GAMBIAN-SENEGALESE RELATIONS DEFINITELY ON THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 000082 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, AF/PDPA, AF/RSA, DRL/PHD AND INR/AA LONDON FOR POL - AFRICA WATCHER PARIS FOR POL - AFRICA WATCHER D'ELIA E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2016 TAGS: PREL PINS PHUM GA SG SUBJECT: GAMBIAN-SENEGALESE RELATIONS DEFINITELY ON THE MEND; GOTG AND GOS WORKING TOGETHER ON CASAMANCE REF: A. BANJUL 0024 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. DAKAR 0043 ¶C. 05 DAKAR 2933 Classified By: CDA ROBERT P. JACKSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) On January 4, Prime Minister Macky Sall told Charge that the GOS was very pleased by his most recent visit to The Gambia. Sall believes that relations are back on a sound footing. ¶2. (C) In addition to the proposed bridge and related transportation issues, the Gambian Government,s decision to turn Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MFDC) military leader Kamoughe Diatta over to Senegal on January 7 is significant. The Gambian Government had detained Diatta since October )- reportedly at the Senegalese Government,s request. With a bit of nudging from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),the GOS has released Diatta to the MFDC,s political leaders. GOS officials hope that the MFDC can build upon the momentum from the Sao Domingos meeting, with Diatta helping to unite the fractious MFDC and prepare its negotiating position for the next round of peace talks. ¶3. (U) Diatta,s transfer and release follows the Janaury 6 decision to dismiss all charges against Sud Communications for its October 17 broadcast and publication of Ibrahima Gassama,s interview with Diatta,s rival, Salif Sadio. Sadio was convicted in abstentia and sentenced to five years in prison and a fine equivalent to USD 1,870. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: The GOS' decision to dismiss the charges against the Sud Communications, which was predicted by Ambassador Absa Diallo (Ref C),may reflect an effort to improve its somewhat tarnished human rights record in 2006. END COMMENT. JACKSON