PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES FOR THE AFRICAN UNION

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000771 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/UNP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OFDP UN SUBJECT: PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES FOR THE AFRICAN UNION ¶1. Unclassified - entire text. ¶2. Ambassador Khalilzad has received a September 18 letter from AU Permanent Observer Ratsifandrihamanana requesting reinstatement of certain diplomatic privileges and immunities that the African Union (then the Organization of African Unity) lost in 1996. ¶3. Begin text of September 18 letter: Mr. Ambassador, I wish to refer to your meeting on 13 July 2007 with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Prof. Alpha Oumar KONARE, mainly about Darfur, and to follow up on the issue relating to the status of the African Union Office in New York that was briefly raised by the Chairperson during that same conversation. I also wish to recall Executive Order 11767 of February 19, 1974, which was revoked in 1996 resulting in loss or privileges such as tax exemption for the office, diplomatic vehicle registration and associated immunities. As Your Excellency will recall, back in 2005, Executive Order 13377 was signed by the President of the United States, designating the African Union as a Public International Organization entitled to enjoy certain privileges, exemptions and immunities. In light of these developments, I would like to solicit your assistance for our office to be issued with the aforementioned privileges of diplomatic vehicle registration and tax exemption along with the immunities provided for under Executive Order 13377 of 13 April 2007. I wish to thank you wholeheartedly for your assistance and cooperation. Please accept, Mr. Ambassador, the assurance of my highest consideration. End text. ¶4. USUN requests guidance for a reply to the AU Observer. KHALILZAD