THE GAMBIA: FURTHER DEMARCHE ON 2006 ELECTION FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000226 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2016 TAGS: PREL UNSC PGOV PTER UNDC GT VE GA SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: FURTHER DEMARCHE ON 2006 ELECTION FOR UNSC SEAT REF: A. STATE 57503 ¶B. STATE 20173 ¶C. BANJUL 135 ¶D. BANJUL 84 (ALL NOTAL) Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D) 1.(C) Ambassador used April 13 meeting with Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary William Joof to make a further demarche on the October election of the GRULAC representative on the UNSC (reftels). Ambassador noted that during Joof's and Formin Lamin Kaba Bajo's recent visit to Venezuela, the latter's Formin reportedly told the press of GOTG's support for Venezuela's UNSC candidacy. He asked if this statement was an accurate reflection of the GOTG's position, noting Joof's past assertions that the GOTG had yet to decide whether to support the Venezuelan or Guatemalan candidacies. ¶2. (C) In response, Permanent Secretary Joof asserted that the Venezuelan statement was inaccurate and that the GOTG had yet to decide on its preferred candidate; he added -- unconvincingly -- that Venezuelan officials had not raised the issue with the Gambian visitors. Ambassador repeated previous urging that the GOTG consider Guatemala's candidacy, reiterating negative consequences of Venezuela's membership on the Council and drew from ref a to note its irresponsible behavior on counter-terrorism in a key multilateral setting. Joof took Ambassador's presentation on board and undertook to keep us informed of the GOTG's thinking. When Ambassador mentioned Joof's previous indication to us that he had recommended to the Presidency that The Gambia support Guatemala, he made no response. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: It is hard to imagine, as Joof asserted, that the Venezuelan side did not raise the UNSC candidacy during the Gambians' visit. We believe that the Gambians' mission in part was to solicit assistance to help cover cost of the African Union summit to be held here in July; we certainly do not rule out the Gambians pledging support for the Venezuelan candidacy in exchange for such assistance. In any event, we will continue to pursue the matter with the GOTG and repeat our recommendation, per ref c, that the GOTG's Permrep in New York, Crispin Grey-Johnson, be demarched directly. END COMMENT. STAFFORD