Cablegate: Blue Lantern Level 3: Post-Shipment End-Use Check

VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVB #1037 3301358
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261358Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8365
INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0128
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001037

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR, BALLARD
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE - BALIAN
DHAKA FOR WILBUR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KOMC ETTC BG HR EXPORT CONTROL
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST-SHIPMENT END-USE CHECK
ON LICENSE 05-975932

REF: A. STATE 150149
B. ZAGREB 823

1. (SBU) PolOff discussed ref A sale of AN/PRC 77 radio parts
to Bangladesh MOD with Drago Pensa, head of Tradel D.O.O., on
November 26. Pensa reported that Tradel serves as sales
agent for ECOM Technologies of Cincinnati, OH, for certain
countries where Tradel has historically done business,
including Bangladesh.

2. (SBU) According to Pensa, this shipment went directly from
ECOM to the Bangladesh MOD, as is ECOM's standard practice
when Tradel brokers sales for it -- they do not accept
transactions that involve transshipment. Pensa knew of no
other end user. He did not offer an exact date of the
transaction, but said it took place in 2006 and involved the
quantities of parts cited on license 05-975932. Tradel
secured the deal in a tender issued by "BDGB," which Pensa
described as the purchasing arm of Bangladesh's MOD. Pensa
reported that Tradel has two other tender offers pending
decision by the MOD in Bangladesh, both also involving radio
parts.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Post completed a pre-license check in
September 2007 on a Tradel-brokered sale of similar items to
the Ethiopian MOD (ref B). Pensa developed extensive
contacts in the "non-aligned" world working in communications
for the Yugoslavian MOD in the 1970s and 80s. Those contacts
appear to be the core of his one-man Tradel operation. END
COMMENT.
BRADTKE

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