RUSSIAN BUSINESS PRESENCE IN ERITREA (C-CI9-01825)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000323 SIPDIS DEPT FOR INR/OPS, AF/E E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2019 TAGS: PINR BBSR ECON EINV ER SUBJECT: RUSSIAN BUSINESS PRESENCE IN ERITREA (C-CI9-01825) REF: STATE 88241 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(C). ¶1. (C) Per Reftel post submits the following responses as requested: ¶A. (C) There is no Russian trade representative in Eritrea. The Russian Embassy consists of three officers: an ambassador, a DCM, and one attache. ¶B. (C) There are no Russian companies operating in Eritrea. The Russian Embassy states the unattractive business climate, which includes the inability to exchange local currency into hard currency, is the main reason for not doing business in Eritrea. ¶C. (C) N/A ¶D. (C) N/A ¶E. (C) No, Eritrea is not pushing for Russian investment or tourism. ¶F. (C) There are approximately 30 Russian citizens in Eritrea at any given time. These include those assigned to the Russian Embassy, ICRC staffers, physicians, and their families. A half-dozen or more Russian military flight instructors and airplane mechanics supporting the Eritrean Air Force (MIG aircraft) are usually in-country at any given time. They rotate in and out of the country and the Russian Embassy claims to not always know when they are in town. A number of pilots from the ex-Soviet republics support the Eritrean airline "Nasair" and this sometimes includes a Russian pilot. ¶2. (C) The Russian Embassy states that a number of high-level Eritrean government employees and Eritrean physicians practicing in Eritrea were trained in Russia (U.S.S.R.) several decades ago. A Russian Embassy attache stated he would like his government to pursue better relations with the Eritrean government because of their history and some Eritrean officials speak Russian, but there is a lack of interest at this time in doing so. ¶3. (U) For further information, point of contact is ConOff Pamela Hack, e-mail HackPJ@state.gov, telephone 291-1-120-004 x2415. MCMULLEN