EGYPT-LIBYA: LIBYA REOPENS THE BORDER

UNCLAS ALEXANDRIA 000024 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIBSANC E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREL ETRD UNSC LY EG SUBJECT: EGYPT-LIBYA: LIBYA REOPENS THE BORDER REF: (A) ALEXANDRIA 22 (B) FBIS NC0901165293 ¶1. OFFICIALS OF THE MERSA MATROUH GOVERNORATE HAVE CONFIRMED LOCAL PRESS REPORTS THAT THE SALLOUM BORDER CROSSING WAS REOPENED BY LIBYAN AUTHORITIES EARLY TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 12. LIBYA HAD CLOSED ITS LAND BORDERS FOR A THREE-DAY PERIOD TO PROTEST THE U.N.-IMPOSED SANCTIONS (COMMENT: THERE ARE A FEW RUMORS HERE, PROBABLY GROUNDLESS, THAT THE GOL CLOSED THE BORDERS WHILE SEARCHING FOR SUSPECTS INVOLVED IN THE CA ACCIDENT WHICH KILLED THE GOL JUSTICE MINISTER. END COMMENT). OVER 150 VEHICLES HAVE REPORTEDLY CROSSED AT SALLOUM SINCE THE BORDER WAS REOPENED. THE GOVERNOR 0 MERSA MATROUH HAS BEEN AT THE BORDER OVERSEEING THE COMMITMENT OF ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL AND OTHER RESOURCES TO HANDLE A HEAVY TRAFFIC BACKLOG. ¶2. NOT A FEW EGYPTIANS WERE INCONVENIENCED AND ANGERE BY LIBYAS ACTIONS. AS ONE EXAMPLE, EXPATRIATE TEACHE WORKING IN LIBYA LOST THREE DAYS OF THEIR MID-TERM HOLIDAY WHEN THEY WERE STRANDED. THE PRESS REPORTS TH LOSSES TO EGYPTIAN BUSINESSES FROM THE EMBARGO TOTALLE 20 MILLION L.E. (ABOUT USD 600,000),INCLUDING MUCH SPOILED PRODUCE. COMMENT: WHILE THIS SEEMS HIGH TO US WE DO NOTE PRIOR REPORTS (REF A) OF THE MAGNITUDE OF T TRAFFIC BACKLOG AND THAT MERCHANTS DELAYED AT SALLOUM WERE SELLING THEIR PRODUCE AT VERY REDUCED PRICES. WHATEVER THE DAMAGES, THE GOL WON NO FRIENDS HERE WITH ITS EMBARGO AND, IN FACT, PROBABLY LEFT LIBYAS OWN BUSINESS COMMUNITY HURT AND ANGRY. OUR LOCAL CONTACTS FLATLY CALL THE EMBARGO ECONOMIC "SUICIDE" FOR LIBYA. SCHELL