BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON

UNCLAS BOGOTA 002073 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR PM/DTCC-BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC ECON CO SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON APPLICATION 050105372 REF: STATE 57843 ¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel, Econoff initiated efforts with MilGroup Officer to determine the circumstances surrounding the relationship between the Colombian Air Force (CAF) and Higher Source Aviation (HSA). On June 9, Econoff and MilGroup Officer met with Colonel Jaime Ivan Reyes Rincon, Director of Logistics Procurement for the CAF, and Lt. Colonel Armin Oswaldo Gomez Guzman, Subdirector of Acquisitions for the CAF. ¶2. (SBU) Gomez explained that the CAF had not ordered any C-130 parts from HSA but had merely signed a Letter of Interest which expressed a potential interest in ordering such parts from HSA. Gomez said the Letter of Interest specifically states that it does not/not obligate the CAF to enter into a contract with HSA. Gomez said he signed the Letter of Interest on April 4, 2008 at the request of HSA. Accordingly, Gomez and Reyes said that the CAF had not yet chosen to order parts from HSA over other providers. They stated that they would not know whether the CAF was interested in ordering parts from HSA until they had determined the costs of parts from HSA, something they did not yet know. ¶3. (SBU) Gomez and Reyes said that no additional Colombian foreign consignees or freight forwarders are active in the transaction at this point in time. Gomez and Reyes said that they could not currently determine whether or not any additional Colombian foreign consignees or freight forwarders would be active in a transaction in the event the CAF and HSA were to enter into a contract at a future date, ¶4. (SBU) Col. Reyes said that HSA agent Alejandro Ramirez approached him at a weapons convention show last year and indicated HSA's interest in becoming a supplier to the CAF of C-130 parts. This contact lead to Lt. Col Gomez issuing the Letter of Interest. Contact information for Alejandro Ramirez is 1533 Hayes St., Hollywood, Florida, USA 33020, phone 954.888.7299 and Colombian cell phone number 310.710.4302. Econoff contacted Ramirez at his Colombian phone number and he confirmed that he was the Colombian agent for HSA and that he made contact with the CAF last year at a weapons convention show. Gomez and Reyes said they are not familiar with Tom or Ken Kane. BROWNFIELD