NIGERIA'S INITIAL RESPONSE TO COUP IN SAO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001230

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/08
TAGS: PREL MASS MOPS PINS EPET PGOV NI TP
SUBJECT: NIGERIA'S INITIAL RESPONSE TO COUP IN SAO
TOME


Classified By A/DCM Brian L. Browne. Reasons 1.5 (b)
and (d).



1. (C) Ambassador Jeter talked separately to Sao
Tomean President de Menezes and new Nigerian Foreign
Minister Adeniji July 16. According to both sources,
President Obasanjo has been in direct communication
with the coup leaders, telling them to stand down and
return power to the country's constitutional, duly
elected authorities. The GON also issued a statement,
through the Foreign Ministry, strongly condemning the
coup.



2. (U) As timing would have it, de Menezes was not the
only Head of State in Abuja for the Sullivan Summit.
During serial addresses before the Summit on July 16,
several African Heads of State denounced the coup and
called for restoration of the elected government. AU
Chairman President Chissano and ECOWAS Chairman
President Kufuor were among those condemning the
takeover. Zimbabwe's Mugabe even joined the chorus.
Senegalese President Wade offered the vague suggestion
that ECOWAS take action, although Sao Tome is outside
the formal ECOWAS ambit. The Summit has been a
convenient if coincidental venue, particularly with
the attendance of the AU Chairman, for Heads of State
to confer about the coup. As a possible indication
that the Heads of State continued to meet, the
presidential addresses scheduled on July 17 for the
Summit, were cancelled.



3. (C) Chief of Defense Staff General Ogomudia and the
Service Chiefs met yesterday to discuss the coup. We
have not gotten a read-out of the meeting.


JETER