VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNY #0055 0281151
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 281151Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8157

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000055 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
PM/DTCC KYLE BALLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020 
TAGS: BU ETTC KOMC NO
SUBJECT: POST RESPONSE: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON 
LICENSE 050202164 
 
REF: A. MCKERNAN - BALLARD (OSLO/PM/DTCC) EMAILS JAN 20 
        - 25 2010 
     ¶B. 09 SECSTATE 121806 
     ¶C. 09 OSLO 595 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Economic Counselor Aldo Sirotic for rea 
sons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) MFA Advisor Christoffer Aas Pedersen confirmed to 
PolOff January 28 that the MFA would not object if the USG 
informed U.S. applicants that Reidar Ostby's name must be 
removed from export licenses that list him as a foreign 
intermediate consignee. 
 
¶2.  (C) MFA Deputy Director for Non-Proliferation and 
Disarmament Bjorn Midthun told PolOff January 20 that the GoN 
initiated in early January an investigation into Norwegian 
citizen Reidar Ostby, led by the Norwegian police.  He 
explained that although the MFA had previously told PolOff 
the investigation would begin last September (ref C), the GoN 
had waited until the second time we contacted them in early 
December (ref B) and then waited until after the holidays to 
request a police investigation.  Midthun explained that 
investigating an individual was "serious business," and the 
MFA has not wanted to be premature in approaching the police 
in regards to Ostby's activities.  Ostby is an official sales 
representative in Europe for Remington Arms Company, but is 
not licensed by the GoN to export, import, or broker 
firearms. 
 
¶3. (SBU) PolOff explained to Midthun January 20 that several 
export licenses which listed Ostby as the foreign 
intermediate consignee were now on hold, pending the GoN 
investigation.  PolOff recommended to Midthun January 22 that 
for the export licenses to move forward the best course of 
action would be to remove Ostby from the licenses, 
disallowing the U.S. applicant from employing his services. 
WHITE