BRAZIL URGES GUINEA BISSAU BE PLACED ON UNSC FRONT

UNCLAS BRASILIA 002730

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SECSTATE PLEASE PASS AMEMBASSY BISSAU; STATE ALSO FOR AF,
AF/W, IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO MOPS BR GB UNSC
SUBJECT: BRAZIL URGES GUINEA BISSAU BE PLACED ON UNSC FRONT
BURNER

REF: BRASILIA 2671


1. (SBU) According to Ministry of External Relations (MRE)
Africa Division Chief Joao Inacio Oswaldo Padilha, an
extraordinary meeting of the Community of Portuguese Language
Countries (CPLP) will be held 2 November in Lisbon to discuss
the deteriorating political and economic situation in Guinea
Bissau. Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim is slated to
attend. In its deliberations, Padilha said, the CPLP will
review ways to coordinate with the African Union and ECOWAS
on initiatives to address the Guinea Bissau crisis. It will
also discuss how to increase UNSC attention to Guinea Bissau.
Padilha inicated he himself will be traveling to Bissau later
in the week.


2. (SBU) Although Padilha described as "pointless" the
sending of troops to Guinea Bissau at this time, he believed
a significant PKO deployment was almost inevitable. Through
the extraordinary meeting in Lisbon and in recent statements
at the UNSC, Brazil hoped to demonstrate its leadership
within the CPLP and its commitment to raising the profile of
the Guinea Bissau crisis. The first order of UNSC business,
Padilha noted, would be for a renewal of UNOGBIS, whose
mandate expires in December, and revision of the TOR for its
mission -- points raised with poloff days earlier by
Padilha's counterpart in MRE's United Nations Division
(reftel). He also confirmed that President Lula would almost
assuredly visit Guinea Bissau during his next visit to
Africa, most likely during the first half of 2005.


3. (SBU) Comment: This is the second time in four days that
a MRE official has raised Guinea Bissau with poloff. The MRE
appears eager to get USG attention. Both diplomats provided
to poloff a strong sense that Brazil fears the USG will
downplay or overlook Guinea Bissau in light of other world
events.

Danilovich