THE GAMBIA: RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT JAMMEH'S REQUEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000366 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL SG GA SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT JAMMEH'S REQUEST FOR PRESSURE ON SENEGAL REF: A. BANJUL 296 ¶B. STATE 88221 ¶C. DAKAR 1306 Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD,REASON 1.4 (B AND D) ¶1. (C) In recent discussion with Ambassador, the senior Presidential adviser, Secretary General Mambury Njie and Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary William Joof, raised the GOTG's previous request that the U.S. press Senegal to cooperate with the Gambians' investigation into the aborted coup attempt March 21 (ref a). In response, Ambassador drew from reftel points, saying that Washington had taken note of the Gambians' request, but that we did not believe it appropriate to interpose ourselves in this bilateral Gambian/Senegalese issue. He added that we continued to encourage the GOTG to maintain open communication with the GOS on behalf of an amicable solution to this issue. ¶2. (C) Ambassador also took the occasion to note ongoing reports of abuses of detainees detained by the GOTG for suspected involvement in the plot, adding that AF A/S Frazer, in her upocoming call to the GOTG leadership, would flag our concern over the deteriorating human rights situation here and urge efforts by the GOTG to reverse the negative human rights trend. ¶3. (C) Secretary General Njie and Permanent Secretary Joof took note of the Ambassador's presentation, but made no substantive comment. STAFFORD