NIGERIA: ARMY MINISTER UPDATE ON OFR AND UNAMSIL

UNCLAS ABUJA 002300

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MASS MARR SL NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ARMY MINISTER UPDATE ON OFR AND UNAMSIL
ISSUES

REF: A. ABUJA 2297

B. ABUJA 2218


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY



1. (SBU) Army Minister 14 September called PolMilOff on OFR
and UNAMSIL issues discussed in recent weeks. Batagarawa
stated that he had spoken with Comptroller General of
Customs, who had agreed to give his clearance to the
container carrying some OFR items from Ghana stuck at the
land border. The Army Minister said he expected to have the
OFR MOI in his hands by Wednesday, 19 September. He said he
anticipated that the MOI could be signed shortly thereafter.
(He was clearly frustrated with the internal MOD handling of
the issue.)



2. (SBU) Finally, Batagarawa said he had instructed the
Nigerian Defense Advisor to the UN to work with USUN
personnel to do what is necessary to get the Nigerian
vehicles in Sierra Leone covered by the LOA.



3. (U) Freetown minimize considered.
Andrews