GOE DECLARES EMBASSY OFFICER PERSONA NON GRATA

UNCLAS QUITO 000122

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC
SUBJECT: GOE DECLARES EMBASSY OFFICER PERSONA NON GRATA


1. (SBU) The Embassy received two diplomatic notes on
February 18 related to Embassy officer Mark Sullivan's
expulsion. The first, dated February 16 and delivered in
hard copy on the morning of February 18, requests that
Sullivan depart the country this week. The second, dated
February 18 and sent by fax the afternoon of February 18,
declares Sullivan persona non grata and gives him 48 hours to
leave the country. Texts of the two diplomatic notes are
provided in paragraphs 2 and 3 below.


2. (SBU) Informal translation of the February 16 diplomatic
note:

(Begin Text)

Republic of Ecuador
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration

No. 8490 GM/SRB

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration
presents its compliments to the Honorable Embassy of the
United States of America, with the purpose of referring to
the statements of Mr. Marck Sullivan (Note: First name
misspelled in the original. End note) reported in the
Investigative Report presented by the Ecuadorian National
Police about the Special Investigations Unit (UIES),
according to which the above cited Embassy officer informed
Ecuadorian authorities about the decision to suspend the
Government of the United States of America,s assistance to
the UIES, and requesting the handover of computer equipments,
armaments, and vehicles that had been granted as a loan to
the aforementioned Investigations Unit to fulfill its duty.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to underline the fact
that Mr. Sullivan's request exerted unacceptable coercion
over the will of Ecuadorian public officials. Furthermore,
by removing that equipment, the Ecuadorian State was deprived
of information stored over years by the UIES, which
constitutes serious damage to the investigations of that
National Police unit.

In accordance with what was expressed during the telephone
conversation held on the 13th of this month between the Under
Secretary of Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Jorge Orbe, and the Ambassador of the United States
of America, Heather Hodges, as well as with the arguments
stated in this note, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Commerce and Integration, repeats the Government of
Ecuador,s request that Mr. Marck Sullivan abandon the
country within this week.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses, once again, the
will of the Ecuadorian Government to maintain the best
relations with the Government of the United States of
America, based on mutual respect and on non-interference in
domestic affairs.

Quito, February 16, 2008 (Note: The year is wrong in the
original. End note.)

To the Honorable
Embassy of the United States of America
City.-
(End Text.)


3. (SBU) Informal translation of the February 18 diplomatic
note:
(Begin Text)

Republic of Ecuador
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration

No. 8961 GM/VM/SRB/2009

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration
presents its compliments to the Honorable Embassy of the
United States of America and informs it that, based on what
is established in Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on
Diplomatic Relations, it declares Mr. Mark A. Sullivan, First
Secretary of the Embassy, persona non grata.

Mr. Mark A. Sullivan has forty eight hours to leave Ecuador.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration
takes the opportunity of reiterate to the Honorable Embassy
of the United States of America the assurances of its highest
consideration.

Quito, February 18, 2009.

To the Honorable
Embassy of the United States of America
City.-

(End Text)

HODGES