NIGERIA: NO MILITARY ACTION YET ON OIL RIG HOSTAGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000810 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2013 TAGS: CASC ASEC EPET ENRG ECON PINS PGOV NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NO MILITARY ACTION YET ON OIL RIG HOSTAGE CRISIS REF: A. ABUJA 807 ¶B. ABUJA 806 ¶C. ABUJA 768 Classified by Ambassador Howard F. Jeter for reason 1.5 (d). ¶1. (C) GON National Security Agency Military Assistant Colonel Idris and State Security Service Director General Kayode Are both told the Ambassador on May 2 that Nigerian naval vessels near the four Transocean Sedco Forex rigs have not yet taken any action. He indicated that a contingency plan was in place, but that there was no specific deadline for involvement of the military. Managing Director of Transocean Sedco Forex Ian Clark also confirms May 2 that the situation on the rigs is unchanged and there has been no military action. Clark said he had instructed company officials in Port Harcourt to contact naval officers in the area to obtain assurances that no immediate military action is planned. ¶2. (C) National Labour Congress President Adams Oshiomole told the Ambassador he is hosting negotiations today between the national leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG),who have condemned the hostage taking, and local (Port Harcourt) NUPENG leadership who support the action. Oshiomole hopes this meeting will produce a negotiated settlement. Clark will also be at the venue, but remain outside the meeting for parts of the negotiations in order to give Oshiomole a chance to mediate directly between the NUPENG members. Oshiomole indicated that he remains in frequent contact with President Obasanjo on this issue. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador will meet with Ministry of Labor and Productivity Permanent Secretary Omotade to discuss a role for GON pressure on the labor organizations to resolve the crisis quickly and peacefully. Comment: Minister Gwadabe has traveled to Kano to campaign for state assembly elections. With the Minister out of the loop, we are now less hopeful that the Ministry can be an effective agent to pressure the trade unions toward a settlement. However, the Ministry's interaction may not be as necessary as we thought given NLC President Oshiomole's active pressure. We will continue to actively engage with union leadership to clearly convey the gravity with which the USG views this situation. Meanwhile, in our communications with the GON leadership, we continue to express our concern that negotiations be given every chance to succeed and that military force not be used precipitously to resolve the situation. End Comment. JETER