1. (U) Post wishes to reiterate the importance of having
the assistance of a real estate professional to guide us
through the closing process on the Salines South site to a
successful conclusion.



2. (U) Vicki Hartung's visit to Post would be an asset for
the following reasons:

-- The Djiboutian Government needs to see an expert
representative from Washington who can "speak" to the
specific issues governing this NEC land transaction;
-- As an International Real Estate Representative she can
speak about the importance of this deal, from a real estate
and operational perspective, to the Djiboutian Government
Representative;
--Ms. Hartung will meet with the Ministry of Finance and
Department of Housing, Post counsel Alain Martinet, and
other key players listed in Ref (A).



3. (U) In essence Ms. Hartung and the other members of the
team arriving in June need to meet as a unified Washington
presence with all the major participants in this project.
The negotiating expertise, overall knowledge, and ability
to speak for OBO in real time that she will bring to the
table are key to being able to conclude the purchase
agreement.
We do not face an unwillingness of Djibouti to complete the
necessary preliminary requirements to effectuate purchase,
only a lack of full understanding of their critical nature.



4. (U) Post requests that REPM/AQD Vicki Hartung travel to
Djibouti to assist with negotiating the final settlement.
RAGSDALE