Cablegate: Tfha01: Weapon Clearance Procedures for Haiti

VZCZCXRO0899
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHC #9121 0290241
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 290236Z JAN 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 2456
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY IMMEDIATE 3353
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE IMMEDIATE 0612

UNCLAS STATE 009121

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT HA
SUBJECT: TFHA01: WEAPON CLEARANCE PROCEDURES FOR HAITI

REF: STATE 006367, 007502

1. Under Secretary for Management, Patrick Kennedy,
authorized an Ordered Departure from Embassy Port-au-
Prince on 01/13/2010. With Ordered Departure in effect,
State Department and inter-agency personnel seeking
Temporary Duty (TDY) in Embassy Port-au-Prince need
approval from both the Ambassador and Under Secretary
Kennedy before they can travel to post. This does not
apply to U.S. military personnel under USSOUTHCOM
authority.

2. Obtaining country clearance approval is necessary
BEFORE a USG person can request permission to carry a
firearm in support of USG operations. If country
clearance is granted, the requestor must subsequently
obtain permission from Chief of Mission to carry a
firearm in support of USG operations in Haiti. Once
country clearance is approved, the traveler should
inform RSO Port-au-Prince of the country clearance.
Then RSO PaP will provide the traveler with a copy of
Post's Firearms Policy as well as a form to request
permission to carry a weapon in support of USG
operations. That request will be reviewed by RSO and
Chief of Mission before a determination is rendered on
whether the traveler can carry a weapon in Haiti. Any
armed Federal Agent found to be working in Haiti without
COM approval will be instructed to leave country
immediately. The above does not apply to U.S. military
personnel under USSOUTHCOM authority.

3. The COM and RSO only review firearm requests for USG
personnel traveling in support of USG operations. The
U.S. Embassy has arrangements with the Government of
Haiti as it relates to firearm requests in support of
U.S. Embassy operations. Note: The Haitian National
Police have arrested armed private security in the
past. The U.S. Embassy is not aware of any standing
authorization for private persons or companies to enter
Haiti armed.

4. Should you have more general questions on weapons, or
other queries for RSO, please consider directing them to
the Diplomatic Security Agent working on the Haiti Task
Force at 1TFH@state.gov.

5. Minimized considered.
CLINTON

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