KenV
You are quite right there were huge problem areas which we started to work on (I can only speak for the ITAR/non-ITAR aspects as I was the export controller in the UK at the time).
From our perspective part, if not a lot, of the problem, was the differing philosophies between NG and EADS NA on the one hand and Airbus/EADS Europe on the other.
The European regulations are in general the same as the U.S. - that is until you take in all the US additional bells and whistles which make them very much more restrictive and difficult, if not in reality impossible, to handle under European and UK law.
We had many arguments as to whether a USAF requirement made the resulting solely European design an ITAR item. I am sure we would have achieved a working solution eventually because we had to - not just because of the size of the order but as well because of the grief it caused Boeing (witness the squealing that resulted) but we were never given the time to do it before the plug was pulled.
As to variants - much water has rolled under the bridge since then and now the freighter version is a reality but then it wasn't, although different memories will, I think, have to agree to differ there.