KENYANS REFUSE TO ISSUE TRANSIT VISAS FOR CUBAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003162 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD, WHA/CCA NAIROBI FOR AMBASSADOR CARSON FROM AMBASSADOR MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03162 131211Z NAIROBI ALSO FOR REFCOORD AND INS ROME FOR INS LONDON FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/10 TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU KE SUBJECT: KENYANS REFUSE TO ISSUE TRANSIT VISAS FOR CUBAN DOCTORS REF: NAIROBI 4914 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) ON JUNE 13, AMBASSADOR MCDONALD SPOKE WITH AMBASSADOR DR. HUKKA WARIO, HIGH COMMISSIONER OF KENYA TO ZIMBABWE, TO SECURE THE LATTER'S ASSISTANCE IN ISSUING TRANSIT VISAS FOR CUBAN DOCTORS LEONEL CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ AND NORIS DEL CARMEN PENA MARTINEZ. OVER THE JUNE 10-11 WEEKEND HIGH COMMISSIONER WARIO HAD ASSURED AMBASSADOR MCDONALD THAT THE VISA WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM, AND THAT IT WAS HIS OPINION THAT THE CUBANS WOULD BE ABLE TO BOARD A KENYA AIRWAYS FLIGHT FOR NAIROBI WITHOUT VISAS. THE KENYAN VISAS WILL COST US50.00 EACH. ¶2. (C) AMBASSADOR WARIO TOLD AMBASSADOR MCDONALD THAT AS OF 11:00 A.M. JUNE 13, HE HAD RECEIVED NO REPEAT NO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03162 131211Z INSTRUCTION FROM HIS FOREIGN MINISTRY REGARDING THE CASE OF THE CUBAN DOCTORS (REFTEL). "THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO," HE SHRUGGED. MOREOVER, CONTRADICTING HIS EARLIER COMMENTS, THE KENYAN HIGH COMMISSIONER NOW REQUIRES DOCTORS CORDOVA AND PENA TO BE PRESENT WHEN APPLYING FOR THEIR KENYAN VISA. THE TWO DOCTORS CONTINUE TO BE HELD BY ZIMBABWEAN IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES AT GOROMONZI DETENTION CENTER. ¶3. (C) ACTION REQUESTED FOR NAIROBI: POST WOULD APPRECIATE EMBASSY NAIROBI CONVEYING THE SENSE OF HIGH COMMISSIONER WARIO'S RESPONSE WITH THE RESPECT TO THE CUBANS TO APPROPRIATE KENYAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS. IF THE KENYAN FOREIGN MINISTRY AGREES TO INSTRUCT ITS HIGH COMMISSIONER IN HARARE IN WRITING, POST WOULD APPRECIATE A COPY OF THAT INSTRUCTION TO PRESENT TO THE KENYAN HIGH COMMISSION WHEN WE AGAIN ATTEMPT TO APPLY FOR VISAS FOR THE CUBAN DOCTORS. ¶4. (C) ACTION REQUESTED FOR DEPARTMENT: IF THE GOK CANNOT GET ITS ACT TOGETHER IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS, POST WOULD APPRECIATE AUTHORIZATION TO APPROACH THE HIGH COMMISSION OF CANADA. WE PROPOSE THAT CANADA ALLOW THE CUBAN DOCTORS TO STAY A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN THEIR TERRITORY IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THEIR UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >