Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUJA1096
2003-06-24 15:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:
NIGERIA: ARTILCE 98 PROSPECTS LOOKING UP BUT IT'S
how-toThis 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 ABUJA 001096
SIPDIS
AF/W FOR DAN EPSTEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS KTIA NI KICC
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ARTILCE 98 PROSPECTS LOOKING UP BUT IT'S
NOT A DONE DEAL YET
REF: (A) STATE 144906
(B) STATE 139892
(C) ABUJA 1033
(D) ABUJA 1025
(E) ABUJA 989
(F) ABUJA 905
(G) ABUJA 552
(H) ABUJA 342
(I) 02 ABUJA 2978
(J) 02 ABUJA 2972
CLASSIFIED BY A/DCM BRIAN L. BROWNE; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND
(D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001096
SIPDIS
AF/W FOR DAN EPSTEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS KTIA NI KICC
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ARTILCE 98 PROSPECTS LOOKING UP BUT IT'S
NOT A DONE DEAL YET
REF: (A) STATE 144906
(B) STATE 139892
(C) ABUJA 1033
(D) ABUJA 1025
(E) ABUJA 989
(F) ABUJA 905
(G) ABUJA 552
(H) ABUJA 342
(I) 02 ABUJA 2978
(J) 02 ABUJA 2972
CLASSIFIED BY A/DCM BRIAN L. BROWNE; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND
(D).
1. (C) The ad-hoc inter-ministerial committee tasked by
President Obasanjo to review our proposed Article 98
agreement met Tuesday, June 17. According to a source from
the Foreign Ministry who attended the session, committee
members decided to recommend to President Obasanjo that
Nigeria conclude an Article 98 agreement with the U.S. We
were informed that a position paper was being prepared,
forwarding the committee's positive recommendation to
Obasanjo. While the recommendation was positive, the
committee's report would also present some questions about
Article 98 that committee members believed needed to be
addressed before Nigeria signed an agreement. We were not
told what those questions might be, but understand that the
GON would forward the questions to us once Obasanjo has
reviewed the committee's report.
2. (C) We do not know if the committee's report has been
forwarded to the President, but the Nigerians are well
aware of the July 1 deadline.
3. (C) In our recent meeting with President Obasanjo, he
reiterated his desire to see the issue "behind him."
Obasanjo also asserted that if Article 98 could protect a
Nigerian peacekeeper being brought before the ICC he would
support signing an agreement. While the Nigerians have not
provided formal notification that they would sign an
Article 98 agreement, the news of the committee's
recommendation and its consistency with the President's
statements of support make the prospects for a timely
Article 98 agreement look significantly better than they
did several weeks ago.
JETER
SIPDIS
AF/W FOR DAN EPSTEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS KTIA NI KICC
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ARTILCE 98 PROSPECTS LOOKING UP BUT IT'S
NOT A DONE DEAL YET
REF: (A) STATE 144906
(B) STATE 139892
(C) ABUJA 1033
(D) ABUJA 1025
(E) ABUJA 989
(F) ABUJA 905
(G) ABUJA 552
(H) ABUJA 342
(I) 02 ABUJA 2978
(J) 02 ABUJA 2972
CLASSIFIED BY A/DCM BRIAN L. BROWNE; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND
(D).
1. (C) The ad-hoc inter-ministerial committee tasked by
President Obasanjo to review our proposed Article 98
agreement met Tuesday, June 17. According to a source from
the Foreign Ministry who attended the session, committee
members decided to recommend to President Obasanjo that
Nigeria conclude an Article 98 agreement with the U.S. We
were informed that a position paper was being prepared,
forwarding the committee's positive recommendation to
Obasanjo. While the recommendation was positive, the
committee's report would also present some questions about
Article 98 that committee members believed needed to be
addressed before Nigeria signed an agreement. We were not
told what those questions might be, but understand that the
GON would forward the questions to us once Obasanjo has
reviewed the committee's report.
2. (C) We do not know if the committee's report has been
forwarded to the President, but the Nigerians are well
aware of the July 1 deadline.
3. (C) In our recent meeting with President Obasanjo, he
reiterated his desire to see the issue "behind him."
Obasanjo also asserted that if Article 98 could protect a
Nigerian peacekeeper being brought before the ICC he would
support signing an agreement. While the Nigerians have not
provided formal notification that they would sign an
Article 98 agreement, the news of the committee's
recommendation and its consistency with the President's
statements of support make the prospects for a timely
Article 98 agreement look significantly better than they
did several weeks ago.
JETER