![Keep Us Strong](/static/gfx/ja-cg.jpg)
![WikiLeaks logo](/static/gfx/WL_Hour_Glass_small.png)
Currently released so far... 5422 / 251,287
Articles
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
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
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 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 Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
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 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 Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
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
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
AF
AE
AJ
ASEC
AMGT
AR
AU
AG
AS
AM
AORC
AFIN
APER
ABUD
ATRN
AL
AEMR
ACOA
AO
AX
AMED
ADCO
AODE
AFFAIRS
AC
ASIG
ABLD
AA
AFU
ASUP
AROC
ATFN
AVERY
APCS
AER
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AEC
APECO
AGMT
CH
CASC
CA
CD
CV
CVIS
CMGT
CO
CI
CU
CBW
CLINTON
CE
CJAN
CIA
CG
CF
CN
CS
CAN
COUNTER
CDG
CIS
CM
CONDOLEEZZA
COE
CR
CY
CTM
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CPAS
CWC
CT
CKGR
CB
CACS
COM
CJUS
CARSON
CL
COUNTERTERRORISM
CACM
CDB
EPET
EINV
ECON
ENRG
EAID
ETRD
EG
ETTC
EFIN
EU
EAGR
ELAB
EIND
EUN
EAIR
ER
ECIN
ECPS
EFIS
EI
EINT
EZ
EMIN
ET
EC
ECONEFIN
ENVR
ES
ECA
ELN
EN
EFTA
EWWT
ELTN
EXTERNAL
EINVETC
ENIV
EINN
ENGR
EUR
ESA
ENERG
EK
ENGY
ETRO
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ESENV
ENVI
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
ECIP
EINDETRD
EUC
EREL
IR
IZ
IS
IT
INTERPOL
IPR
IN
INRB
IAEA
IRAJ
INRA
INRO
IO
IC
ID
IIP
ITPHUM
IV
IWC
IQ
ICTY
ISRAELI
IRAQI
ICRC
ICAO
IMO
IF
ILC
IEFIN
INTELSAT
IL
IA
IBRD
IMF
INR
IRC
ITALY
ITALIAN
KCOR
KZ
KDEM
KN
KNNP
KPAL
KU
KWBG
KCRM
KE
KISL
KAWK
KSCA
KS
KSPR
KJUS
KFRD
KTIP
KPAO
KTFN
KIPR
KPKO
KNUC
KMDR
KGHG
KPLS
KOLY
KUNR
KDRG
KIRF
KIRC
KBIO
KHLS
KG
KACT
KGIC
KRAD
KCOM
KMCA
KV
KHDP
KVPR
KDEV
KWMN
KMPI
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KOMC
KTLA
KCFC
KTIA
KHIV
KPRP
KAWC
KCIP
KCFE
KOCI
KTDB
KMRS
KLIG
KBCT
KICC
KGIT
KSTC
KPAK
KNEI
KSEP
KPOA
KFLU
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KO
KTER
KSUM
KHUM
KRFD
KBTR
KDDG
KWWMN
KFLO
KSAF
KBTS
KPRV
KNPP
KNAR
KWMM
KERG
KFIN
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KTBT
KCRS
KRVC
KSTH
KREL
KNSD
KTEX
KPAI
KHSA
KR
KPWR
KWAC
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KGCC
KPIN
MOPS
MARR
MASS
MTCRE
MX
MCAP
MO
MNUC
ML
MR
MZ
MPOS
MOPPS
MTCR
MAPP
MU
MY
MA
MG
MASC
MCC
MEPP
MK
MTRE
MP
MIL
MDC
MAR
MEPI
MRCRE
MI
MT
MQADHAFI
MD
MAPS
MUCN
MASSMNUC
MERCOSUR
MC
ODIP
OIIP
OREP
OVIP
OEXC
OPRC
OFDP
OPDC
OTRA
OSCE
OAS
OPIC
OECD
OPCW
OSCI
OIE
OIC
OTR
OVP
OFFICIALS
OSAC
PGOV
PINR
PREL
PTER
PK
PHUM
PE
PARM
PBIO
PINS
PREF
PSOE
PBTS
PL
PHSA
PKFK
PO
PGOF
PROP
PA
PARMS
PORG
PM
PMIL
PTERE
POL
PF
PALESTINIAN
PY
PGGV
PNR
POV
PAK
PAO
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PRGOV
PNAT
PROV
PEL
PINF
PGOVE
POLINT
PRL
PRAM
PMAR
PGOVLO
PHUMBA
PHUS
PHUMPREL
PG
POLITICS
PEPR
PSI
PINT
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PECON
POGOV
PINL
SCUL
SA
SY
SP
SNAR
SENV
SU
SW
SOCI
SL
SG
SMIG
SO
SF
SR
SN
SHUM
SZ
SYR
ST
SANC
SC
SAN
SIPRS
SK
SH
SI
SNARCS
STEINBERG
TX
TW
TU
TSPA
TH
TIP
TI
TS
TBIO
TRGY
TC
TR
TT
TERRORISM
TO
TFIN
TD
TSPL
TZ
TPHY
TK
TNGD
TINT
TRSY
TP
UK
UG
UP
UV
US
UN
UNSC
UNGA
USEU
USUN
UY
UZ
UNO
UNMIK
UNESCO
UE
UAE
UNEP
USTR
UNHCR
UNDP
UNHRC
USAID
UNCHS
UNAUS
UNCHC
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09OUAGADOUGOU1159, GUINEA TALKS - 9th ICG-G IN OUAGADOUGOU
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. #09OUAGADOUGOU1159.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09OUAGADOUGOU1159 | 2009-12-15 07:07 | 2010-12-09 21:09 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Ouagadougou |
VZCZCXRO6697
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHOU #1159/01 3490712
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 150712Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5937
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 0073
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0771
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0736
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA 0011
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 OUAGADOUGOU 001159
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: Declassify on 8/31/2034
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM GV UV
SUBJECT: GUINEA TALKS - 9th ICG-G IN OUAGADOUGOU
OUAGADOUGO 00001159 001.2 OF 003
Classified by CDA Dennis Hankins for reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
¶1. SUMMARY: The 9th meeting of the International Contact Group on
Guinea (ICG-G) held December 13 in Ouagadougou was marked by a
unified international community and capable leadership from the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union
(AU), and the UN Representative for West Africa. In the face of an
intransigent CNDD delegation (that was taken over by pro-Dadis
hardliners at the last minute), the ICG-G issued a strong statement
calling for continued sanctions against the National Committee for
Democracy and Development (CNDD), an international observer presence
during the transition, and the CNDD's agreement not to participate in
elections. While a compromise position between the CNDD and the
Forces Vives did not appear any closer, the international consensus
in clearly against the return of Dadis and in favor of international
involvement in the transition period. The declaration pushed
mediator Compaore towards a tougher line than he has been willing to
pursue up to now. End Summary.
------------------
The 9th ICG-Guinea
------------------
¶2. (U) The 9th Meeting of the ICG-G took place on December 13th in
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The U.S. was represented by DAS William
Fitzgerald and accompanied by the Charge d'Affaires. The meeting was
chaired by co-presidents the President of the ECOWAS Commission,
Mohamed Ibn Chambas, and the AU Special Envoy Ibrahima Fall. The
leadership dais was also shared by the Nigerian Junior Minister of
Foreign Affairs Bagudu Hirse and UN SRSG for West Africa Said
Djinnit. Delegations included representatives of Burkina Faso,
Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Liberia, Libya, Russia, the UK, the
European Union Presidency and European Commission, the International
Labor Organization, the Francophonie, the Organization of the Islamic
Conference, and the World Bank. Many groups were represented by
their representatives in Conakry.
-------------------------------
French and U.S. Share Positions
-------------------------------
¶3. (C) A pre-meeting breakfast with the French delegation
demonstrated the closeness of the French and U.S. positions regarding
the current situation. The French were represented at the ICG by
Francois Goldblatt, Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Jean Grabling,
Ambassador to Guinea, Stephane Gompertz, MFA Director for Africa and
the Indian Ocean, and Charlotte Montel, Africa Advisor at MFA, who
saw President Compaore's mediation efforts as weak, and hoped that
the events of December 3 would cause Compaore to push the parties
toward a solution that would bring a quick election and minimize the
role of the CNDD in the country's future. The French share the
assessment that Morocco should keep Dadis in country, that any deal
with Dadis is impossible, and that Konate is the better if not sole
option for the transition.
¶4. (C) The French shared the assessment that President Compaore can
and should play a more productive role as mediator, and that recent
events may lead Compaore to believe that it is in his own political
and, perhaps, economic interest to create a solution that does not
include Dadis. The French claimed not to have any further
information on the location of Dadis' would-be assassin Toumba. The
delegation also believed that a clear and firm message delivered to
Compaore would be more likely to produce results. The French and
U.S. shared some concern that ECOWAS' Chambas has not been a forceful
spokesperson for the ICG-G in past meetings and agreed to urge
stronger African voices (notably Djinnit) to speak up (Comment: As
the meeting progressed this concern was alleviated as all four
African voices were strong starting with Chambas who visibly upset
the CNDD by publicly calling for an ECOWAS observation and security
mission. End Comment).
--------------------------------------------
Co-Chairs stake out a tough opening position
--------------------------------------------
¶5. (C) In the group's first meeting since the violence of September
28 and the attempted assassination of Moussa Dadis Camara,
co-presidents Chambas and Fall laid out a tough opening position.
While condemning the events of December 3 in Conakry and "any attempt
to destabilize the fragile situation that currently reigns," they
cited the "urgency and opportunity of the moment." They described
the situation in Guinea as having all necessary ingredients to become
"explosive," and suggested the need for an international force to
protect civilians and provide humanitarian assistance in Guinea, a
suggestion which visibly rankled the CNDD. The chairs also stated
bluntly that impunity for repeated human rights violation in Guinea
OUAGADOUGO 00001159 002.2 OF 003
would not remain unpunished.
--------------------------------------
Forces Vives see Guinea as "Stateless"
--------------------------------------
¶6. (U) The Forces Vives were first to discuss their position with the
ICG-G and to take questions. The Forces Vives condemned the
prevailing situation in the country, which they categorized as a
complete lack of both liberty and personal security. They claimed to
be heartened by steps taken by Sekouba Konate as the new interim
leadership of the CNDD over the last several days, and believed
Sekouba was someone that they could work with. They were surprised
and disappointed to see the CNDD delegation was composed of hard
liners tied to Dadis and not by the more moderate figures who had
been expected (indeed, the CNDD delegation was headed by Col. Moussa
Keita -- one of the most virulent and explosive of Dadis' cadre).
¶7. (C) The Forces Vives condemned the attack on President Dadis, but
when asked directly by the French, they stated their belief that
there would be greater opportunity for progress if he were to remain
in Morocco. They claimed that while they had compassion for the
wounded, they had far greater compassion for the Guinean people. The
Forces Vives very clearly declared their support for an international
presence (a "third force") in Guinea that would help to ensure the
peace throughout a transition period, and maintained their insistence
that the CNDD (described as "those who had murdered and raped") not
participate in any future elections. The Forces Vives expressed
their appreciation for the mediation efforts of President Compaore
and the ongoing work of the ICG, but asked that the group make a
strong condemnation of the prevailing situation rather than pointing
timidly at the problem.
-----------------------------------------
CNDD takes an early break and a hard line
-----------------------------------------
¶8. (SBU) Perturbed by the opening statements of the ICG Presidency
and reportedly miffed that the ICG met with the Forces Vive before
them, the CNDD departed the conference center as soon as the opening
session concluded. The ICG then waited for hours for the CNDD
"rewrite" their response before returning to the negotiations, and
were met with a deeply entrenched position. A sneering and bellicose
Col Moussa Keita stated plainly that the presence of any
international force, whatever its makeup, on Guinean soil would be
considered an attack on Guinea's sovereignty and a declaration of
war. Keita claimed that the CNDD was itself capable of managing a
peaceful, transparent transition to democracy while protecting the
Guinean public. Their only goal, he claimed, was to construct a base
for economic growth, peace, and free elections.
¶9. (SBU) The CNDD delegation explained that the December 3 attack on
Dadis had made the context of negotiations more difficult and had
rendered the ICG's goal of election in the first half of 2010
unfeasible. They confirmed that they were willing to work through
the ICG to find a solution to the crisis, but insisted that any
effort to restrict any group from participation in any eventual
elections remained completely unacceptable, and would be detrimental
to the ideal of a fully-inclusive Guinean democracy. With the
speaking role shifting between delegation members, the group decried
sanctions on Guinea as both in violation of international law and
counterproductive in encouraging peace and stability. The group
strongly reiterated their complete confidence in President Compaore
in his role as mediator.
¶10. (U) Chambas told the CNDD representation to understand the new
democratic mood in Africa. Chambas said that military rule in the
region had led to too many catastrophes, and that militaries must
stay out of politics. He stated that no one can be happy with the
current situation of democracy and governance in Guinea, and that
despite CNDD's claim that it would be a "referee" in the new Guinea,
it has failed to ensure the safety of the population and its ability
to restore democracy is questionable. Chambas stated that the
"stories" coming out of the country relating to human rights abuses
made an international force necessary. It was, continued Chambas, in
no way an invasion, simply an offer of assistance to the people of
Guinea.
--------------------------------------------- ------
An Awkward Intervention African Mediators to Step Up
--------------------------------------------- ------
¶11. (U) he Representative of the Libyn controlled Community of
Sahel-Saharan States (EN-SAD) intervened to take issue with what he
peceived to be the imposition of unacceptabl restrictions on the
sovereign state of Guinea by the ICG. After a long tirade -
OUAGADOUGO 00001159 003.3 OF 003
questioning the ICG's existence, claiming that the CNDD saved Guinee
after Conteh, tossing accusations of inappropriate interference in
Guinea's affairs at the co-presidents, the representative of Nigeria,
and the non-African states participating in the ICG - the
representatives of the CNDD delivered a hearty round of applause
while other members of the ICG seemed surprised at the outburst.
---------------------
Group maintains unity
---------------------
¶12. (C) Throughout the negotiations, the international community was
by and large on the same footing. The absence of Dadis was viewed as
an opportunity by the vast majority of the membership of the ICG.
There was very little divergence between the positions of the
international organization, the African states, the Europeans, and
the U.S. The gaps were especially minimal between the U.S., France,
and the UK. Because of this unity, the ICG was able to offer a
strong statement -- one that most consciously saw as a call for
Burkinabe President Compaore to take a more dynamic and aggressive
stance than has been seen to date. Most of the negotiation over the
text was over semantics, not substance. The text includes a renewed
call for elections as soon as possible in 2010, the CNDD agreement
not to participate in those elections, and international presence in
Guinea to ensure the peace.
¶13. (C) Comment: The meeting allowed the international community to
take stock of the situation following the December 3 attempt on
Dadis' life. The ability of the Dadis hard liners to seize control
of the CNDD delegation worked against them -- only convincing the
African leadership through their belligerent manner that there can be
no solution involving Dadis. The situation demonstrated a remarkable
degree of international solidarity -- unfortunately coupled by a
general disappointment with President Compaore's mediation that is
seen both as timid and too prone to meet CNDD demands.
¶14. (U) This cable has been cleared by DAS Fitzgerald.
¶15. (U) Conakry Minimize Considered.
HANKINS