NIGERIA/LIBERIA:GENERAL ABUBAKAR ON ECOWAS AND THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001873

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL LI NI ECOWAS
SUBJECT: NIGERIA/LIBERIA:GENERAL ABUBAKAR ON ECOWAS AND THE
LIBERIA ELECTION

REF: A. STATE 180464

B. ABUJA 1862

Classified By: Ambassador John Campbell for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d).


1. (C) The Ambassador, with PolMilOff, met with CPA
Mediator and former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar the
evening of September 29 to deliver Ref A points, which were
left as a nonpaper. Abubakar accepted the U.S. position and
said that it is "in the line of our thinking." His response
did not differ substantively from that of the Executive
Secretary of ECOWAS reported in Ref B. Abubakar did,

SIPDIS
however, say that ECOWAS had decided to send a letter to the
NTGL Chairman saying that the Supreme Court of Liberia
derives its powers from the CPA and that the court should not
do anything to hamper that peace agreement and that the
Liberian elections should go forward on October 11. He said
that these points would be included in the ECOWAS Heads of
State communiqu that will be issued following the October 1
Summit. The communiqu appear to replace the public
statement discussed by Chambas with the Ambassador earlier in
the day.


2. (C) Abubakar said that he will meet with Chairman Bryant
and with Dr. Chambas the evening of the 29th, in advance of
the Summit. He will also be meeting with President Obasanjo
and with President Tandja prior to Friday's meeting.
CAMPBELL