US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI970

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000970 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/E AND PM/PPA SCOTT KWAK 
OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PLEASE PASS DEFENSE SECURITY 
COOPERATION AGENCY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MASS, PREL, DJ 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI INFORMED ON U.S. INTENT TO WITHHOLD 
FMF/IMET FOR PARKING FINES 
 
REF: STATE 151968 
 
1. (U) During a meeting with Minister of Cooperation in the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Ali Youssef, Ambassador 
advised Youssef of USG intent, under Section 544 of the 
Foreign Operations, Export, Financing and Related Programs 
Appropriations Act of 2004, to withhold from obligation FY 
2004 Foreign Assistance Funds to cover Djibouti's outstanding 
USD 9,000 parking fines in Washington, D.C. and New York 
City.  She also left with Youssef a copy of the points 
provided reftel and the diplomatic note that had been 
forwarded in June, 2004 to Djibouti's embassy in Washington. 
 
2. (U) Youssef was aware that the government of Djibouti owed 
the outstanding fines.  He suggested that the U.S. take it 
out of the assistance package as proposed and say nothing 
further about it.  It would be the most sure way, he said, of 
receiving the funds.  Ambassador responded that if the fines 
were not paid directly, this money would likely be removed 
from Djibouti's allocation for FMF/IMET by the end of 
September, 2004. 
RAGSDALE