US embassy cable - 04ROME4035

UNCLAS ROME 004035 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
USDOC FOR 532/OEA/ML NICKSON-DORSEY/ANTOINETTE DYSON 
3133/USFCS/OIO/PBUCHER/JFAY 
STATE FOR EB/ESP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, ETTC, IT, BEXT 
SUBJECT:  RSVP EXTRANCHECK PRE-LICENSE CHECK: NIKON INSTRUMENTS 
SPA APPLICATION NUMBER: D326472 
 
REF: USDOC 4148 
 
1.   ON OCTOBER 15, 2004 DEPUTY SENIOR COMMERCIAL OFFICER 
LINDA ARCHER AND COMMERCIAL SPECIALIST BARBARA LAPINI VISITED 
THE COMPANY NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA AND MET WITH LORENZO 
VANNINI, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, AND ENGINEER GIANCARLO 
CAPPANI, CONSULTANT. 
 
2.   CS ITALY OFFICIALS WERE WELL RECEIVED AND WERE PROVIDED 
WITH AMPLE INFORMATION ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE COMPANY AND ON 
THE INTENDED USE OF THE PRODUCT UNDER INVESTIGATION, A THERMAL 
IMAGER BY MIKRON INFRARED, INC. OF OAKLAND, NJ. 
 
3.   UPON ARRIVAL, CS ITALY OFFICIALS LEARNED THAT THE PRE- 
LICENSE CHECK SHOULD ACTUALLY BE A POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION 
BECAUSE THE COMPANY HAD ALREADY RECEIVED THE THERMAL IMAGER 
UNDER EXPORT LICENSE D325611.  DOCUMENTATION FROM DOC WAS 
PRESENTED. 
 
4.   NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA PURCHASED THE THERMAL IMAGER TO 
ALLOW ITS CLIENT COMPANY GENERAL CONTRACTOR SRL OF ROME TO USE 
THE INSTRUMENT ON A TRIAL BASIS (UNDER THE STRICT SUPERVISION 
OF NIKON INSTRUMENTS) TO EXPERIMENT ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN 
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PARTICULARLY FOR CIVIL PROTECTION 
PURPOSES SUCH AS THE DETECTION OF FOREST FIRES OR FREEZING 
ROAD CONDITIONS.  IN PARTICULAR, NIKON AND GENERAL CONTRACTOR 
ARE PLANNING TO USE THE EQUIPMENT FOR AN EXPERIMENT ON ROAD 
CONDITIONS TO BE DONE ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN FLORENCE AND 
BOLOGNA.  FOLLOWING THE EXPERIMENTAL PHASE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR 
ITSELF PLANS TO PURCHASE THERMAL IMAGERS THROUGH NIKON 
INSTRUMENTS AND AN APPLICATION FOR AN EXPORT LICENSE HAS 
ALREADY BEEN FILED FOR ITS FIRST PURCHASE. THE THERMAL IMAGER 
PURCHASED BY NIKON INSTRUMENTS IS TO REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF 
NIKON INSTRUMENTS. 
 
5.   NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA IS A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF 
NIKON HOLDING COMPANY BASED IN HOLLAND, WHICH IS IN TURN 
WHOLLY OWNED BY NIKON CORPORATION OF JAPAN. NIKON INSTRUMENTS 
SPA IS THE ITALIAN DISTRIBUTOR OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT BY 
NIKON, NEC AND OTHER SUPPLIERS.  BANK REFERENCES INCLUDE THE 
BANK OF TOKYO/MITSUBISHI FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS, THE 
BANCA NAZIONALE DEL LAVORO, BANCA INTESA, AND CASSA DI 
RISPARMIO DI FIRENZE. 
 
6.   CS ITALY OFFICIALS WERE SHOWN THE THERMAL IMAGER, WHICH 
IS STORED IN NIKON INSTRUMENTS OFFICES' IN SESTO FIORENTINO 
NEAR FLORENCE, ITALY. NIKON EMPLOYS 12 PEOPLE AT ITS OFFICES 
NEAR FLORENCE AND HAS THREE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE AT SALES OFFICES 
IN MILAN AND ROME. MR. VANNINI AND MR. CAPPANI WERE AWARE OF 
THE RESTRICTIONS AND RULES IMPOSED ON THE IMPORTS OF 
CONTROLLED ITEMS. 
 
7.   BASED ON THE COOPERATION AND ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, 
POST CONSIDERS NIKON INSTRUMENTS SPA TO BE A SUITABLE 
RECIPIENT OF SENSITIVE U.S. TECHNOLOGY. 
 
(ORIGIN: USFCS FLORENCE/BLAPINI/LARCHER) 
SEMPLER 
 
 
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2004ROME04035 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED