GRM REQUEST FOR USE OF QRDF EQUIPMENT FOR SENA LINE

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000758 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE AF/S FOR HTREGER PM/WRA FOR DNETLAND E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KHDP MZ SUBJECT: GRM REQUEST FOR USE OF QRDF EQUIPMENT FOR SENA LINE DEMINING ¶1. (U) The Foreign Ministry's Director for the Americas and Europe and the director of the National Demining Institute (IND, a dependency of the Foreign Ministry) requested a meeting with Charge on 7/3. At the meeting, the IND director asked for the use of QRDF equipment currently in possession of the contractor RONCO to assist with renewed demining of the Sena railway line so that a World Bank-funded rehabilitation of the line could continue. He noted that RONCO had demined the Sena line using USG funds and that, since the contractor handed over the line to the GRM, one individual had been killed and various mines found on the line. ¶2. (U) Charge said he would inform the Department of the request, but he noted that the governor of Sofala province had made a similar request in May. Post had consulted with the Department and had been informed that the equipment in question could not be used for a commercial project such as the Sena Line rehabilitation. Charge agreed to provide both officials with copies of the Embassy's June 15 response to the governor. He also reviewed the USG's longstanding effort to create a demining capacity within the Mozambican military and suggested that this unit might be able to assist. DUDLEY