US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI889

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000889 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/EX, AND AF/E 
STATE ALSO FOR OBO/REPM/AQD ROBERT DOUBEK AND THOMAS GRUBB 
STATE ALSO FOR L/BA DUSTIN SHARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2014 
TAGS: PREL, AMGT, ABLD, DJ 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI ACCEPTS U.S. OFFER TO PURCHASE NEC SITE 
 
REF: A. DOUBEK/MERGY E-MAIL OF 6/25/04 
 
     B. DJIBOUTI 767 
     C. DJIBOUTI 741 
     D. STATE 86390 
     E. DJIBOUTI 531 
     F. DJIBOUTI 528 
     G. STATE 69365 
     H. DJIBOUTI 492 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Djibouti accepted by diplomatic note dated June 29, 
2004, the U.S. offer to purchase a new embassy compound (NEC) 
site in the Haramous region of Djibouti for the sum of USD 
1,800,000.  The note, as translated from the French, is 
included below.  Original of the diplomatic note will be 
pouched to OBO for relay to L, or other appropriate 
disposition, unless Embassy should retain.  Embassy's 
attorney, Alain Martinet, is currently reviewing OBO's 
proposed option agreement to determine (Ref A) if it is a 
useful instrument for binding the U.S. purchase of this 
parcel of land. 
 
2. (C) Begin text of diplomatic note: 
- 
Republic of Djibouti 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation 
Charged with Relations with Parliament 
- 
No. 1145/04/MAECI 
Djibouti, 29 June 2004 
- 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation 
Charged with Relations with Parliament presents its 
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in 
Djibouti and, in reference to its diplomatic note No. 041, 
dated 11 April 2004, is honored to be in agreement with the 
note.  The Government of the Republic of Djibouti transmits 
herein the decree dated 29 May 2004, granting to the 
Government of the United States of America, a parcel of land 
located in Haramous with a surface of 40,321 square meters, 
to be used for the construction of the Embassy of the United 
States of America in Djibouti. 
- 
Moreover, the Minister brings to the attention of the Embassy 
that the Ministry approves the sum of the transaction of sale 
which amounts to 1,800,000 dollars American (one million 
eight hundred thousand dollars American) and specifies that 
the said amount must be transferred to the National Public 
Treasury of Djibouti. 
- 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation 
Charged with Relations with Parliament takes advantage of 
this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States 
of America in Djibouti the assurance of its highest 
consideration. 
- 
End text. 
RAGSDALE