BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK ON

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000500 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC AE SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK ON APPLICATION 05-050088400 REF: SECSTATE 34619 ¶1. Econchief met with Saeed Al-Hashemi, Chairman of the Al-Hashemi Group, on April 7 to discuss reftel Blue Lantern. Al-Hashemi explained that he was a retired UAE general who had served as the UAE's Defense Attach in Washington from 1993-1997. After retirement in 2002, he took over the chairmanship of the Al-Hashemi Group. He explained that the Bridge was the one subsidiary of the Al-Hashemi group that he ran personally, "due to the sensitivity of the business." According to Al-Hashemi, he established the Bridge Protection Systems about three to four years earlier to take advantage of his expertise and contacts with the UAE military. His only customer for defense goods and services is the UAE GHQ. ¶2. Al-Hashemi explained that his company had been working with the U.S. applicant, Tradeways Ltd., and was now the Tradeways agent in the UAE. He was aware of the proposed license. Al-Hashemi explained that his company does not store defense items, but delivers them directly to the UAE military. He expressed his understanding of U.S. export controls. ¶3. The Bridge appears to be a valid recipient for this transaction. QUINN