NIGERIA: CONCERNED ABOUT TAYLOR, WANTS MISBEHAVIOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001654 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2013 TAGS: PREL KAWC KJUS LI NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: CONCERNED ABOUT TAYLOR, WANTS MISBEHAVIOR EVIDENCE REF: A. STATE 269609 ¶B. ABUJA 1630 AND PREVIOUS ¶C. LAGOS 1928 CLASSIFIED BY CDA ROGER MEECE FOR REASONS 1.5 (b) AND (d). ¶1. (C) President Obasanjo is still out of the country and FM Adeniji will not return to Nigeria from the U.S. until after October 1, so CDA used a courtesy call on MFA MinState Samaila to reiterate our concerns about Charles Taylor (Ref A). The discussion also covered Guinea-Bissau (septel). CDA noted USG appreciation and support for Nigeria's accepting Taylor to gain peace in Liberia, and underscored our concern that Taylor not be allowed to continue to foment trouble in Liberia. CDA referred to continuing reports of Taylor's misbehavior, and urged the GON to consider handing Taylor over to the International Tribunal if he violates the terms of his exile. ¶2. (C) MinState Samaila replied that Taylor had been straying from the exile terms at first, and President Obasanjo had summoned him to his ranch September 4 to demand better behavior (Ref C). Obasanjo told Taylor that Nigeria had evidence of his misbehavior, and specifically told Taylor to do nothing directly to interfere in Liberia nor indirectly that would hurt the chances for peace there. Since then the GON had seen no violations, Samaila said, and he asked the CDA to pass to him any evidence the USG might see. ¶3. (C) Samaila outlined that the GON had spent billions of dollars over the years on Liberia, and President Obasanjo and other senior GON officials were now spending considerable time on Liberia and Guinea-Bissau. After dressing down Taylor, Obasanjo had also met with NTGL Chairman Bryant to reiterate Nigeria's determination to get Liberia back on its feet. If Nigeria received evidence that Taylor was still interfering in Liberia, the GON would act against him. CDA responded that we wished to cooperate fully regarding Taylor's capacity to create further problems. ¶4. (C) Samaila closed the discussion on Liberia by launching a monologue regarding planning for the new UN peacekeeping force for Liberia. He strongly asserted that the GON needed it to be commanded by a Nigerian. MEECE