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