G-4 RESOLUTION: NIGERIA WILL SUPPORT COMMON AU

UNCLAS ABUJA 001381 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KUNR AORC NI UNSC SUBJECT: G-4 RESOLUTION: NIGERIA WILL SUPPORT COMMON AU POSITION, WILL VOTE YES ON G4-AU COMPROMISE REF: (A) STATE 137602 (B) ABUJA 1351 ¶1. (SBU) On July 27, Poloff asked Ambassador Chike Alex Anigbo, Director of the First United Nations Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), about Nigeria's position on the G-4 resolution. ¶2. (SBU) Anigbo replied that the G-4 resolution and the AU resolution were very similar, differing on very small points only, the largest of which is veto authority for new permanent members of the UNSC. He said the two resolutions are converging, and that Nigeria would take the AU position, voting for the compromise resolution. He said he doubted either the G- 4 or the AU resolution would come up for a vote, but even if they did, "Nigeria would prefer the compromise." He did not say specifically what Nigeria's vote would be on the G-4 resolution if it were presented to the UNGA, only that Nigeria would take the AU's position. ¶3. (SBU) Anigbo added that every AU member would support the AU position. Whenever Poloff asked during the conversation about Nigeria's specific intentions, Anigbo stayed on message: Nigeria's position is the position of the AU, and no AU member country will diverge from the AU position. CAMPBELL