FRENCH MFA OFFICIAL VIEWS MAURITANIA COUP AS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005352

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC PINR MOPS CASC MR FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH MFA OFFICIAL VIEWS MAURITANIA COUP AS
"CONSOLIDATED"

REF: NOUAKCHOTT 881

Classified By: Political M/C Josiah Rosenblatt for Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) GOF MFA DAS-equivalent for West Africa Bruno Foucher
on August 4 said that France viewed Mauritania's coup as
"consolidated" (i.e., concluded). He said that the key
remaining question involved Mauritanian forces which remain
loyal to President Taya and are conducting anti-terrorist
operations against the GSPC in northern Mauritania: will they
seek to overturn the coup by moving on Nouakchott. Foucher
said there were no indications that these forces intended to
take such action.


2. (C) Foucher agreed with reftel assessment that the coup
involved two factions of White Moors. He said that this was
a classic "inside the Palace coup," similar to the one
President Taya led when he came to power in 1984. Foucher
said the identities of the current coup leaders were not
clear to the GOF. He noted that the junta had named Police
Chief Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall as its leader and that
Ould Abdel Aziz of the Presidential Security Battalion was
also reported as one of the junta's leaders. However,
Foucher said that it was not certain that these two
individuals were the actual leaders of the coup.


3. (C) Foucher said that President Taya, in Niger, had
expressed concern about arranging for his family members to
leave Mauritania. According to Foucher, Taya had not
expressed any strong interest in returning to Mauritania.


4. (C) Following French practice, Foucher said that France
recognized states and not governments and that there was no
issue of "recognizing" the new holders of power in
Nouakchott. However, at the beginning of our meeting with
him, Foucher said that the French Ambassador in Nouakchott
was seeking guidance from Paris as to whether he should meet
with junta leaders if convoked by them either as an
individual or as part of a mass convocation of the diplomatic
corps. At a later point in the meeting, after conversing
with the Prime Ministry, Foucher said that the French
Ambassador was authorized to meet with the junta members if
called to do so.


5. (U) Foucher said that France had not issued a new press
statement on the coup since issuing one on August 3. That
statement (Embassy informal translation) follows, along with
Q and A from August 3 and 4.

BEGIN August 3 Press Statement:

-- France is following with concern the situation taking
place today in Mauritania and remains in close contact with
its partners.

-- France recalls its basic principle that condemns all
seizures of power by force, and calls for the respect of
democracy and the legal institutional framework.

END Press Statement.

August 3 Q&A:

-- Q: Gun shots were heard this morning near the
presidential building in Mauritania. What is your reaction
to what is happening? Can you give us details on these
events?

-- A: We are aware of the first dispatches. We are seeking
information. We are not in a position to give details on
events taking place in a foreign country.

-- Q: There is a Mauritanian opposition in France. Are
there contacts with it?

-- A: I have no indication of the presence in France of a
Mauritanian opposition.

August 4 Q&A:

-- Q: Following the coup d'etat in Mauritania, do you have
any particular worries about the French community? How many
French are in Mauritania according to your estimates?

-- A: Our embassy is in contact with French nationals, who
are usually, during this summer season, at a reduced number.
There have been no reported incidents, but as a precaution,
our embassy is advising them not to leave their homes or
hotels.
STAPLETON