Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
01ABUJA2115 | 2001-08-28 09:58:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Abuja |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002115 |
1. (C) Ambassador Jeter, accompanied by PolMilOff, called on NSA Aliyu Mohammed on August 22. LTC Idris, the NSA's Military Advisor also attended. This message summarizes their discussion on the WCAR, trafficking in persons, and HIV/AIDS. ==== WCAR ==== 2. (C) Mohammed stated that he had talked to Dr. Condoleeza Rice and to NSC Senior Africa Director Frazer on the WCAR. Nigeria planned to attend the conference in Durban (the President would lead the delegation), but would not support any demands for reparations, point fingers at Israel, or equate Zionism with racism. He hoped the U.S. would attend the conference. 3. (C) Ambassador Jeter thanked Mohammed for Nigeria's commendable efforts at the Geneva PrepCom to make the WCAR forward looking rather than dwelling on the past. It was clear that some progress had been made in Geneva, but it appeared that hard-line positions on the Middle East might still overshadow the good that might come out of the conference. This was particularly unfortunate since it could detract from a serious international effort to work against a serious international problem. Mohammed said the GON would continue to do all it could to move the WCAR in a positive direction. ============================================= ====== INTERNATIONAL TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE: INVITATION TO PRESIDENT BUSH ============================================= ====== 4. (C) Mohammed stated that Nigeria was planning to host an international conference on human trafficking in May, April or June of 2002. President Obasanjo took trafficking very seriously, and was planning to meet with some of the 40 women returned from Italy via Guinea that afternoon. He noted that three witnesses were being brought from Guinea to assist in the prosecution of the traffickers, but lamented that Nigeria did not have a strong law against traffickers or their illegal activities. He said, however, that the President was sending a Bill to the National Assembly to increase the penalties against traffickers. 5. (C) The NSA then mentioned President Bush's letter responding to President Obasanjo's invitation to visit Nigeria (dated July 2, 2001). Mohammed, smiling, said that if President Bush came to Africa next year, the GON hoped he would visit Nigeria. If President Bush were planning a trip to the Continent, the GON would schedule the trafficking conference to coincide with his visit so the President could address the gathering, if President Bush desired to do so. 6. (C) Ambassador Jeter said he would pass this message to Washington. The Ambassador informed the NSA that the Embassy would host an inter-Mission conference on trafficking in October in Lagos, to begin the development of a USG strategy on trafficking involving West Africa. The NSA was very supportive, and stated that after President Obasanjo's trip to China, he would like the Embassy to sit down with him and his staff to plan the agenda for the 2002 international conference. (NOTE: Later that evening, Ambassador Jeter mentioned the Embassy's trafficking conference to the World Bank Representative, Mark Tomlinson. Tomlinson stated that the World Bank would be most interested in joining this event. END NOTE). ======== HIV/AIDS ======== 7. (C) Ambassador Jeter said he was very concerned that not enough was being done to make ordinary Nigerians aware of the risks of HIV/AIDS, or the GON's clear commitment to fighting the disease. He informed the NSA that he planned to suggest to the President that he hold a conference with all 36 governors to raise the profile of the HIV/AIDS issue in Nigeria, a proposal that had been put to him by several health NGO's working in Nigeria. The NSA said the President had allocated USD 10 million to the Nigerian Council on HIV/AIDS, of which the President is Chairman. He also said that President Obasanjo had directed that free condoms be distributed to all Nigerian soldiers participating in peacekeeping missions. 8. (U) Freetown minimize considered. Jeter |