CONTINUED GOVERNMENT OBSTRUCTION OF VISAS FOR DOD

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 002689

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/SE
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV ODIP CASC OTRA CVIS MARR SU US
SUBJECT: CONTINUED GOVERNMENT OBSTRUCTION OF VISAS FOR DOD
PERSONNEL

REF: A. KHARTOUM 02408


B. KHARTOUM 02380


1. (C) In the last year, Department of Defense Military
Attaches assigned to Sudan have been subjected to a concerted
effort by the Sudanese government to refuse or delay issuance
of visas for travel to Sudan. This effort prevents military
personnel from filling critical advisory roles for the Chief
of Mission and negatively impacts the ability of the Embassy
to provide much needed military insight on the situation in
both Darfur and Southern Sudan.


2. (SBU) The designated Chief Defense Liaison Officer (DLO)
submitted his application for a visa in April 2006 and has
still not received it. The acting Chief Defense Liaison
Officer (DLO) had submitted his visa application on April 12,
2006, and did not receive a visa until August 3, 2006. Two
diplomatic notes have been delivered to the Sudanese
Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Defense requesting that
a diplomatic visa be issued to the incoming Chief DLO to no
avail. The situation is critical, given upcoming personnel
rotations. If the Chief DLO's visa application is not
processed in the near future, the Department of Defense may
choose to revoke his assignment orders, which could terminate
the DLO presence in Sudan.


3. (SBU) The two other military organizations in the Mission,
the Joint Liaison Element (JLE) and the Country Coordination
Element (CCE),have suffered similar treatment when
requesting visas to Sudan. CCE currently has three visa
applications pending for officers designated to fill advisor
positions requested by the African Union Mission in Sudan
(AMIS). An endorsement is being sought from the African
Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa to assist in convincing the
Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue the necessary
visas. If these visas are not issued, CJTF-HOA will not be
able to provide advisors to the AMIS mission in El Fasher
after the November 28 departure of the officer currently
assigned to the post. This can be expected to result in
decreased efficiency at the AMIS Operations Center and a
reduced ability by post to furnish a U.S. observer to
meetings of the Cease-fire Commission in El Fasher. JLE
currently has two visa applications pending, which also
impacts rotation schedules.


4. (C) Comment: Though it appears that the Sudanese
government has discontinued placing the 25-mile travel
restrictions in the passports of permanently-assigned Mission
personnel (Reftel A) and has issued all pending Darfur travel
permits, delays in visa issuance continue to impact the
Mission's ability to conduct operations and collect
information on Darfur and Southern Sudan. Post reiterates
its support for the MFA's request to designate a Sudanese
military attach in Washington on the basis of reciprocity
(Reftel B). Post believes this could be helpful in resolving
this impasse. End comment.
HUME