BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: FIRM REFUSES TO ALLOW PRE-LICENSE

UNCLAS MUNICH 000347 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT. FOR PM/DTTC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR AND EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC GM SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: FIRM REFUSES TO ALLOW PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON APPLICATIONS 05-050040157 & 05-050042795 REF: STATE 53580 ¶1. (SBU) Following repeated attempts to schedule an acceptable date for ConGen POL/ECON Officer and LES to visit Oberland Arms, the firm refused our requested visit via the following e-mail, translated from German: Begin text: Dear Dr. Wilhelm (LES Econ Specialist) -- Thank you for your patience in this matter. After careful deliberations we have decided to not provide U.S. authorities access to our firm's documents. The reasons (for denying access) are that our clients are entitled to data protection and that we need to safeguard our firm's secrets. We will cancel both orders and will ask our U.S. suppliers to withdraw applications for export approval. We can understand that the U.S. is interested in monitoring cross-border trade. To make sure that U.S. export/ re-export regulations are observed we have added the following reference to our website (http://www.oberlandarms.com/index.php): According to U.S. Export Law, Oberland Arms OHG is not selling Products, Parts or Components of U.S. origin outside of Germany. Parts of German/European origin that contain U.S. Parts, are also only sold in Germany. Furthermore I registered for a course at the foreign trade academy, register form attached (for a July course on U.S. export control laws). I hope that you can understand our decision. Regards, Frank Satzinger End text. ¶2. (U) This report has been coordinated with Embassy Berlin. ¶3. (U) Previous reporting from Munich is available on our SIPRNET website at www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/munich/ . NELSON