POST RESPONSE TO MICROFINANCE INTERNATIONAL

UNCLAS LIMA 005360 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/AND COMMERCE FOR 4331/MAC/WH/MCAMERON OPIC FOR RICHARD GREENBERG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PE ENIV OPIC SUBJECT: POST RESPONSE TO MICROFINANCE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION'S APPLICATION FOR OPIC FINANCE REF: A) State 221167 ¶1. This is an action request. Please see Para 3. ¶2. Post received OPIC's request for Embassy comments regarding proposed OPIC financing for Microfinancing International Corporation (MFIC) and how recent events may impact the proposed project. After some internal investigation, neither FCS nor the Economic Section has any information about MFIC or their activities in Peru. Normally, when a U.S. company is interested in developing operations in Peru, the company meets with both the FCS and Econ Section as part of its due diligence procedures. This company has yet to meet with Embassy personnel. ¶3. Action Request: Post would like to further investigate MFIC's operations in Peru before offering OPIC an opinion on the proposed financing project. We request that OPIC submit the following information via cable to Senior Commercial Counselor Margaret Hanson-Muse and Economic Officer Samantha Carl-Yoder: --Contact information for MFIC or a subsidiary, in Peru. --Information about MFIC's plans for operations in Peru; and --Local contact information for MFIC's local partners in Peru, including address and telephone numbers; ¶4. Post also requests a 30-day extension in order to complete a through due diligence review. Post appreciates OPIC's assistance. STRUBLE