Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ZAGREB198
2007-02-23 15:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:
BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: END-USER CHECK ON LICENSE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0031 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHVB #0198/01 0541500 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 231500Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7342 INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHMCSUU/DIR FBI WASHDC RUEPINS/HGBICE INTEL WASHINGTON DC 0001
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000198
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE BALIAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC HR EXPORT CONTROL
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: END-USER CHECK ON LICENSE
05-1014056
REF: STATE 3472
(U) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Post has completed a complete
post-shipment check on foreign end-user HS Produkt in the
export of rear pistol sights from Springfield Inc under
license 05-1014056 and found no derogatory information. In a
31 January consultation with the Ministry of Economy (MoE)
and a February 22 company visit, PolOff confirmed that HS
Produkt complies with all relevant Croatian import and export
control laws as well as restrictions governing the import of
U.S. Munitions List commodities. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT.
HS PRODUKT IN FULL COMPLIANCE
--------------
2. (U) At the MoE, Vesna Focht, head of the Trade Policy
Section, and Snjezana Ivancic, head of the Enforcement
Measures Section, confirmed that pistol manufacturer HS
Produkt follows all procedures for licensing imports and
exports of Munitions List commodities and that HS director
Zeljko Pavlin is an active participant in export control
seminars the MoE holds for industry reps.
3. (SBU) Ivancic also reported that HS Produkt recently
withdrew an application for an export permit to sell pistols
to Venezuela after learning that Croatia's Ministry of
Foreign Affairs objected to the sale.
ALL PISTOLS CONTAINED LICENSED SIGHTS EXPORTED TO U.S.
-------------- --------------
4. (U) During company visit, Pavlin described dramatic growth
of HS Produkt during past five years due to a strategic
partnership with Springfield Inc in Illinois, the seller on
this license. After striking a deal to manufacture the
Xtreme Duty (XD) line of pistols for Springfield, annual
production went from about 9,000 pistols in 2001 to 145,000
pistols in 2006. More than 99 percent of HS's production is
XD pistols exclusively for Springfield. The adjustable rear
sights on this license are only used in XD pistols, and in
only a few of the 52 variations. All are exported to
Springfield.
5. (U) Pavlin explained how his Croatian import permit
restricts him to use the sights only for "internal
production," meaning all are incorporated into pistols and
returned to the company (Springfield) that exported the
sights to HS. Because Springfield provides HS with only
1,000 - 1,500 sights at a time and these are shipped back to
Springfield in weekly pistol shipments, there is never a
large quantity of sights on premises at any one time.
6. (U) Since the date of approval of the Springfield export
license (December 15, 2006),Springfield has shipped 4,200
rear sights to HS Produkt out of the 50,000 allowed. In the
meantime, HS's assembly included some sights provided by
Springfield under their previous export permit. The company
has shipped 4,700 pistols with licensed sights to Springfield
since December 15. PolOff witnessed documentation of a
shipment to Springfield and was provided copies of customs
declarations showing how both the import and export of the
sights is tracked.
7. (U) HS Produkt's factory was in a secure location under
the watch of a private security company. All materials,
including the licensed sights, are tracked and documented at
each stage of the production process, preventing any
pilfering by employees or visitors.
INTEREST IN OTHER MARKETS BUT DEPENDENT ON U.S.
-------------- --
8. (SBU) While Pavlin is always seeking ways to diversify his
business, he was very open about his overwhelming dependence
on the U.S. market and his interest in complying with U.S.
export policy. HS manufactures its own "HS" line of pistols
for non-U.S. customers (less than one percent of total
production). Their main customers are the Croatian police
and military and a handful of sporadic small scale exports to
countries like Greece and Australia. Due to tight gun
licensing procedures in these countries, these exports are
predominantly destined for police and military use.
9. (SBU) Pavlin disclosed that HS Produkt had shipped 1,200
pistols to Venezuela in July 2002 for use by the Cojedas
district police. They received an export license in March
2003 to ship an additional 600 pistols to the Venezuelan
military, what was to be the beginning of a larger contract,
but Air France, HS Produkt's exclusive shipper, refused to
ship because the license designated a customs broker as the
end user rather than the military. Pavlin said he tried to
correct this error but gave up his efforts last year when it
became clear that Venezuela was too controversial a customer.
BRADTKE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE BALIAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC HR EXPORT CONTROL
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: END-USER CHECK ON LICENSE
05-1014056
REF: STATE 3472
(U) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Post has completed a complete
post-shipment check on foreign end-user HS Produkt in the
export of rear pistol sights from Springfield Inc under
license 05-1014056 and found no derogatory information. In a
31 January consultation with the Ministry of Economy (MoE)
and a February 22 company visit, PolOff confirmed that HS
Produkt complies with all relevant Croatian import and export
control laws as well as restrictions governing the import of
U.S. Munitions List commodities. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT.
HS PRODUKT IN FULL COMPLIANCE
--------------
2. (U) At the MoE, Vesna Focht, head of the Trade Policy
Section, and Snjezana Ivancic, head of the Enforcement
Measures Section, confirmed that pistol manufacturer HS
Produkt follows all procedures for licensing imports and
exports of Munitions List commodities and that HS director
Zeljko Pavlin is an active participant in export control
seminars the MoE holds for industry reps.
3. (SBU) Ivancic also reported that HS Produkt recently
withdrew an application for an export permit to sell pistols
to Venezuela after learning that Croatia's Ministry of
Foreign Affairs objected to the sale.
ALL PISTOLS CONTAINED LICENSED SIGHTS EXPORTED TO U.S.
-------------- --------------
4. (U) During company visit, Pavlin described dramatic growth
of HS Produkt during past five years due to a strategic
partnership with Springfield Inc in Illinois, the seller on
this license. After striking a deal to manufacture the
Xtreme Duty (XD) line of pistols for Springfield, annual
production went from about 9,000 pistols in 2001 to 145,000
pistols in 2006. More than 99 percent of HS's production is
XD pistols exclusively for Springfield. The adjustable rear
sights on this license are only used in XD pistols, and in
only a few of the 52 variations. All are exported to
Springfield.
5. (U) Pavlin explained how his Croatian import permit
restricts him to use the sights only for "internal
production," meaning all are incorporated into pistols and
returned to the company (Springfield) that exported the
sights to HS. Because Springfield provides HS with only
1,000 - 1,500 sights at a time and these are shipped back to
Springfield in weekly pistol shipments, there is never a
large quantity of sights on premises at any one time.
6. (U) Since the date of approval of the Springfield export
license (December 15, 2006),Springfield has shipped 4,200
rear sights to HS Produkt out of the 50,000 allowed. In the
meantime, HS's assembly included some sights provided by
Springfield under their previous export permit. The company
has shipped 4,700 pistols with licensed sights to Springfield
since December 15. PolOff witnessed documentation of a
shipment to Springfield and was provided copies of customs
declarations showing how both the import and export of the
sights is tracked.
7. (U) HS Produkt's factory was in a secure location under
the watch of a private security company. All materials,
including the licensed sights, are tracked and documented at
each stage of the production process, preventing any
pilfering by employees or visitors.
INTEREST IN OTHER MARKETS BUT DEPENDENT ON U.S.
-------------- --
8. (SBU) While Pavlin is always seeking ways to diversify his
business, he was very open about his overwhelming dependence
on the U.S. market and his interest in complying with U.S.
export policy. HS manufactures its own "HS" line of pistols
for non-U.S. customers (less than one percent of total
production). Their main customers are the Croatian police
and military and a handful of sporadic small scale exports to
countries like Greece and Australia. Due to tight gun
licensing procedures in these countries, these exports are
predominantly destined for police and military use.
9. (SBU) Pavlin disclosed that HS Produkt had shipped 1,200
pistols to Venezuela in July 2002 for use by the Cojedas
district police. They received an export license in March
2003 to ship an additional 600 pistols to the Venezuelan
military, what was to be the beginning of a larger contract,
but Air France, HS Produkt's exclusive shipper, refused to
ship because the license designated a customs broker as the
end user rather than the military. Pavlin said he tried to
correct this error but gave up his efforts last year when it
became clear that Venezuela was too controversial a customer.
BRADTKE