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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHQT #0122/01 0492042
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 182042Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0042
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 7972
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4087
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3395
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ FEB LIMA 3038
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4107
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 2262
RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

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