NIGERIA: ARMY MINISTER ON OFR ISSUES AND UNAMSIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 002218

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W:BOOTH AND AF/RA:BITTRICK


E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2011
TAGS: MASS MARR KPKO NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ARMY MINISTER ON OFR ISSUES AND UNAMSIL
ROTATIONS

REF: A. STATE 151930

B. ABUJA 2117


(U) Classified by CDA Andrews; Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).



1. (U) CDA, accompanied by DATT and PolMilOff, called on Army
Minister Batagarawa 4 September to discuss OFR issues and Ref
A points on UNAMSIL rotations.



2. (C) Batagarawa said he would meet with his Joint and Legal
Staff and promised to provide an answer on the Memorandum of
Intent this week.



3. (C) Batagarawa was unaware of the President's commitment
on January rotations made to the Ambassador (Ref B),but
promised to look into both requests and provide an answer to
the Embassy by September 10. Batagarawa understands that,
should one Nigerian battalion rotate out in September (as
scheduled) and the other one in January (as we are
requesting),Nigeria would have three battalions in Sierra
Leone (all OFR-trained),but a reduction of one overall.



4. (C) COMMENT: We were not surprised that the President's
decision had not filtered down to the Minister or the
Services. Often, the Embassy is required to carry
information from one place to another within the GON to
ensure a coordinated response. END COMMENT.



5. (U) Freetown minimize considered.
Andrews