DEMACHE DELIVERED: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR ICAO

UNCLAS ACCRA 000418 SIPDIS SENSITIVE EB/TRN FOR BIRD MATTINGLEY DAKAR FOR FAA ED JONES MONTREAL FOR USICAO: CSERWER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAIR CM GH MZ NI SF ICAO SUBJECT: DEMACHE DELIVERED: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR ICAO SECRETARY GENERAL SIPDIS REF: STATE 14175 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Bridgewater discussed Mr. Voss's candidacy with Secretary of the President, Ambassador D.K. Osei during a meeting February 8 and mentioned again it to President Kufuor after the meeting. FAA Regional Rep and EconOff delivered reftel demarche to Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Acting Director General Simon Adotey, and Minister for Presidential Affair and Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani February 8. Post forwarded Secretary Minetta's letter to President Kufuor February 9. GCAA is actively supporting Mr. Voss' candidacy and has made several calls to Ghana's ICAO Rep in Montreal to urge his support. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador asked for GoG support of Mr. Voss' candidacy during a meeting on February 8 with Secretary to the President, Ambassador D.K. Osei, and mentioned it to the President during a brief stop in his office after the meeting. The Ambassador also passed talking points to Ambassador Osei, who said he would pass them to the President for consideration. The Ambassador forwarded Secretary Minetta's letter to the President February 9. ¶3. (SBU) FAA Regional Rep Ed Jones and EconOff discussed Mr. Voss' credentials and the need for a change in ICAO leadership with Acting GCAA DG Simon Adotey February 8. Adotey agreed on all points, and offered to accompany FAA Rep and EconOff to the meeting with the Chief of Staff that day. He also offered to call Dakar-based ICAO Regional Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance Officer Mary Obeng -- also a Ghanaian -- to ask for her active support. Adotey said he felt the AU's decision to support the incumbent was premature, and that Obeng might help convince Capt. Kofi Kwakwa -- Ghana's ICAO Representative -- to advise the Chief of Staff to support Voss. ¶4. (SBU) EconOff and FAA Rep met with Chief of Staff Mpiani and Adotey on February 8. Mpiani read Voss' CV with interest, commenting that he appeared "very well qualified." Mpiani showed interest in the support Voss had from the UK and other ICAO members, commenting that things at ICAO must be problematic for Voss to "run against his own boss." Adotey was frank with Mpiani, openly calling the current Secretary General "incompetent" and noting that he had left SIPDIS several key ICAO positions unfilled for several years. Mpiani said he would seek the advice of both ICAO Rep Kwakwa and Mary Obeng before advising the President. ¶5. (SBU) In a telcon February 14, Adotey told EconOff he had briefed GCAA Director General Nii Badoo on February 10 and that Badoo agreed with his support for Voss. Badoo has called the Chief of Staff's office to convey his support. Adotey said both he and Mary Obeng had called ICAO Rep Kwakwa and enlist his support. According to Adotey, Kwakwa agrees that Voss is the best-qualified candidate, but will not vote against the AU without specific instructions from the Chief of Staff. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: Despite the strong support for Voss' candidacy from Ghana's civil aviation experts, breaking with the AU again so soon after casting a vote at the IAEA to report Iran to the UNSC will be difficult for the GoG. Post will stay in contact with GCAA and the Chief of Staff's Office in the run up to the ICAO meeting. End Comment. BRIDGEWATER