US embassy cable - 87STATE336019

UNCLAS STATE 336019 
 
E.O. 12356:   N/A 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, US 
SUBJECT: AIDS TESTING OF VISITING U.S. MILITARY 
PERSONNEL 
 
1.  PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS OF HOST NATIONS HAVE RESULTED 
IN OCCASIONAL REQUESTS THAT VISITING MILITARY UNITS 
DEMONSTRATE THAT UNIT PERSONNEL ARE FREE OF AIDS VIRUS. 
THIS MESSAGE PROVIDES GUIDANCE FOR RESPONDING TO 
EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN, OFFICIAL ACTION, OR OTHER EFFORTS 
BY HOST NATIONS TO CONDITION U.S. MILITARY VISITS ON AIDS 
TESTING. 
 
2.  IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING COMMUNICABLE 
DISEASES ON VISITING U.S. NAVY SHIPS AND U.S. MILITARY 
AIRCRAFT, A HOST GOVERNMENT CAN BE INFORMED THAT: 
 
A.  A COMMANDING OFFICER OF A U.S. NAVY SHIP OR U.S. 
MILITARY AIRCRAFT IS REQUIRED TO REPORT AT ONCE TO LOCAL 
HEALTH AUTHORITIES ANY CONDITION ABOARD HIS SHIP OR 
AIRCRAFT WHICH PRESENTS A HAZARD OF INTRODUCTION OF A 
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE OUTSIDE THE SHIP OR AIRCRAFT.  THE 
COMMANDING OFFICER, IF REQUESTED, WILL CERTIFY THAT THERE 
ARE NO INDICATIONS THAT MILITARY PERSONNEL ENTERING THE 
HOST NATION FROM HIS SHIP OR AIRCRAFT WILL PRESENT SUCH A 
HAZARD. 
 
B.  CONCEALMENT OF ANY CIRCUMSTANCE WHICH MIGHT 
SUBJECT A U.S. NAVY SHIP OR MILITARY AIRCRAFT TO 
QUARANTINE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED UNDER DOD REGULATIONS. 
ANY U.S. NAVAL OFFICER ENGAGING IN SUCH CONCEALMENT WOULD 
BE LIABLE TO COURT MARTIAL. 
 
3.  IF ASKED WHAT THE U.S. IS DOING TO PREVENT THE SPREAD 
OF AIDS BY U.S. SERVICE PERSONNEL, THE FOLLOWING 
STATEMENT MAY BE GIVEN TO THE HOST COUNTRY: 
 
QUOTE  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE POLICY REQUIRES 
ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL TO BE SCREENED FOR SEROLOGICAL 
EVIDENCE OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) 
INFECTION.  THOSE WITH POSITIVE SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF 
HIV INFECTION ARE ASSIGNED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.  IN 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS POLICY, U.S. NAVY AND MARINE 
PERSONNEL DEPLOYING OVERSEAS IN U.S. NAVY SHIPS AND OTHER 
MILITARY PERSONNEL ENROUTE TO PERMANENT OVERSEAS DUTY ARE 
TESTED PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT.  UNQUOTE. 
 
4.  THE UNITED STATES VIEWS NAVY SHIPS AND MILITARY 
AIRCRAFT AS SOVEREIGN.  THEREFORE THE U.S. WILL REFUSE 
REQUESTS TO CONDUCT INSPECTIONS, TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC 
INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUAL CREW MEMBERS, AND TO UNDERTAKE 
OTHER REQUESTED ACTIONS SINCE THE CERTIFICATION OF THE 
COMMANDING OFFICER IS DEFINITIVE.  FOR SECURITY AND OTHER 
REASONS, THE U.S. DOES NOT RELEASE FOR ANY REASON 
DETAILED LISTS OF PERSONNEL EMBARKED IN U.S. NAVY SHIPS 
OR MILITARY AIRCRAFT VISITING FOREIGN PORTS. 
 
5.  FYI:  IN USING THE ABOVE GUIDANCE AND ADDRESSING HOST 
NATION QUERIES, POSTS SHOULD BE SENSITIVE TO AND RESIST 
MEASURES WHICH DISCRIMINATE AGAINST U.S. MILITARY 
PERSONNEL OR UNITS.  EXAMPLES INCLUDE: 
 
A.  REQUIRING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT U.S. MILITARY 
PERSONNEL THAN VISITING MILITARY PERSONNEL FROM OTHER 
COUNTRIES. 
 
B.  TREATING U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL AS HIGHER RISK 
GROUP THAN MERCHANT SEAMEN, VISITING COMMERCIAL AIRCREWS, 
ETC. 
 
 
SHULTZ