TONGA FOREIGN SECRETARY TONE REITERATES TIE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000452

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2017
TAGS: PREL CVIS MARR PGOV TN
SUBJECT: TONGA FOREIGN SECRETARY TONE REITERATES TIE OF
IRAQ DEPLOYMENT TO VISA ISSUE

REF: SUVA 435 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).

Summary
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1. (C) Tonga's Foreign Secretary on Sept. 13 reiterated his
government's threat (reftel) that an absence of USG progress
to bring visa services on the ground in Tonga may affect
bilateral relations in general, including the willingness of
Tonga to commit troops to a follow-on deployment to MNFI in
Iraq. We hope Washington can find a way to demonstrate
significant movement ASAP on a solution that gives Embassy
Suva the resources (technological, human, budgetary) to
provide periodic on-the-ground visa services to Tonga in a
meaningful way. End summary.

Tonga reiterates visa-Iraq deployment threat
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2. (SBU) As foreshadowed reftel, Foreign Secretary Va'inga
Tone traveled to Suva to reinforce the Tonga Government's
dipnote of last week on visa services and the potential
impact on Tonga-U.S. relations. Tone and the Ambassador
discussed the issues over lunch on Sept. 13. Tone reiterated
the view of his government that Tonga has stepped up
voluntarily to contribute to the Coalition of the Willing in
Iraq (a Tonga Defense Service (TDS) six-month deployment into
Iraq is to take place momentarily, with another six-month
deployment scheduled to follow); and as a "quid pro quo" the
technologically proficient, wealthy USG superpower surely can
find a way to provide visa services on the ground in Tonga.
(Currently Tongans must travel to Suva (a US$513 air trip,
plus expenses) for visa adjudication.)


3. (SBU) In the conversation, Tone twice confirmed the
language of the dipnote that, absent progress on the visa
issue, "the Tonga Government will not be disposed to
assisting the United States in the military or other fields."
Tone made clear that language is intended to apply to the
follow-on deployment to Iraq, as well as to relations more
broadly. He said the Tonga Defense Board approved the
language a couple of weeks ago, with the King present and
assenting.

Seeking on-the-ground visa services ASAP
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4. (SBU) Tone pushed again for either actual adjudication of
visas in Tonga, at least on a regular if not a constant
basis, or, as a fall-back proposition, some sort of
pre-screening of potential visa applicants in Tonga so that
those who clearly would not merit a visa would not have to
pay the high cost of a trip to Suva. The Ambassador reviewed
yet again U.S. policy, as Embassy Suva understands it,
against pre-screening of visa applications. He noted the
current requirement that the visa interview and electronic
fingerprinting must take place at the same time, with the
fingerprint technology currently confined to an embassy or
consulate. The Ambassador noted yet again that efforts are
under way to make the technology portable for some uses; but
he emphasized that no solution is yet available, nor is it
clear whether or when any future technology would be
authorized and deployed to Embassy Suva. The Ambassador did
review past discussions of the issue with CA in Washington,
including a brief opportunity Tonga PM Sevele had to discuss
the topic with a senior CA official last May. The Ambassador
noted, as a practical matter, that any future
visa-adjudication process in Tonga would likely see a rise in
the already-high rejection rate as some who currently cannot
afford a trip to Suva would roll the dice at home.

Resource issues involved
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5. (SBU) The Ambassador observed that resource issues could
well arise with any potential portable-visa solution:
arranging a secure environment; figuring out any staffing and
budget needs; determining where funding would come from to
cover such costs; possibly adding a surcharge to the normal
visa-application fee; etc. Tone suggested that Tonga would
understand imposition of a reasonable surcharge for portable
visa services, assuming such a surcharge would be
significantly less than the current cost for a Tongan's trip
to Suva. (While not discussed, presumably the Tonga
Government might also accept having Tongans pay the usual

SUVA 00000452 002 OF 002


visa-application fee up front if a pre-screening process
could be arranged.) The Tonga Government simply is
determined to relieve an irritation in the public that has
been festering for at least ten years.

Comment
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6. (C) We reiterate reftel comment. We understand Tongan
frustration about the visa issue. It will inevitably
continue to affect bilateral relations unless the U.S. can
find the means to provide some sort of meaningful
visa-adjudication or visa-screening services in Tonga. Tonga
is playing the Iraq card figuring that will bring increased
attention in Washington to finding a solution. It is
possible that TDS Commander Uta'atu can convince the King who
can convince the Prime Minister not to cancel the follow-on
Iraq deployment in six months. It is also possible that, as
Tone reported, the King has accepted the PM's argument: if no
movement on a visa solution, no follow-on deployment.
Embassy Suva's preferred course is for Washington to show
significant movement ASAP on some sort of solution that gives
us the resources to provide on-the-ground visa services in a
meaningful way. We emphasize that, depending on the
solution, "resources" could need to include additional staff
and/or budget, in addition to any necessary technology.
DINGER