SLOVENIA: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST-SHIPMENT

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000023 SIPDIS PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST-SHIPMENT END-USE CHECK ON LICENSE 050109504 REF: 08 STATE 131593 Summary -------------- ¶1. On January 9, two Emboffs visited Krka Pharmaceutical company in Novo Mesto to conduct "Blue Lantern" check, per reftel. Emboffs interviewed Dr. Ales Rotar, Managing Director of Krka, and conducted standard post-shipment check of an ImagIR camera lens. End summary. Krka Overview -------------- ¶2. Krka is a generic drug manufacturer, providing finished pharmaceuticals (no active or intermediary pharmaceuticals) to customers. The company's business is focused in Central/Eastern Europe (specifically Russia, Poland, Croatia, and former Soviet Republics),South Africa and Australia. Krka has approximately 3,000 employees in Slovenia and a total of close to 7,000 employees worldwide. Rotar said Krka does not do business with North Korea or Iran nor does it serve as a broker of equipment or pharmaceutical supplies for other companies. Rotar noted that Krka has a large investment in China as it maintains a privately held portion of a Chinese chemical company, Menove, which Krka uses as the source for their chemical intermediaries. ¶3. Rotar stated he understood the restrictions placed on items contained in the United States Munitions List (USML), to which the ImagIR lens belongs, adding that the company has no intention of re-selling or re-exporting the item. The lens is installed in a microscope, which is located in a restricted entry portion of the Research and Development laboratory. Access to the building and specific laboratory where the lens is located is restricted to a unique key card. Krka employees maintain positive control over the item at all times and do not allow unauthorized access in the building or laboratory. Rotar confirmed that the lens was received via Brucke Optik in Germany, further noting that a technician from the Czech Republic came to the Krka lab in order to install the ImagIR lens in the microscope in 2008. ¶4. Rotar welcomed any further embassy contact, stating that he would be happy to provide any necessary additional information. FREDEN