Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TRIPOLI372
2008-05-08 08:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tripoli
Cable title:  

PD PROGRAMS FALL VICTIM TO BILATERAL TENSIONS

Tags:  KPAO SCUL LY PREL OIIP OEXC CVIS PGOV 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8284
PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTRO #0372/01 1290848
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 080848Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3410
INFO RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 0666
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 0497
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 0617
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 1085
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0791
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 3914
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TRIPOLI 000372 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR: NEA/MAG, NEA/PPD, ECA D. IVES, K. WILSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SCUL LY PREL OIIP OEXC CVIS PGOV
SUBJECT: PD PROGRAMS FALL VICTIM TO BILATERAL TENSIONS

REF: TRIPOLI 289

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TRIPOLI 000372

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR: NEA/MAG, NEA/PPD, ECA D. IVES, K. WILSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SCUL LY PREL OIIP OEXC CVIS PGOV
SUBJECT: PD PROGRAMS FALL VICTIM TO BILATERAL TENSIONS

REF: TRIPOLI 289


1. (U) Summary: Since January, Post has experienced increasing
difficulties in obtaining visas for incoming Public Affairs
Section visitors, both for educational and cultural programs.
The Government of Libya (GOL) has canceled some programs
outright, and has simply not approved visas for others. These
recent difficulties appear to be the result of an intentional
decision by elements within the GOL, rather than the routine
difficulties of navigating the Libyan bureaucracy. End summary.

RECENT HISTORY OF CANCELED PROGRAMS


2. (U) Prior to January, Post experienced several months of
relatively successful Public Affairs Section (PAS) programming,
particularly educational programs. We brought in our first
English Language Fellow, conducted successful English Language
Specialist workshops, and gained routine access for the first
time to students and faculty at Libyan public universities.
However, since January several programs have been canceled by
the GOL. While the Embassy has successfully secured visas for
other visitors during the same time period, PAS visitors have
been singled out for denial. Failure to issue visas to PAS
visitors is not a reciprocity issue, as Post has expedited and
issued more visas more quickly in response to Libyan official
requests than the GOL has done for Embassy official requests
(see reftel).


3. (U) In early January, DAS Tom Farrell, accompanied by other
ECA staff and 4 representatives of American universities and
higher education, planned to come to Libya to meet with
representatives of Libyan universities and government officials.
Despite prior agreement to the visit and assurances that visas
would be approved, the visas were not approved. The General
People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International
Cooperation (GPCFLIC, or MFA-equivalent) blamed the snafu on
their internal bureaucracy.


4. (U) In mid-January, the GOL canceled the planned performance
of a musician following a U.S. court decision awarding
compensation to families of victims of the UTA bombing. The

GPCFLIC told the CDA that it was not the right time for such
performances, stating that it would be "confusing" for the GOL
to facilitate concerts by a U.S. musician in the wake of the
court decision, and suggesting that the U.S. postpone it.
Shortly thereafter, the musician's visa, which had previously
been approved, was canceled.


5. (U) In early February, the GOL abruptly canceled an event
that the GPC for Higher Education (GPCHE) had requested of the
Embassy - an information session for recipients of Libyan
scholarships for post-graduate study in the United States.
Expecting to brief several hundred students, CAO and visiting
Regional Education Advising Coordinator were notified of the
event's cancellation minutes before it was scheduled to begin.
Despite Embassy efforts to provide information to scholarship
recipients, PAS still frequently receives complaints about the
Libyan students' lack of preparation for applying to and
studying at U.S. universities.


6. (U) In mid-April, the GOL canceled the performance of a
second musical group. PAS had taken precautionary steps to
confirm that the musical performance would be permitted, and
obtained approval from various government bodies. Our local
partners had also obtained approval to host performances. In
early April, our local partners contacted us to let us know they
received instructions to cancel the scheduled performances, and
were told that given the state of the bilateral relationship,
such programs were not a priority for the Libyan government. In
subsequent conversations, Libyan officials told the P/E Chief
that public programming was not appropriate because the
bilateral relationship was "not fully normalized".


7. (SBU) In April, Post expected an American Fulbright grantee
to come to Libya to work with professors at Garyounis
University. Despite written approval of the Program and numerous
assurances, the visa has not been issued. The Head of the
Protocol Office told a Post employee that he wished that Public
Affairs programs would simply go away. (Comment: We believe that
the Protocol Office has instructions not to issue visas to
Embassy visitors who will engage the public, and that excuses
blaming lack of visa issuance on bureaucratic snafus is merely a
dodge. End comment.)


8. (U) In late April, Post expected the publishers of MEPI's My
Arabic Library program to come to Libya to meet with the GPC for

TRIPOLI 00000372 002 OF 003


Basic Education to discuss implementation of the program, which
Libyan authorities have approved. The visas were not approved,
much to the disappointment of officials at the GPC for Basic
Education, who, in addition to the My Arabic Library program,
are eager to meet with American publishers to discuss using
American textbooks in public schools.


9. (U) During the first week of May, Post planned to host Dr.
Steve Morrison of SAIS. The Green Book Society, the National
Center for Disease Control, and Al Fatah University Medical
School had all agreed to host Dr. Morrison for events. His visa
was not approved.

CONFLICTING MESSAGES


10. (U) It is clear that our Libyan education and cultural
partners want Americans to come to Libya to implement joint
programming. They are greatly disappointed when Americans do not
receive their visas, and complain of conflicting points of view
they hear behind the scenes. The GPC for Basic Education is
tasked with finding the best textbooks possible, and has been
advised by some government parties to use American textbooks.
Without being able to host American publishers, however, they
cannot find a way to practically implement that plan. Libyan
universities are tasked by the highest levels to send their
students to the U.S. for study. University administrators,
however, are blocked from bringing American professors and
representatives to Libya to establish the relationships
necessary to achieve that objective.


11. (SBU) At a recent meeting at Al Fatah University Medical
School, the dean complained about the inability of Libyan
academic administrators to achieve the unrealistic and
frequently contradictory goals of Libyan politicians. He
described how "politicians" have told him that he has to send
2,000 students to the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain for
medical school next year. When he explains that Libyan students
will not be accepted into medical schools in those countries, he
is viewed as a nay-sayer. When he introduces plans to improve
the quality of Libya's medical education (such as bringing
American medical school representatives here to discuss
curriculum development and establishing joint programs, meeting
American accreditation standards, and sending Libyan students to
U.S. schools for undergraduate degrees followed by medical
school),"the politicians" criticize him for his suggestions
that will take too long to implement. (Note: A key part of a
proposed Regional Nuclear Medicine Center project being
implemented with USG assistance involves sending Libyans to U.S.
medical schools for advanced training. End note.)


12. (SBU) The new Educational Attachi to the Libyan Embassy in
Washington recently expressed to us his nervousness that the
goals he is tasked with achieving are unattainable. While Libyan
officials have repeatedly stressed that they want Libyan
students to return to U.S. universities by the thousands, the
Libyan bureaucracy, and to a large extent, Libyans themselves,
remain intransigent in terms of their willingness to meet the
requirements necessary to matriculate in U.S. schools.

MORE DIFFICULTIES AHEAD


13. (U) While for the past two years American universities have
given Libyan students substantial benefit of the doubt in
accepting them, there are already rumblings from those
universities about Libyan students. Universities have recently
remarked about the high level of complaining from Libyan
students and the intense bureaucratic support they and their
families require. They also note that while some Libyan students
have done exceptionally well academically, others are performing
terribly. A number of GOL scholarship students reportedly have
paid more than 1000 Libyan Dinars each to poorly-qualified local
"educational agencies" for assistance in completing university
admissions forms (typically Colorado State and Oklahoma State)
and visa applications. The universities have found that many
such admissions forms contain inaccurate information and essays
they suspect the students themselves did not write. Universities
are now reviewing applications from Libyans with more intense
scrutiny to try to better screen them.


14. (U) In addition to more intense scrutiny by American
universities, Libyan students hoping to study in the U.S. may
also begin to experience more intense scrutiny during their visa
interviews. Post's Consular Officer recently learned that at
Oklahoma State University, 50% of Libyan students have applied
for public benefits. It is not clear yet whether that indicates

TRIPOLI 00000372 003 OF 003


that GOL scholarship funds are insufficient, and/or that Libyan
students budget such funds poorly. Another possibility is that
Libyan students are seeking to inappropriately exploit public
benefits, even if they have sufficient funds from other sources.
(Note: Egyptian Embassy officials recently told P/E Chief that
Libyan university students in Egypt, who number in the
thousands, routinely abuse public benefits reserved for Egyptian
students.)


15. (SBU) Comment: As the bilateral relationship has grown more
tense during the past several months as a result of outstanding
compensation issues and human rights issues, GOL officials who
oppose reengagement with the U.S. have gained ground in putting
a halt to PAS programs in Libya. While Libyan government
officials still desire reengagement with the American academic
community, their lack of understanding of the academic
environment coupled with the recent trend of refusing American
visitors prevents Libyan academic officials from achieving those
goals. Post will continue to push in particular for educational
programs and visitors. End comment.
STEVENS