DOMINICAN PRESIDENT ASKS FOR "WAIVER" ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 003179 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, CA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2010 TAGS: CASC CVIS OFDP PREL DR SUBJECT: DOMINICAN PRESIDENT ASKS FOR "WAIVER" ON CONSULATES ISSUE REF: STATE 165941 Classified By: EcoPol Counselor Michael Meigs. Reason; 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (U) Action request, para 4. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador used a one-on-one meeting with Dominican President Leonel Fernandez on October 5 to raise point-by-point reftel demarche on the Department's requirement that individuals recently appointed as Consul General New York and Consul General San Juan must begin renunciation of current Amcit/LPR status before October 25. Ambassador advised of Department's intention to make public their status and the fact that no Dominican Consul General for New York had been accredited since January 2004. ¶3. (C) President Fernandez was clearly uncomfortable with the requirement. It appeared that he was facing political difficulties. He asked, "Can't we obtain a waiver?" The Ambassador undertook to convey his request for a waiver to the Department, although without offering any prospect of such a waiver. ¶4. (C) Embassy has scheduled a demarche on this subject to MFA Under Secretary Rosario Graciano for Friday, October 13, with both visiting desk officer and Consul General to participate. Consular staff have already signaled to the Under Secretary the expected substance of the demarche. ¶5. ACTION REQUEST: Department please provide reply to President Fernandez's request for waivers or U.S. indulgence in the matters of his appointment of an AmCit and an LPR to senior diplomatic positions seeking accreditation to the United States. HERTELL