THE MFA'S CONTROL ISSUES

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TUNIS 000257 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/FO (FELTMAN AND GRAY) AND NEA/MAG (HARRIS AND HOPKINS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TS SUBJECT: THE MFA'S CONTROL ISSUES Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (S/NF) Although the Tunisian MFA is titularly responsible for coordinating bilateral cooperation, under the leadership of FM Abdallah, the Ministry has become controlling to the point of being obstructionist. Almost every demarche, program, travel or other diplomatic activity must be requested by diplomatic note. While the Ambassador can get meetings with Abdallah and other senior officials, working level MFA contacts refuse to meet with EmbOffs and, since 2008, no longer answer the telephone. This bureaucratic distancing has spread to other GOT entities, which the MFA now requires to seek permission for any contact with foreign diplomats. The result is that few diplomats have access to GOT officials, and few programs -- or substantive discussions -- are possible. While enterprising diplomats and GOT officials continue to look for ways around the MFA, such as by engaging private entities, there are few indications things are likely to improve in the short term. Meanwhile, the FM's ambitions are rumored to include a possible move to a more powerful office. End Summary. -------------- DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL -------------- ¶2. (S/NF) While every government has its idiosyncrasies, GOT bureaucracy has long been a joke -- and a lament -- among resident diplomats and private Tunisians. From the mundane to the profound, obtaining a substantive GOT response or discerning policy from rhetoric is almost impossible. However, since his appointment in August 2005, Foreign Minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah has made it even more difficult for diplomats to engage official Tunisians by requiring that government-to-government meetings -- with almost all GOT offices -- be requested by diplomatic note, which are individually reviewed by the Minister's chief of staff before any action can be taken. While the Ambassador is able to meet most of his GOT counterparts with little delay, other resident ambassadors complain they have significantly less access. Working-level diplomats are largely prevented from meeting their government counterparts. The MFA issued an official circular to all GOT ministries that they should have no contact with foreign governments without the MFA's permission, effectively ending most of our direct access to GOT entities. (Note: The MFA's reach does not extend to the Ministry of Interior or Ministry of Defense, which continue to conduct regular meetings and programs with US counterparts.) While some GOT officials are willing to speak by phone, meetings can take weeks to arrange if they happen at all. For example, rather than allowing us to meet with different ministries to gather information for the annual Trafficking in Persons report, the MFA responded with a 22-page document addressing our points. ¶3. (S/NF) Even at the Foreign Ministry, officials below the Director General (Assistant Secretary) rank are reluctant to engage foreign diplomats. Therefore, it is almost impossible for any diplomats below the rank of ambassador to deliver demarches or make inquiries about outstanding issues. For a period between fall 2005 and fall 2007, the MFA Americas Division became slightly more responsive, allowing EmbOffs to call to inquire about the status of pending diplomatic notes and meeting requests. However, in November 2007, the new Director General for the Americas and Asia Elyas Kasri took further steps to prevent direct contact: disconnecting his fax machine (the only ONE that went directly to the Americas Division),disconnecting the direct phone line of the Director for the Americas (Office Director-equivalent),and disabling the internal extensions of the Deputy Director for the Americas and the US desk officer. Perhaps this is for their own protection, as ONE MFA official told EmbOff that he believes the Ministry of Interior listens to all MFA phone calls and that he was chastised for being "too friendly" with the Americans. ¶4. (S/NF) Hence, unless the Ambassador is meeting with the Foreign Minister or his chief of staff, post must resort to sending most demarches by diplomatic note, to which we rarely receive a response. Inside the MFA, working level contacts say each diplomatic note is personally reviewed by the Minister's Chief of Staff before any action can be taken. The process is so convoluted it is not uncommon for the MFA to ask that we resend a diplomatic note, removing "sensitive" language or the names of individual officials. Inquiries TUNIS 00000257 002 OF 003 about non-bilateral issues, on topics such as the Arab League or engagement of Israel, are not considered the bailiwick of the Americas Division, so even if we find a way to demarche, officials are not allowed to respond. -------------- RULING WITH AN IRON FIST -------------- ¶5. (S/NF) In addition to restricting MFA officials' day-to-day interaction with foreign missions, Minister Abdallah has recently restricted participation in his meetings with US officials to his direct staff. Although it was once common for the Minister to be accompanied by all of the Americas Division officials during large bilateral meetings, since January 2008 Abdallah has only been accompanied by his Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant (Charge de Mission). Thus, even if it were possible to engage them, there is no indication other MFA officials have direct contact with the Minister, and therefore, any idea of what is going on. In fact, Kasri himself, although the third ranking MFA official for the Americas, has yet to provide a substantive and definitive response on any bilateral issue. Meanwhile, working-level MFA officials express quiet frustration with the process, often explaining "these things take time" and "we are awaiting a response." Some GOT officials are quietly indicating that Foreign Minister Abdallah is personally creating this bureaucratic paralysis. The Director of the Tunisian External Communications Agency (and Presidential interpreter),Oussama Romdhani, told the Ambassador recently that Abdallah is "controlling" by nature. Similary, the MFA Deputy Director for the Americas Moez Sinaoui told PolOff that Abdallah "wants to be responsible for everything," particularly US issues. -------------- ...THAT RIVALS THE MOI -------------- ¶6. (S/NF) Yet the MFA is only part of the problem. While the Foreign Ministry controls almost all diplomatic activities in greater-Tunis, activities outside the capital must be approved by the MFA and the Ministry of Interior. Once the MFA approves, the Ministry of Interior and Local Development alerts associations, universities and other government and non-government organizations that they are allowed to engage foreign missions. Without this approval, diplomats cannot meet directly with regional officials, who often decide it is easier not to invite EmbOffs even to events that the USG may have cosponsored. Given the sensitivities related to the Ministry of Interior, no ONE is willing to shed light on how this interagency cooperation works. -------------- DEATH BY DIPNOTE -------------- ¶7. (C) Within the MFA, the onerous system has slowed to the point where bureaucratic inertia is setting in. Some cooperation programs are declined because the Ministry lacks sufficient lead time to obtain a response. In other cases, officials are suggesting programs be outlined months in advance, the only way to increase the likelihood of approval. The impact of these systemic hurdles on diplomatic missions is clear. Simple matters like appointments for visiting officials are only available 24 hours (or less) before the visit begins, and it is impossible to confirm in advance if a meeting request is even approved. Sinaoui said that the inertia was worse than at any other time in his 16 year career at the MFA. ¶8. (C) The GOT generally ignores engagement on "sensitive" issues such as political reform programs sponsored by MEPI, while even GOT-requested cooperation programs are difficult to implement. In December 2007, the Foreign Minister canceled a visit by a USAID assessment team that was already on the ground and conducting meetings that the MFA had apparently approved without the Minister's knowledge. Explaining his decision, Abdallah stated that a formal cooperation agreement should be established before even initial consultations could take place. This, despite the fact that the visit had been intended to explore resumption of USAID programming for key GOT priorities: youth, employment and counter-radicalization. More broadly, speaking engagements, concerts and other PD activities are often canceled at the last minute -- even if prior MFA approval had been obtained. Recently, the Ministry of HEALTH (MOH) deputy secretary-equivalent approached the Ambassador directly to request cooperation on preventative medicine. TUNIS 00000257 003 OF 003 Although she came in person to the Embassy (the first time in recent memory a GOT official has done so),when the PAO tried to follow up on her request, she asked post to send a diplomatic note. Such programming challenges led several like-minded nations (e.g., Great Britain, Canada) to downsize their missions recently, on grounds that there is not enough activity to justify staff. -------------- DISSENT IN THE RANKS -------------- ¶9. (S/NF) Thus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Minister Abdallah has effectively isolated diplomatic missions. Yet some GOT entities express an interest in finding work-arounds. A few officials, like a Central Bank contact who was formerly with the MOI, once felt sufficiently independent to flaunt the MFA-imposed rules of engagement. However, the MFA is quick to crack down on such independence and recently reminded this contact that prior MFA authorization is required for all meetings with us. Other officials go on requesting cooperation programs that require diplomatic notes that will never see the light of day. ONE new way GOT bodies seek to avoid the MFA is through concluding bilateral agreements or MOUs directly with foreign missions, which allows diplomats to be in direct contact with the signing ministry. For example, after years of stymied programs, ONE UN agency concluded a cooperation plan directly with the Ministry of Social Affairs, and expects work to begin immediately. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (S/NF) Some MFA officials seem to agree and have informally suggested we find ways to seek blanket approval for ongoing cooperation or avoid involving the MFA in our bilateral issues. We have identified possibilities to frame technical cooperation programs under the umbrella of the existing Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), which should allow us to explore cooperation directly with the Ministry of Development and International Cooperation. Similarly, we are directly engaging those private organizations who do not feel constrained by MFA or MOI directives, such as professional, commercial and educational groups. ¶11. (S/NF) While some GOT officials lament the difficulties of working with MFA restrictions, there is little to indicate anyone is complaining directly to President Ben Ali -- the only ONE with influence over Abdallah. As Foreign Minister Abdallah approaches the third anniversary of his appointment, he seems more confident and more isolationist than ever. With his aspirations rumored to be higher (perhaps even the Presidency),the status quo does not bode well for diplomats' ability to influence Tunisian foreign policy on the ground. End comment. Please visit Embassy Tunis' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunis/index.c fm GODEC