DJIBOUTI'S PROTOCOL CHIEF THREATENS SUSPENSION

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000918 SIPDIS FOR CA/VO SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CVIS CMGT PINR PREL DJ SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI'S PROTOCOL CHIEF THREATENS SUSPENSION U.S. DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES ¶1. (SBU) Summary. On September 10, Djama Elmi Darar, Chief of Presid Protocol, accompanied by the head of presidential security, expressed and Charge d'Affaires his displeasure in not being able to procure im visa for one of the members of the security staff chosen to accompany Guelleh to UNGA. Darar threatened to halt all issuance of any diplom to Americans, refuse American duty-free imports, delay American diplo vehicle registrations, and hold back gasoline coupons until the visa Post's coincidental receipt of SAO clearance around the same time per issuance, but the issue may reappear in future application instances. summary. ¶2. (SBU) The Djiboutian Protocol Office has repeatedly delivered visa to Embassy Djibouti with the expectation of issuance in an unreasonab time frame. The last diplomatic delegation to the U.S. in May 2005 three individuals not being able to accompany the president because t subject to SAOs, and did not bring their passports in time to receive the SAOs cleared. ¶3. (U) Given the history of last minute applications, Embassy Djibout requested, beginning in June, that the government's Protocol Office s applications for the UNGA delegation as early as possible. When the applications finally arrived at COB on Tuesday September 6, more than were incomplete, lacked photographs or had invalid passports. We man issue 19 out of 20 visas, but one was delayed by the need for an SAO. ¶4. (U) On Saturday, September 10, a weekend, ConOff received word tha Protocl Chief wanted an immediate meeting regarding the case of the i requiring an SAO. (Note: Although an SAO clearance had been accorde overnight, the visa still could not be immediately authorized for tec reasons, as Embassy's parser server is not normally rebooted on weeke ¶5. (SBU) In the meeting, also attended by the Charge, Darar immediate up the visa that was still unissued. ConOff and Charge attempted to processing, even for diplomatic visas, sometimes takes time, and ever being made to expedite this particular application. Darar responded visa were not issued within the next hour Djibouti would cease issuan diplomatic visas for Americans, refuse any American duty-free imports American diplomatic vehicle registrations, and hold back coupons for of fuel. Charge said that the threat would need to be passed along t and offered Darar the chance to retract the threat. Instead he repe emphasis, and agreed that the threat should be communicated to Washin During the course of the meeting, the parser was rebooted, so that na and FR could clear in NIV. After Darar left, ConOff was able to auth print the visa in question. The passport was picked up from the emba minutes later. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: While the meeting itself had no impact on the tim issuance of the outstanding visa, the fact that it was issued shortly conclusion of meeting will probably confirm Darar's belief that verba can facilitate matters regarding visas. We are uncertain if there is Darar's threat to withhold diplomatic privileges to the Embassy as a policy for the future. We will monitor and apprise Washington of dev accordingly. End Comment RAGSDALE