Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09EFTOTRIPOLI704
2009-08-30 15:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tripoli
Cable title:
LIBYAN PROTOCOL CHIEF CONFIRMS QADHAFI WILL NOT STAY IN
how-toVZCZCXRO4481 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHTRO #0704 2421556 ZNY EEEEE ZZH P R 301556Z AUG 09 FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5211 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0231 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0591 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1150 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0822 RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 5755
UNCLAS E F T O TRIPOLI 000704
SENSITIVE NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAIR OVIP UNGA LY
SUBJECT: LIBYAN PROTOCOL CHIEF CONFIRMS QADHAFI WILL NOT STAY IN
ENGLEWOOD RESIDENCE
ENTIRE TEXT SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED/NOFORN; PLEASE PROTECT
ACCORDINGLY.
UNCLAS E F T O TRIPOLI 000704
SENSITIVE NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAIR OVIP UNGA LY
SUBJECT: LIBYAN PROTOCOL CHIEF CONFIRMS QADHAFI WILL NOT STAY IN
ENGLEWOOD RESIDENCE
ENTIRE TEXT SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED/NOFORN; PLEASE PROTECT
ACCORDINGLY.
1. (SBU/NF) In an August 29 meeting, Libyan Protocol Chief Nuri
al-Mismari confirmed that plans for Libyan leader Muammar
al-Qadhafi to stay in Englewood, NJ are off. Instead, the GOL
is focusing on finding accommodations for Qadhafi in Manhattan.
According to Mismari, the most likely outcome is that Qadhafi
will stay at the Libyan Permrep's residence in Manhattan.
Mismari showed A/DCM an August 25 e-mail from him to the Libyan
Permrep, telling him to abort plans to use the NJ residence,
noting that, "see, you didn't need to pressure me about this; we
were already working on an alternative arrangement." Mismari
said that, if asked, the GOL will tell journalists that it is
not using the NJ residence because the necessary renovations
will not be completed in time for Qadhafi's visit. Mismari
stressed that any further USG public comment on the issue would
be "damaging," and that the Libyan Government doesn't want
things to "spin out of control, and then he [Qadhafi] will get
involved, and not want to do the trip at all." Mismari was
keenly interested in the potential protests in Englewood on
August 30, noting that he really hopes they have been canceled.
He asked that A/DCM contact him as soon as possible if any news
about the protests is heard.
2. (SBU/NF) Mismari showed A/DCM a fax he sent August 28 to the
Libyan missions in NY and DC, telling them to focus henceforth
only on the "official purpose" of Qadhafi's visit, and to cancel
planning for "extraneous" activities, such as a Qadhafi walk
through of Harlem, and some press roundtables. "I want to wait
for things to cool down in the U.S. before proceeding with any
such extra events," he said.
3. (SBU/NF)Mismari asked A/DCM about flight clearances for the
Qadhafi delegation. He said his current plan is for the
delegation to travel on the Ifriqiyah Airways VIP plane to
Portugal, then charter a separate plane for the delegation to
use to travel to NY. He inquired if "this will work for your
people."
4. (SBU/NF) Comment: Mismari, even in the frenzy of the
lead-up to the September 1 celebration, seemed remarkably
focused on Qadhafi's NY trip. He kept both the Italian
Ambassador and an Italian Prime Ministerial advance team and the
two lead organizers of the September 1 events waiting for an
hour, even though A/DCM offered that he should meet the others
first, as they all had arrived at the same time. Mismari
appeared very committed to the success of the NY trip,
stressing, "This is not about Qadhafi or Obama, but rather about
our two countries and peoples writ large. This trip has to move
forward, so the relationship can progress, and we do not leave
future generations of Libyans and Americans to deal with this
hot potato of abnormal bilateral relations."
POLASCHIK
SENSITIVE NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAIR OVIP UNGA LY
SUBJECT: LIBYAN PROTOCOL CHIEF CONFIRMS QADHAFI WILL NOT STAY IN
ENGLEWOOD RESIDENCE
ENTIRE TEXT SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED/NOFORN; PLEASE PROTECT
ACCORDINGLY.
1. (SBU/NF) In an August 29 meeting, Libyan Protocol Chief Nuri
al-Mismari confirmed that plans for Libyan leader Muammar
al-Qadhafi to stay in Englewood, NJ are off. Instead, the GOL
is focusing on finding accommodations for Qadhafi in Manhattan.
According to Mismari, the most likely outcome is that Qadhafi
will stay at the Libyan Permrep's residence in Manhattan.
Mismari showed A/DCM an August 25 e-mail from him to the Libyan
Permrep, telling him to abort plans to use the NJ residence,
noting that, "see, you didn't need to pressure me about this; we
were already working on an alternative arrangement." Mismari
said that, if asked, the GOL will tell journalists that it is
not using the NJ residence because the necessary renovations
will not be completed in time for Qadhafi's visit. Mismari
stressed that any further USG public comment on the issue would
be "damaging," and that the Libyan Government doesn't want
things to "spin out of control, and then he [Qadhafi] will get
involved, and not want to do the trip at all." Mismari was
keenly interested in the potential protests in Englewood on
August 30, noting that he really hopes they have been canceled.
He asked that A/DCM contact him as soon as possible if any news
about the protests is heard.
2. (SBU/NF) Mismari showed A/DCM a fax he sent August 28 to the
Libyan missions in NY and DC, telling them to focus henceforth
only on the "official purpose" of Qadhafi's visit, and to cancel
planning for "extraneous" activities, such as a Qadhafi walk
through of Harlem, and some press roundtables. "I want to wait
for things to cool down in the U.S. before proceeding with any
such extra events," he said.
3. (SBU/NF)Mismari asked A/DCM about flight clearances for the
Qadhafi delegation. He said his current plan is for the
delegation to travel on the Ifriqiyah Airways VIP plane to
Portugal, then charter a separate plane for the delegation to
use to travel to NY. He inquired if "this will work for your
people."
4. (SBU/NF) Comment: Mismari, even in the frenzy of the
lead-up to the September 1 celebration, seemed remarkably
focused on Qadhafi's NY trip. He kept both the Italian
Ambassador and an Italian Prime Ministerial advance team and the
two lead organizers of the September 1 events waiting for an
hour, even though A/DCM offered that he should meet the others
first, as they all had arrived at the same time. Mismari
appeared very committed to the success of the NY trip,
stressing, "This is not about Qadhafi or Obama, but rather about
our two countries and peoples writ large. This trip has to move
forward, so the relationship can progress, and we do not leave
future generations of Libyans and Americans to deal with this
hot potato of abnormal bilateral relations."
POLASCHIK