VZCZCXRO1140
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2689 3201513
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 161513Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5259
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 002689 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/SE 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ODIP CASC OTRA CVIS MARR SU US
SUBJECT: CONTINUED GOVERNMENT OBSTRUCTION OF VISAS FOR DOD 
PERSONNEL 
 
REF: A. KHARTOUM 02408 
 
     ¶B. KHARTOUM 02380 
 
¶1. (C) In the last year, Department of Defense Military 
Attaches assigned to Sudan have been subjected to a concerted 
effort by the Sudanese government to refuse or delay issuance 
of visas for travel to Sudan.  This effort prevents military 
personnel from filling critical advisory roles for the Chief 
of Mission and negatively impacts the ability of the Embassy 
to provide much needed military insight on the situation in 
both Darfur and Southern Sudan. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The designated Chief Defense Liaison Officer (DLO) 
submitted his application for a visa in April 2006 and has 
still not received it.  The acting Chief Defense Liaison 
Officer (DLO) had submitted his visa application on April 12, 
2006, and did not receive a visa until August 3, 2006.  Two 
diplomatic notes have been delivered to the Sudanese 
Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Defense requesting that 
a diplomatic visa be issued to the incoming Chief DLO to no 
avail.  The situation is critical, given upcoming personnel 
rotations.  If the Chief DLO's visa application is not 
processed in the near future, the Department of Defense may 
choose to revoke his assignment orders, which could terminate 
the DLO presence in Sudan. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The two other military organizations in the Mission, 
the Joint Liaison Element (JLE) and the Country Coordination 
Element (CCE), have suffered similar treatment when 
requesting visas to Sudan.  CCE currently has three visa 
applications pending for officers designated to fill advisor 
positions requested by the African Union Mission in Sudan 
(AMIS).  An endorsement is being sought from the African 
Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa to assist in convincing the 
Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue the necessary 
visas.  If these visas are not issued, CJTF-HOA will not be 
able to provide advisors to the AMIS mission in El Fasher 
after the November 28 departure of the officer currently 
assigned to the post.  This can be expected to result in 
decreased efficiency at the AMIS Operations Center and a 
reduced ability by post to furnish a U.S. observer to 
meetings of the Cease-fire Commission in El Fasher.  JLE 
currently has two visa applications pending, which also 
impacts rotation schedules. 
 
¶4. (C) Comment:  Though it appears that the Sudanese 
government has discontinued placing the 25-mile travel 
restrictions in the passports of permanently-assigned Mission 
personnel (Reftel A) and has issued all pending Darfur travel 
permits, delays in visa issuance continue to impact the 
Mission's ability to conduct operations and collect 
information on Darfur and Southern Sudan.  Post reiterates 
its support for the MFA's request to designate a Sudanese 
military attach in Washington on the basis of reciprocity 
(Reftel B).  Post believes this could be helpful in resolving 
this impasse.  End comment. 
HUME