VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0427 1721340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211340Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6498

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000427 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR A/OPR/CR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT
SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY: EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION: 2009 EMBASSY 
DAMASCUS COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION 
 
REF: STATE 37649 
 
¶1.  As Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in 
Damascus, I have taken the necessary measures to ensure that 
our employee association is managed prudently and is in full 
compliance with its charter and bylaws, 6 FAM 500 
regulations, applicable to U.S. law, and all legal 
requirements of the Government of Syria.  I also assure you 
that an adequate system of internal controls is in place to 
protect the assets of the association and the interests of 
the U.S. government. The Post Profile has been updated to 
reflect the election of a new AEEA board. Finally, I certify 
that Post does not procure services from the association or 
does so only with an approved waiver from the Office of the 
Procurement Executive (FAR 3.601). 
 
¶2.  The previous AEEA board requested an extension on 
submitting an independent audit on May 25.  According to AEEA 
e-mail records, the stated reason for the delay was that the 
auditor (Deloitte and Touche) had been working on other 
Embassy issues.  The aforementioned audit, along with the 
auditor's statement of its compliance with US GAAP, is nearly 
completed and should be forthcoming before the end of June, 
¶2009.  AEEA will also submit the board's statement of the 
auditor's independence to A/OPR/CR after the auditor 
completes final draft. 
 
¶3.  The 2009 AEEA board has learned that 2008 association 
financial documents were not properly submitted.  This has 
been brought to the attention of the new Treasurer, who will 
generate those statements and submit them to the appropriate 
authorities this month. 
 
¶4.  AEEA is currently in the process of obtaining a written 
agreement with the Chief of Mission in order to clarify the 
handling of utility costs for the AEEA-administered 
commissary.  It is anticipated there will be nominal or no 
charges assessed for the prior and current calendar years. 
 
¶5.  Regarding paras 2-4, AEEA will seek greater compliance on 
deadlines for document submission by developing a schedule of 
due dates and tasking appropriate officers.  The Chief of 
Mission's AEEA designee has taken a lead in compliance 
oversight. 
 
¶6.  As previously reported, post continues to dispute an 
erroneous transportation charge from 2003 in the amount of 
USD 65,000.  This disputed amount has been duly noted in each 
audit report. 
 
¶7.  This certification was signed on June 21, 2009, by Charge 
d'Affaires Maura Connelly. 
CONNELLY