

Currently released so far... 12553 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
2011/05/01
2011/05/02
2011/05/03
2011/05/04
2011/05/05
2011/05/06
2011/05/07
2011/05/08
2011/05/09
2011/05/10
2011/05/11
2011/05/12
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
APECO
ASEC
AMGT
AFIN
APER
ACABQ
AORC
AEMR
AF
AE
AR
AGMT
AU
AY
ABLD
AS
AG
AJ
APCS
AX
AM
AMEX
ATRN
ADM
AMED
AFGHANISTAN
AZ
AL
ASUP
AND
ARM
ASEAN
AFFAIRS
AQ
ATFN
AMBASSADOR
AODE
APEC
ACBAQ
AFSI
AFSN
AO
ABUD
AC
ADPM
ADCO
ASIG
ARF
AUC
ASEX
AGAO
AA
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
AIT
AADP
ASCH
AORL
AROC
ACOA
ANET
AID
AMCHAMS
AINF
AMG
AFU
AN
ALOW
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ACS
ADANA
AECL
ACAO
AORG
AGR
BEXP
BR
BM
BG
BL
BA
BTIO
BO
BP
BC
BILAT
BK
BU
BD
BRUSSELS
BB
BF
BBSR
BIDEN
BX
BE
BH
BT
BY
BMGT
BWC
BTIU
BN
CA
CASC
CFED
CO
CH
CS
CU
CE
CI
CM
CMGT
CJAN
COM
CG
CIS
CVIS
CR
CKGR
CHR
CVR
COUNTER
CIA
CLINTON
CY
CPAS
CD
CBW
COUNTERTERRORISM
CITEL
CDG
CW
CODEL
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
COE
CN
CARICOM
CB
CONDOLEEZZA
CWC
CACS
CSW
CIDA
CIC
CITT
CONS
CL
CACM
CDB
CDC
CAN
CF
CJUS
CTM
CBSA
CARSON
CT
CLMT
CBC
CEUDA
CV
COPUOS
CTR
CROS
CAPC
CAC
CNARC
CICTE
CBE
ECON
ETRD
EIND
ENRG
EC
ELAB
EAGR
EAID
EFIS
EFIN
EINV
EUN
EG
EPET
EAIR
EU
ELTN
EWWT
ECIN
ERD
EI
ETTC
EUR
EN
EZ
ETC
ENVI
EMIN
ET
ENVR
ER
ECPS
EINT
EAP
ES
ENIV
ECONOMY
EXTERNAL
EINN
EFTA
ECONOMIC
EPA
EXBS
ECA
ELN
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENGR
ECUN
ENGY
ECONOMICS
ELECTIONS
EIAR
EINDETRD
EREL
EUC
ECONEFIN
EURN
EDU
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ECIP
ENERG
EFIM
EAIDS
EK
ETRDECONWTOCS
EINVETC
ECONCS
EUNCH
ESA
ECINECONCS
EUREM
ESENV
EFINECONCS
ETRC
ENNP
EAIG
EXIM
EEPET
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EUMEM
ETRA
ERNG
ETRO
ETRN
EINVEFIN
ICTY
IN
IS
IR
IC
IZ
IA
INTERPOL
IAEA
IT
IMO
IO
IV
ID
IRAQI
IEA
INRB
IL
IWC
ITU
ICAO
ISRAELI
ICRC
IIP
IMF
IBRD
ISLAMISTS
ITALY
ITALIAN
ILO
IPR
IQ
IRS
IAHRC
IZPREL
IRAJ
IDP
ILC
ITF
ICJ
IF
ITPHUM
INMARSAT
ISRAEL
IACI
IBET
ITRA
INR
IRC
IDA
ICTR
IGAD
INRA
INRO
IEFIN
INTELSAT
INTERNAL
INDO
ITPGOV
KWMN
KSCA
KDEM
KTFN
KIPR
KCRM
KPAL
KE
KPAO
KPKO
KS
KN
KISL
KFRD
KJUS
KIRF
KFLO
KG
KTIP
KTER
KRCM
KTIA
KGHG
KIRC
KU
KPRP
KMCA
KMPI
KSEO
KNNP
KZ
KNEI
KCOR
KOMC
KCFC
KSTC
KMDR
KFLU
KSAF
KSEP
KSAC
KR
KGIC
KSUM
KWBG
KCIP
KDRG
KOLY
KAWC
KCHG
KHDP
KRVC
KBIO
KAWK
KGCC
KHLS
KBCT
KPLS
KREL
KCFE
KMFO
KV
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFTFN
KVPR
KTDB
KSPR
KIDE
KVRP
KTEX
KBTR
KTRD
KICC
KCOM
KO
KLIG
KDEMAF
KMRS
KRAD
KOCI
KSTH
KUNR
KNSD
KGIT
KFSC
KHIV
KPAI
KICA
KACT
KHUM
KREC
KSEC
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCMR
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KNAR
KNUC
KPWR
KENV
KWWMN
KWMNCS
KPRV
KOM
KBTS
KCRS
KNPP
KWNM
KRFD
KVIR
KTBT
KAID
KRIM
KDDG
KRGY
KHSA
KWMM
KMOC
KSCI
KPAK
KX
KPAONZ
KCGC
KID
KPOA
KIFR
KFIN
KWAC
KOMS
KCRCM
KNUP
KMIG
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KTLA
KCSY
KJUST
MOPS
MARR
MASS
MNUC
MX
MCAP
MO
MR
MI
MD
MK
MA
MP
MY
MTCRE
MOPPS
MASC
MIL
MTS
MLS
MILI
MAR
MU
MEPN
MAPP
MTCR
MEPI
MZ
MEETINGS
MG
MW
MAS
MT
MCC
MIK
ML
MARAD
MV
MERCOSUR
MTRE
MPOS
MEPP
MILITARY
MDC
MQADHAFI
MUCN
MRCRE
MAPS
MEDIA
MASSMNUC
MC
NZ
NZUS
NL
NU
NATO
NP
NO
NIPP
NE
NH
NR
NA
NPT
NI
NSF
NG
NSG
NAFTA
NC
NDP
NEW
NRR
NATIONAL
NT
NS
NASA
NAR
NV
NORAD
NSSP
NK
NPA
NGO
NSC
NATOPREL
NW
NPG
NSFO
OPDC
OTRA
OIIP
OREP
OVIP
OSCE
OEXC
OIE
OPRC
OAS
OPIC
OTR
OMIG
OSAC
OFFICIALS
OECD
OSCI
OBSP
OFDA
OPCW
ODIP
OFDP
OES
OPAD
OCII
OHUM
OVP
ON
OIC
OCS
PHUM
PREL
PGOV
PINR
PTER
PARM
PREF
PM
PE
PINS
PK
PHSA
PBTS
PRGOV
PA
PORG
PP
PS
PGOF
PL
PO
PARMS
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PAK
POL
PPA
PINT
PMAR
PRELP
PREFA
PALESTINIAN
PBIO
PINF
PNG
PMIL
PFOR
PUNE
PGOVLO
PAO
POLITICS
PHUMBA
PSEPC
PTBS
PCUL
PROP
PNAT
PNR
POLINT
PGOVE
PROG
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PDEM
PECON
PROV
PHUMPREL
PGOC
PY
PCI
PLN
PDOV
PREO
PGIV
PHUH
PAS
PU
POGOV
PF
PINL
POV
PAHO
PRL
PG
PRAM
POLITICAL
PARTIES
POLICY
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PGGV
PHUS
PSA
PHUMPGOV
PEL
PSI
PAIGH
POSTS
PBT
PTERE
RS
RU
RW
RM
RO
RP
REGION
RSP
RF
RICE
RCMP
RFE
RIGHTS
RIGHTSPOLMIL
ROBERT
RUPREL
RELATIONS
ROOD
REACTION
RSO
REPORT
SENV
SNAR
SCUL
SR
SC
SOCI
SMIG
SI
SP
SU
SO
SW
SY
SA
SZ
SAN
SF
SN
STEINBERG
SG
ST
SIPDIS
SNARIZ
SNARN
SSA
SK
SPCVIS
SOFA
SAARC
SL
SEVN
SARS
SIPRS
SHUM
SANC
SWE
SHI
SYR
SNARCS
SPCE
SYRIA
SEN
SH
SCRS
SENVKGHG
TRGY
TSPL
TPHY
TSPA
TBIO
TI
TW
THPY
TX
TU
TS
TZ
TC
TH
TT
TIP
TO
TERRORISM
TRSY
TINT
TN
TURKEY
TBID
TL
TV
TNGD
TD
TF
TP
TFIN
TAGS
TK
TR
UNSC
UK
UNGA
UN
US
UNHRC
UG
UP
UNMIK
UNHCR
UE
USTR
UNVIE
UAE
UZ
UY
UNO
UNESCO
USEU
USOAS
UV
UNODC
UNCHS
UNFICYP
UNEP
UNIDROIT
UNDESCO
UNDP
UNPUOS
UNC
UNAUS
USUN
UNCHC
UNCHR
UNCND
UNICEF
UNCSD
UNDC
USNC
USPS
USAID
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09TRIPOLI621, RARE MEETING WITH LIBYAN ATOMIC ENERGY CHIEF LEAVES KEY LEAVES KEY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED REF: A) TRIPOLI 437; B) STATE 74778; C) TRIPOLI 436; D) TRIPOLI 599 TRIPOLI 00000621 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Gene Cretz, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09TRIPOLI621.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09TRIPOLI621 | 2009-08-03 15:13 | 2011-01-31 21:30 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Tripoli |
VZCZCXRO3455
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHTRO #0621/01 2151513
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 031513Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5102
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1101
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 5642
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TRIPOLI 000621
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, ISN AND OES
E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/3/2019
TAGS: PINR MNUC KNNP AORC IAEA PGOV PREL LY
SUBJECT: RARE MEETING WITH LIBYAN ATOMIC ENERGY CHIEF LEAVES KEY LEAVES KEY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED REF: A) TRIPOLI 437; B) STATE 74778; C) TRIPOLI 436; D) TRIPOLI 599 TRIPOLI 00000621 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Gene Cretz, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1.(S/NF) Summary: On July 23, Libya's elusive top nuclear official, Dr. Ali Gashut, met with Pol/Econ Chief and Econoff to discuss U.S.-Libya scientist redirection programs. While he was cordial and welcoming, Gashut did not take responsibility for any of the delays in progress on joint projects, such as the Regional Nuclear Medicine Center and the installation of water desalination equipment for the pilot project at Tajura. As for the signing of an agreement with the U.S. to repatriate spent nuclear fuels (Highly-Enriched Uranium), he said it would be ready "soon," without providing any precise timeframe. He also blamed the lack of visa approvals for USG visitors on the Libyan MFA. Although Gashut said he viewed the U.S.-Libya science program as a "model of cooperation," he repeated the familiar refrain that Libya has not sufficiently benefited from its abandonment of weapons of mass destruction. Gashut said the arrangement since 2004 for him to be the Libyan focal point for joint activities had worked well and he looked forward to continuing this with new ISN staff. He also noted that an official response to Acting DAS Mitman's letter would be forthcoming. End Summary.
GASHUT: "I AM THE POINT OF CONTACT" FOR ALL U.S.-LIBYA NUCLEAR ISSUES
2.(S) Dr. Ali Gashut met with Pol/Econ Chief and Econoff to review the status of U.S.-Libya scientist redirection programs, at the Embassy's request July 23. The Embassy has not had a face-to-face meeting with Gashut since last January and two diplomatic notes requesting meetings with his staff at Tajura Nuclear Center have gone unanswered. As reported in Ref A, Gashut is the Secretary of the Libyan Atomic Energy Establishment. His deputy, Dr. Mohamed Ennami, was not available to join the meeting. Gashut said that since 2004, there had been an "operating agreement" that he would be the focal point on the Libyan side for joint activities, while the manager for Libya-related programs in the Bureau for International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) would play the same role on the U.S. side. He said this had worked well, and he looked forward to continuing this arrangement with new ISN staff. To that end, he noted that he had prepared an official response to Acting DAS Mitman's letter, which he believed would be forwarded to the embassy within a week. [Note: Post received Gashut's response - dated July 12 - on July 24; we have forwarded the text via email to NEA/MAG.]
3.(S/NF) Gashut outlined his team's composition, noting that he is in charge of the Libyan Atomic Energy Establishment (LAEE). Gashut confirmed Mohamed Ennami is his deputy; Ahmed al-Habrush is in charge of Tajura Nuclear Center; Dr. Musa Mohammed is in charge of Renewable Energy (mainly Solar), replacing Dr. Salem Ghurbal; and Dr. Husein Mansour is in charge of a small training center for Chemical Technologies (bio details provided in response to Ref B).
STATUS OF HEU/LEU GOVERNMENT-T0-GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT
4.(C) Gashut said he expected the government-to-government agreement for the repatriation of the HEU/LEU material from Tajura to Russia to be signed in the near future, without providing any specifics. The Pol/Econ Chief thanked him for his help in securing multiple-entry visas for two Department of Energy officials to travel to Libya in conjunction with the repatriation program. She told him Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman would be visiting Tripoli the week of July 26 and he would raise the need for a signed agreement during his meetings (Ref D).
REGIONAL NUCLEAR MEDICINE CENTER
5.(S) Gashut highlighted the proposed Regional Nuclear Medicine Center (RNMC) as a good symbol of U.S.-Libya cooperation - one which would demonstrate to the Libyan people that they have benefited from Libya's renunciation of its Weapons of Mass Destruction program. In Gashut's view, the Center would provide badly-needed healthcare services. He said he and his colleagues were waiting for "good news" from the U.S. side on whether the project could move forward, adding that land near the Tripoli Airport had been identified for the Center. He noted that Dr. Omran Shammam, Director of the Tripoli Medical Center, had a "few remarks" regarding the strategic plans for the project, but Gashut believed these could be resolved through discussions between the two sides. He said he was waiting to hear whether the U.S. side had a budget in place for the Center. The Pol/Econ Chief told him the U.S. side was in fact, waiting for approval from the Libyans to move forward, prior to requesting funds from Congress for the completion of the project. TRIPOLI 00000621 002.2 OF 002
6.(S/NF) [Note: In November 2008, a draft strategy was passed to the Libyan government for approval to start the architectural design for the RNMC. In a meeting last May, Dr. Shammam told EconOff that the draft strategy passed a technical review; he believed it was then sent to the MFA for approvals. Gashut told Emboffs the proposal had not been properly vetted by the General People's Committee for Health (Ministry of Health-equivalent). However, in a June meeting between the Ambassador and the Secretary of the GPC for Health, neither the Secretary nor his colleagues had ever heard of the Center proposal (Ref C). In his April meetings in Washington, DC, Gashut said that the time-line contained within the RNMC proposal was too long and needed to be sped up. To date, however, the Embassy has not received an official response to the submitted proposal. End note.]
SISTER LAB
7.(C) Emboffs conveyed disappointment that visas were not approved for the June Sister Laboratory visit. Gashut insisted that visa approvals remained within the purview of the MFA.
WATER DESALINATION PILOT PROJECT
8.(S) Gashut informed Emboffs that the water desalination project was stalled because his team could not access the necessary equipment to proceed. He said that some of the equipment for the desalination project and analytic laboratory had arrived but that other equipment had not yet cleared customs because the Libyan shipping agent had not received the original bill of lading from the U.S.-based shipping company. Econoff assured Gashut that a new "original" bill of lading was being sent to Tripoli via the U.S. Embassy. Gashut said once the equipment was in place, the Department of Energy officials (Malynda Cappelle and Randy Everett) could visit to verify all equipment had arrived and to provide training to the desalination project staff. Emboffs reviewed an ISN-supplied list of program areas that required completion by Gashut's team, including the need to ensure the accuracy of the wiring for the housing of the desalination project. In response, Gashut said he had forwarded relevant emails to the desalination project staff. He asked us to send him an email with other outstanding items, such as whether a radioactive waste tracking database was completed and pledged to review the points with relevant Tajura staff.
RENEWABLE ENERGY ACTIVITIES
9.(S/NF) Earlier this month, two officials (Musa Mohamed and Khairy Agha) of the Renewable Energy Research Center received funding from the ISN Bureau to attend a conference on alternative energy in California. Gashut said the trip was useful and he seemed pleased the two were able to participate. He noted Dr. Musa Mohamed was now the director of the Renewable Energy Research Center (replacing Dr. Salem Ghurbal) who, it has been rumored, is ill and suffers from diabetes. [Note: as Emboffs were leaving Gashut's office, they passed Ghurbal, who said hello but did not elaborate on his current employment status; he did not appear terribly ill. End note.]
10.(S/NF) Gashut noted that an Alternative Energy/Desalination Study Tour had been proposed two years ago, in talks between the U.S. and Libya. He said a delegation had been all set to go the U.S. but blamed the trip's cancellation on what he described as the lengthy U.S. visa approval process. [Note: Other reasons given to Emboffs in the past include the inability of delegation members to travel to Tunis for visa interviews, which no longer pose a problem since U.S. nonimmigrant visas are now being processed in Tripoli. End note.] Gashut noted that the project had now shifted to the Libyan Water Authority, headed by Omar Salem. He suggested the Embassy follow-up with Salem on the status of the delegation.
11.(S/NF) Comment: While it was helpful to have this rare, face-to-face meeting with Gashut, many unanswered questions remain, such as the status of the HEU repatriation agreement, and whether future USG visitors will be able to receive visas to come to Libya. Gashut was cordial and polite but not particularly effusive. He refused to commit to regular meetings, such as on a monthly basis, with Emboffs, yet insisted on directing all USG communication with Tajura officials. One can only surmise that our scientific engagement, like all of our other engagement, is being dictated from the highest levels of the Qadhafi regime. As such, Gashut's ability to influence policy, including visas for U.S. officials, is limited. End comment. CRETZ