NIGERIA: NSA MOHAMMED ON NIGERIA'S UNCHR VOTES

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000999 SIPDIS BRUSSELS FOR HINSON-JONES NSC FOR FRAZER AND BYRNE BANJUL FOR DCM E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2011 TAGS: PHUM NI UNHRC SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NSA MOHAMMED ON NIGERIA'S UNCHR VOTES REF: A. GENEVA 1748 ¶B. ABUJA 586 ¶C. ABUJA 964 (U) Classified by Ambassador Howard F. Jeter; Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) During a discussion with National Security Advisor Aliyu Mohammed on President Obasanjo,s visit to the United States (Ref C),Ambassador Jeter raised Nigeria,s voting record in the UNCHR (Ref A). The Ambassador expressed deep disappointment in Nigeria,s voting record, especially after the discussion between the Ambassador and President Obasanjo (Ref B) had led us to believe that Nigeria would be more forthcoming on issues such as the China resolution. Moreover, the Ambassador inquired why Nigeria had broken from the Africa Group to vote against the United States on Iraq. ¶2. (C) On Iraq, the NSA shrugged and said that Nigeria had seen its interests as different from those of the rest of Africa. The NSA then stated that the GON recently set up a committee to review its voting on UNCHR and other issues, and mentioned the decay of Nigerian institutions, apparently referring to the near moribund role of the Foreign Ministry. He said that next year Nigeria,s voting will be based on Nigeria,s interests, but to a large extent will consider the views of Nigeria,s allies. (NOTE: The NSA appeared to be implying that Nigeria's votes would be more in line with those of the U.S. END NOTE.) ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Notwithstanding his remarks on "next year," it seemed that the NSA was not entirely familiar with the major issues discussed in the UNCHR, and Nigeria's voting pattern. However, it is clear that Nigeria either does not realize how seriously the United States takes the CHR, or has calculated that it has more to gain by appeasing other states and disappointing the U.S. than it would by voting with the U.S. and losing favor with countries that President Obasanjo has visited recently or plans to visit soon, such as Cuba, China, Russia, and Iran. ¶4. (C) We will continue to try to make clear the importance of CHR voting to the bilateral relationship and to the notion of a strategic regional partnership. END COMMENT. Jeter