US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI680

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000680 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/E, AND AF/EX 
STATE ALSO FOR OBO, OBO/REPM, OBO/PD, AND OBO/RM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2014 
TAGS: PREL, AMGT, ABLD, DJ 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI'S FOLLOW-UP ON U.S. OFFER TO PURCHASE NEW 
EMBASSY SITE 
 
REF: A. DJIBOUTI 528 
     B. DJIBOUTI 492 
     C. STATE 086999 
     D. DJIBOUTI 340 
     E. STATE 086390 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (U) On May 3, Ambassador raised with Mahmoud Ali Youssef, 
Minister of Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
the outstanding U.S. offer to purchase a site for a new 
embassy compound (NEC) in Djibouti.  Youssef, at that time, 
said he had did not yet have a response to the U.S. offer, 
although he had been prodding his government since it 
received our diplomatic note three weeks earlier on April 11. 
Youssef did ask, however, if the U.S. were certain that the 
land it wished to purchase had not been claimed by another 
buyer. 
 
2. (C) Ambassador responded that the U.S. team that put 
together our survey and offer was aware that part of the 
parcel of land it originally considered for purchase was no 
longer available.  Nevertheless, the team found the remaining 
area of the original parcel acceptable for USG needs and the 
offer of USD 1,800,000 put forward in Embassy's diplomatic 
note covered that portion of the remaining space available in 
the parcel. 
 
3. (C) In a follow-up phone call from Youssef to Ambassador 
on May 6, Youssef stated that  contrary to President 
Guelleh's remark (reported reftel A) that the Government of 
Djibouti would make a counter-proposal on price of the 
parcel, there would now not repeat not be a counter-proposal. 
 The amount the U.S. had offered, Youssef said, was 
acceptable. 
 
4.  (U) Youssef continued that since the price was 
acceptable, the matter of working out modalities -- so that a 
diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
accepting the offer and laying out technical specifications 
could be finalized-- had been turned over to the Minister of 
Habitat, Urbanism, Environment and Planning, Abdallah 
Abdillahi Miguil.  Youssef told Ambassador that an 
appointment for her with Miguil had already been set for the 
following week. 
 
5. (SBU) Ambassador is scheduled to meet with Miguil on 
Monday, May 17, and will advise Department of outcome and 
remaining issues. 
 
 
RAGSDALE