Cablegate: Libya Requests Flight Clearance for Relief Supplies to Haiti

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DE RUEHTRO #0072 0251609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251609Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5731
INFO RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE IMMEDIATE 0002
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0259
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO PRIORITY 0008
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMCSUU/FAA WASHINGTON ARTCC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 6284

UNCLAS TRIPOLI 000072

SENSITIVE SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG, HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE, WHA/CAR (V DE PIRRO) AND IO/UNP (B NARANJO AND M GARUCKIS)

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL PREF EAID ECON HA LY

SUBJECT: LIBYA REQUESTS FLIGHT CLEARANCE FOR RELIEF SUPPLIES TO HAITI REF: STATE 6918

1.(U) This is an action request; please see para 5.

2.(SBU) During a January 25 meeting with Pol/Econ chief, a representative of the Qadhafi International Charity and Development Foundation (QDF) requested immediate assistance to obtain flight clearances for a Libyan Boeing 747 plane, carrying 17 tons of relief supplies, to land at the Port-au-Prince airport. The full list of supplies on the plane is included in para

3. (Note: The QDF is managing Libya's assistance efforts in coordination with the Libyan government's Agency for Assistance and Relief. End note.) The representative reported that the QDF had already facilitated the delivery of one plane carrying 1000 tents, hygienic supplies, sleeping bags, and medical equipment to Haiti via the Dominican Republic. The QDF had been working with the Dominican Republic's Foreign Ministry but had not been able to ensure that the assistance was distributed in Haiti. The QDF was told by the Dominican MFA that it must turn over all donations to the Red Cross in Santo Domingo for further distribution in Haiti. The QDF was uncomfortable with this arrangement and requested official U.S. assistance to directly deliver the materials in Haiti. The QDF reported having been told by a "chartering company" (NFI) that the earliest possible date the Libyan plane could land in Port-au-Prince was on February 12. The QDF requested permission from poloff instead for the plane to land within the next 1-4 days.

3.(SBU) Pol/Econ chief thanked Libya for its contributions and delivered reftel demarche. Per reftel, she underscored that the U.S. civilian agencies and the military are working with the Haitain government and the United Nations to assist in the delivery of humanitarian support on the ground, and assured him that she would pass on his concerns and requests for assistance to Washington and USUN. The QDF representative noted his appreciation for the U.S. role in coordinating relief efforts and said that Libya would offer as much assistance as possible, in terms of medical personnel, supplies and equipment. He requested an update on areas of need, suggesting that Libya could provide portable "Thuraya" telephone booths and a thousand more tents.

4.(SBU) The full list of supplies contained on the Libyan plane bound for Haiti is as follows: -7000 first aid kits (total weight 2 tons); -1500 sleeping bags (total weight 1 ton); -3000 plastic mats (total weight 5 tons); -100 packages of "medicine and surgical equipment" (weighing five tons each); -1 power generator (total weight 4 tons).

5.Post appreciates the Department's guidance for a response to the Libyan request for flight clearance for a Libyan Boeing 747 to land in Port-au-Prince within the next 1-4 days. CRETZ

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