Wikileaks - CLXXIX
32581 5/13/2005 14:18 05BUCHAREST1130 Embassy Bucharest UNCLASSIFIED This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. UNCLAS BUCHAREST 001130
SIPDIS
STATE DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH
E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR, MASS, PARM, AF, RO, military cooperation SUBJECT: INTERNAL TRANSPORTATION COSTS AND END USER AGREEMENT FOR ROMANIAN ARMAMENT DONATION TO THE AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY
1. The Embassy Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) received a letter dated May 4 from the Romanian Ministry of National Defense addressed to ODC regarding Romania's offer to donate armaments to the Afghan National Army. Post notes that the MOD letter states that the GOR cannot pay for the "internal transportation" cost of the armaments, estimated at USD 35,520, nor "handling costs" at the airport of shipment. The letter also underscores that the GOR requires an end user certificate from the Afghans. The text of the letter is in Romanian and Post's informal translation of the letter follows:
Unclassified
SIPDIS Copy no. 1
Romania. Ministry of National Defense General Staff. Logistics Directorate 05/04/2005 Nr. L/4153 Bucharest
To Mr. LTC IRA C. QUEEN CHIEF OF THE OFFICE FOR DEFENCE COOPERATION
The Romanian Ambassador to Washington, Mr. Sorin Ducaru, has sent us Diplomatic Note nr. 043/2005 from the US Embassy in Bucharest, which provides notice of the agreement for the donation and informs us that you and Mr. Christopher Palmer are the contact persons at the US Embassy.
At the same time, [America] inquires about the possibility of [Romania] covering the costs of the internal transportation of the donation, to the airport of shipment and whether the armament should be taken from another location.
In this regard, we would like to ask you to communicate to the Embassy the following: - the airport of shipment is the International Airport "Mihail Kogalniceanu"; - the armaments are currently in the Targoviste garrison, located 350 kilometers from the airport; [Embassy Note: The reference to "the airport" refers to the Mihail Kogalniceanu airport near the city of Constanta. The distance between the cities of Constanta and Targoviste is more than 300 kilometers. End Embassy Note.] - the armaments will be shipped to a location five kilometers from the airport, one or two days before the airplane arrives and will remain there until boarding; - Romania can cover neither the costs of the internal transportation of the armament estimated at USD 35,520 (according to the annex), nor the handling costs at the airport of shipment; - Romania cannot initiate the procedure of promoting a government decision to approve the donation, unless it receives the end user certificate from the Afghan government. The certificate in original is necessary for the issuance of the export license; - the details regarding the dimensions of the donation are in conformity with the annex. Annex: one page, unclassified.
SIPDIS
Respectfully yours,
Brigadier General Dr. Craciun Leucea Deputy Chief of the Logistics Directorate For the Chief of the Logistics Directorate
Drafted by Colonel Aurel Filip, tel. 1001341
End informal Post translation of text.
2. Attached to the letter is an "Unclassified Annex" in table format, which provides a breakdown in Romanian of the cost of internal shipment of the armaments from their current location to the airport of shipment. The annex also provides details about the quantity, size, volume and weight of the armaments to be donated.
Delare
