ARMING LOCAL EMBASSY GUARDS AGAIN RAISED WITH MFA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000560

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG, AF/EX

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2018
TAGS: SU AMGT ASEC PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: ARMING LOCAL EMBASSY GUARDS AGAIN RAISED WITH MFA

REF: A. KHARTOUM 298


B. KHARTOUM 459

Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) As Embassy begins process of changing most vehicles'
plates from diplomatic to regular license plates this week
(reftel b),CDA Fernandez raised the outstanding issue of
Sudanese Government permission for unarmed local Embassy
Khartoum guards to be armed with defensive weapons while on
official duty. CDA raised the issue on April 6 with Protocol
Director Ambassador Ali Yusuf who told CDA that "there was
agreement in principle" but nothing yet available in writing
and no formal plan on how to proceed. He suggested that
Fernandez raise it with higher authority. He noted that when
this step may be approved, the Embassy will have to provide
specific information on the weapons to be used and their
serial numbers to the Sudanese Government.


2. (C) CDA followed up with MFA Under-Secretary Mutriff
Siddiq the evening of April 8. Siddiq was familiar with the
issue and offered the excuse that "we are working on it" but
then noted that the five exposed US Embassy buildings
sprawled across Khartoum can always be protected by
additional police "should the need arise." He said that the
Sudanese Government is sincerely committed to the safety of
all diplomatic personnel, especially Americans, "after the
tragic event in January" (the killing of two Embassy staff
from USAID). Siddiq added that he knew for a fact that
Sudanese Intelligence (NISS) officials had stepped up
protection and surveillance of Embassy offices, staff and
residences to provide greater security. CDA responded that
"it was good to know about those steps" but the fact remained
that, unlike most US embassies worldwide, ours had no US
Marine Detachment and we need more protection.


3. (C) CDA Fernandez and POL chief raised the issue with
Foreign Minister Deng Alor on April 10 in the course of a
wide-ranging discussion on political issues (septel). CDA
handed Alor copies of the three dipnotes requesting this
assistance, the first from November 29, 2007 (before Alor
took over the MFA),the next one in early February and the
latest one on February 25. He thanked the Minister for
progress on the dip plates but reminded him that this issue
of defensive weapons for static guards had been discussed
with Alor on March 24 (reftel a) and was still outstanding.
Fernandez recounted the explanation he had heard from MFA
officials that "there was agreement in principle" to allow
this step to eventually take place. "They always say that to
string you along," he noted, "you are right to bring this up
to me again." Alor promised to follow up within the next few
days.


FERNANDEZ