NIGERIA AND DPRK MISSILES

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000149

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2014
TAGS: PARM KNNP PREL KN NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA AND DPRK MISSILES

REF: A. ABUJA 96


B. 03 ABUJA 2199

Classified By: CDA RICK ROBERTS FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: Nigeria has continuing military
cooperation with the DPRK, but the Nigerians tell us they are
only talking about missiles to keep the door open for
military aid from the DPRK, and do not intend to procure
missiles or their technology. DPRK VP Yang Hyong-sop is
visiting Nigeria this week for meetings with various Nigerian
leaders, including President Obasanjo, and Nigerian VP Atiku
has been Yang's main host. After Yang's meeting with Atiku
January 28, Atiku's spokesman said various things at
different times to the press about Nigerian interest in
missiles. President Obasanjo's Senior Special Assistant,
Ad'Obe Obe assured the CDA on January 29 that no military
cooperation of any kind was discussed in Obasanjo's meeting
with Yang, and that the GON had no intention of purchasing
missiles or missile technology from the DPRK. We asked the
senior MFA official in-country on January 29, PermSec
Wadibia-Anyanwu, for further information on what transpired,
which she said she would provide. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) The DPRK VP is on an official visit to Nigeria, hosted
until today by Nigerian VP Atiku Abubakar. In publicized
meetings with Yang, Obasanjo and Atiku thanked the DPRK for
assistance to Nigeria for last year's All Africa Games, and
discussed possible joint economic projects. The Nigerian
press reported that the projects would be in Adamawa and
Nasarawa states. Then VP Spokesman Onukaba Ojo startled
everyone by speaking of the DPRK sharing ballistic missile
technology with Nigeria, an MOU, and Nigeria's need to
enhance the capability of its military for peacekeeping and
to protect Nigeria.

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BACKGROUND
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3. (S/NF) Recently North Korea has made an effort to expand
its defense cooperation ties with Nigeria. In
August-September, a North Korean delegation led by Deputy
Defense Minister Jong Chon-dok met with Nigerian Chief of
Defense Staff GEN Ogomudia to discuss the possible sale of a
wide variety of weapons systems to Nigeria. According to DAO
Abuja sources (REF B),the North Korean delegation confessed
it badly needed hard currency and was willing to sell
"anything in their inventory" to Nigeria. Reportedly, a
Memorandum of Understanding concerning defense cooperation
was signed during Jong's visit. Despite the MOU and North
Korea's offer to sell "missiles and submarines," the GON
expressed the greatest interest in procuring a radar system
to better monitor air traffic within the country.


4. (S/NF) North Korea also dispatched a small team of
engineers in early January to assess the Defense Industries
Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) factories as a prelude to a
North Korean takeover of the recently suspended Chinese
efforts with DICON. DAO Abuja reporting (REF A) confirms
that China suspended its DICON program after the Nigerian
government failed provide the agreed upon funding. Sources
within the Nigerian military believe it is unlikely the North
Korean efforts to rehabilitate DICON will be successful, but
the GON is willing to go along anyway if the North Koreans
are willing to foot the bill.

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ENTER YANG
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5. (C) DPRK VP Yang then came to town. Nigerian VP Atiku's
office put out a press release late January 27 that (inter
alia) Atiku reiterated Nigeria's desire for a peaceful world
devoid of constant threat of nuclear war, that Nigeria
understood the antecedents of North Korea's nuclear program,
that Nigeria expected North Korea to support Nigeria's bid
for a UNSC permanent seat, that the GON would continue to
cooperate with the DPRK in the defense sector, and that Atiku
expressed hope that the next Nigeria-DPRK Joint Commission
(meeting) "would bring about the signing of many agreements."
The next day, January 28, Yang had meetings with Obasanjo
and Atiku, and Atiku's spokesman started making comments to
reporters.


6. (C) President Obasanjo's Senior Special Assistant, Ad'Obe
Obe, came to the Embassy the next morning, January 29, to
assure the CDA that no military cooperation of any kind was
discussed in Obasanjo's meeting with Yang, and that the GON
had no intention of purchasing missiles or missile technology
from the DPRK. The CDA thanked him for that assurance. CDA
and PolCouns took advantage of an already scheduled meeting
with the MFA PermSec on other business January 29 to ask her
about what had transpired and give her a copy of the
Department Spokesman's January 28 remarks. She responded
that the press frequently lied and that Yang would be
visiting the MFA the next day, January 30. In any case, she
said, "We have been aware of U.S. concerns generally about
North Korea." PolCouns noted that a recording of Atiku's
spokesman had played on the BBC that morning, saying
something rather different than what the print press quoted
from other interviews. The PermSec allowed that it was
important to set the record straight, and agreed to provide
whatever information she could -- including a transcript of
the print press interview -- on what had transpired.

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COMMENT
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7. (C) While it is clear North Korea has taken significant
steps in recent months to bolster its defense cooperation
with Nigeria, it is highly unlikely the GON would go so far
as to purchase ballistic missiles. We believe it likely that
the MOU on military cooperation that Nigeria and the DPRK
signed last year does include mention that missile technology
transfer is possible. The cash strapped Nigerian government
has demonstrated a pattern of behavior with several countries
(Bulgaria, China, India, Israel, Romania, and Russia) in
which many meetings are held and agreements signed, but
ultimately the GON fails to deliver the money and no
transaction takes place. We will keep after this issue.
Roberts