Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LIBREVILLE515
2006-08-07 14:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Libreville
Cable title:  

COMMENTS ON GABON-EG BORDER DISPUTE MEDIATION

Tags:  PREL EPET GB EK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0033
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLC #0515 2191426
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 071426Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9262
INFO RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0703
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0921
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 1314
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0822
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0314
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0310

RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0045
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000515 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2016
TAGS: PREL EPET GB EK
SUBJECT: COMMENTS ON GABON-EG BORDER DISPUTE MEDIATION

REF: YAOUNDE 1044

Classified By: DCM Kathy Dhanani. Reason: 1.4 (b) & (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000515

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2016
TAGS: PREL EPET GB EK
SUBJECT: COMMENTS ON GABON-EG BORDER DISPUTE MEDIATION

REF: YAOUNDE 1044

Classified By: DCM Kathy Dhanani. Reason: 1.4 (b) & (d).


1. (C) On August 2, MFA Legal Advisor Michel Biang gave DCM
his perspective on the status of efforts to resolve the
Gabon-Equatorial Guinea border dispute before UNSG Annan's
mandate concludes. He said that the Geneva meeting of heads
of state in June was to convene under joint French and
Spanish mediation. Biang said that Spain had appointed a
legal expert as mediator, while France named a diplomat. The
parties received no formal notice of the mediators' proposal
in advance of the meeting, but friends in France gave the
Gabonese an advance peak. The proposal, in Biang's eyes,
completely capitulated to EG by ignoring the (controversial)
1974 treaty; he said the GREG could not have asked for a more
favorable outcome. (Note: This contrasts with reports in
Malabo that the substance would not have been acceptable to
EG (Reftel).) Foreign Minister Ping was briefed on the
terms of the proposal, and convinced President Bongo not to
attend the meeting. Biang commented that this was fortunate,
since he believed Bongo may have capitulated had he been
presented the proposal at a summit.


2. (C) Comment: Gabon's relative intransigence over boundary
negotiations reflects the views of legal experts advising the
process (including Biang),who insist that the 1974 treaty
must be recognized, even if a decision is made to amend the
boundary it delineates. They believe the International Court
of Justice would recognize the Treaty were the dispute
subject to judicial arbitration.


3. (C) Comment cont: It is notable that the UN, Gabon and EG
decided to bring the French and Spanish into the process, but
ignored the USG's offer to help broker a resolution. The
Gabonese may have had some doubts about USG even-handedness,
given substantial US economic interests in EG.
WALKLEY