MFA CLAIMS IT HAS "NEGATIVE REPORTS" ABOUT DYNCORPS

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002038 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KSCA OTRA EAID CDC SU SUBJECT: MFA CLAIMS IT HAS "NEGATIVE REPORTS" ABOUT DYNCORPS REF: MFA'S DIP NOTE RESPONSE ON DYNCORP ¶1. On December 23, the MFA delivered a Note Verbal to CDA Powers in response to the Embassy's dipnotes 750 and 803 concerning delays currently faced by DnyCorps International in obtaining visas and travel permits to enable it to fulfill its maintenance and support roles for AMIS operations. CDA Powers was called to the MFA in order for the note to be delivered in hand. ¶2. Below is text of GNU Note Verbal. BEGIN TEXT: Republic of the Sudan Ministry of Foreign Affairs American Affairs Department Ref: MFA/AMER/7/1/1 Date: December 23, 2007 NOTE VERBAL The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in Khartoum and with reference to the latter's Notes number 750 and 803 dated November 18th 2007 and December 4th 2007 respectively, regarding contractual issues pertaining to DynCorp International, has the honour to convey the following: ¶1. The Sudanese competent authorities have negative reports about DynCorp. ¶2. All issues pertaining to the contract with the above mentioned company are to be handled by the AU which is the contracting party. ¶3. Communication regarding DynCorp issues is to be directly exchanged between the competent Sudanese authorities and the AU. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan while requesting the esteemed Embassy to abide by the aforementioned channels of Communication, avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of its highest consideration. END TEXT ¶3. Comment: When CDA Powers queried Amb. Sharfi concerning the reference to "negative reports about Dyncorp," Amb. Sharfi stated that he could not state more than that the Government has collected information about Dyncorp. Amb. Sharfi went on to state that the US Embassy should not become further involved in this issue, for it is one to be addressed solely between AMIS (the AU) and the Sudanese authorities. He concluded that US efforts to assist in this matter were having just the opposite effect, and resulting in further delays. Amb. Sharfi repeated that the AU should be raising such issues and not the USG. POWERS