VZCZCXRO5452
PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTRO #0497 1730754
ZNR UUUUU
P R 220754Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI LY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI

UNCLAS TRIPOLI 000497 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PPD AND CA/VO/F/P 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL CVIS LY
SUBJECT: FM KUSA:  "STEP BY STEP" APPROACH TO VISA FOR AMERICANS 
 
¶1. (SBU) During a June 21 meeting with FM Musa Kusa, Ambassador 
noted that the U.S. had begun full visa operations for Libyans 
in Tripoli and had already issued over 800 non-immigrant visas 
to Libyans with limited wait times.  By contrast, the GOL still 
followed a restrictive visa policy when it came to Americans, 
including an apparent ban on American tourists, lengthy delays 
and high fees for American business people, and a long record of 
visa denials for USG-sponsored cultural and academic visitors. 
Now that the US and Libya had restored bilateral relations, the 
USG expected to see greater reciprocity in visa policy. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Kusa acknowledged that US visa policy was generous with 
respect to most Libyans, although there had been delays in the 
cases of certain Libyan officials.  He said the GOL had opened 
the door to American business people, investors and employees of 
US oil and gas companies.  These applicants often received 
multiple entry visas, he noted (in contrast to the US's more 
limited single-entry visas for Libyan business people).  To the 
extent there were delays, it was due to the small consular 
section in the Libyan Embassy in Washington.  When the 
Ambassador pointed out that the US Embassy continued to hear 
stories of extortionate fees being demanded of US business 
people by Libyan middle-men, Kusa said he was aware of the 
problem, which he characterized as "corruption," and was trying 
to stamp it out.  The Ambassador also noted there were other 
obstacles, both bureaucratic and personnel, that may also be 
contributing to an apparent virtual standstill in visa issuance 
for Americans. He asked Kusa to look into these as well. 
 
¶3. (SBU) As for American tourists, Kusa said Libya's restrictive 
policy was security-related.  He recounted a time two years ago 
when a cruise ship with several hundred Americans onboard had 
attempted to unload the passengers in the eastern Libyan town of 
Darna, the locus of foreign fighters heading to Iraq.  As head 
of Libya's security organization at the time, he immediately 
ordered the ship not to let the Americans disembark, given the 
presence of so many extremists in the town.  His point, he said, 
was that Americans remained vulnerable to attack by extremists, 
due to controversial US policies over the past several years. 
He was also concerned about "adventure tourists" who wanted to 
explore Libya's deserts.  Sometimes these people got lost; so 
far none had been kidnapped, as had occurred in neighboring 
countries.  The GOL, he said, was still looking for two missing 
foreigners -- Italian and Japanese -- who disappeared in the 
desert during a motorcycle expedition. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador asked why the GOL could not at least 
treat Americans as they do Europeans and allow tourists to come 
either in groups or in connection with organized tours by 
authorized Libyan tour companies.  Kusa dismissed this idea, 
saying that Americans remained a more attractive target for 
terrorists than Europeans.  Under the Obama Administration, Kusa 
said, he expected attitudes toward Americans to eventually 
improve, especially if progress could be made in solving the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Consequently, in his view, 
opening up Libya to increasing numbers of American visitors had 
to be a "step by step" process. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On USG-sponsored exchange visitors and on other 
non-responses to requests, Kusa agreed to review the situation. 
Ambassador offered to provide a list of visa denials in these 
cases. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment:  We find Kusa's justification for the total 
ban on American tourists to be unconvincing.  A few years ago, 
Libya did in fact briefly permit Americans to visit Libya, 
provided they came as part of an organized tour or aboard a 
cruise ship.  In these cases, the GOL has advance notification 
of the visit itinerary and can provide appropriate security, as 
it does in the case of European and other visitors.  We will 
need to continue to test his assertions regarding Libya's "open 
doors" to American business visitors, and to assist the GOL to 
weed out corrupt middle-men by providing information on such 
practices to the GOL as it becomes available.  On USG-sponsored 
exchange visitors, we will follow up by providing the MFA with 
our long list of aborted visits and attempt to determine whether 
this is a policy decision or the work of lower-level personnel 
who oppose U.S. engagement with Libyans in Libya.  The good news 
here is continued GOL interest in U.S. visas and a commitment to 
look into the problematic issues we raised regarding lack of 
visa issuance.  We will now press the MFA to make good on its 
commitment to establish an interagency working group to discuss 
these issues with us. 
 
CRETZ