vision goggles worn by pilots. These helicopters will be parked in secure facilities in remote parts of Russia when not in use. ¶6. (U) NefteGazAeroKosmos was founded in 1996 and is a subsidiary of the Russian oil and gas company, GazProm. GazProm proper owns 53 percent of NefteGazAeroKosmos. Selena-Aero, which serves as GazProm's procurement arm for aerial operations, owns an additional 9 percent of NefteGazAeroKosmos, bringing the total GazProm interest in NefteGazAeroKosmos to 62 percent. NPO Geophizika-NV is a state-owned enterprise founded in 1849. ¶7. (U) FNPZ NefteGazAeroKosmos Ltd. and NPO Geophizika-NV keep proper records of all transactions and store them in secure locations. ¶8. (U) FNPZ NefteGazAeroKosmos Ltd. and NPO Geophizika-NV are aware of all restrictions and regulations on USML and other export control prohibitions. ¶9. (U) Post confirms the bona fides of FNPZ NefteGazAeroKosmos Ltd. as a reliable end-user and NPO Geophizika-NV as a reliable foreign consignee of the NVIS filters as mentioned in Case 050056021.