NIGERIA: GON CALLS ARTICLE 98 AN EXECUTIVE

UNCLAS ABUJA 001373 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR: PM/B, L, T, P, D, IO, S/WCI, S/P, CWG/PM, PM/AT, AF FOR DAS BRIDGEWATER AF/W FOR DAN EPSTEIN AND CALLI FULLER OSD/ISP/NP FOR LOOK DOD/OGC FOR ALLEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS KTIA NI KICC SUBJECT: NIGERIA: GON CALLS ARTICLE 98 AN EXECUTIVE AGREEMENT REF: ABUJA 1134 ¶1. (U) The Nigerian Solicitor-General (the highest ranking civil servant in the Ministry of Justice and the official who executed the Article 98 Agreement on behalf of the GON) I.A. Ayua indicated in a July 14 letter to Ambassador Jeter that the GON has deemed the Article 98 agreement an executive agreement. Thus, there will be no need to seek National Assembly ratification. ¶2. (U) The Agreement will come into force upon the exchange of Notes between the USG and the GON indicating that each has fulfilled the domestic legal requirements to bring the Agreement into force. Embassy Abuja transmitted the U.S. Note on July 3 and we will now ask the GON to reciprocate. ¶3. (U) A scanned copy of Ayua's letter has been sent to AF/W via e-mail. LIBERI