Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LIBREVILLE580
2006-09-11 12:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Libreville
Cable title:
SECRET EG-GABON BOUNDARY MEDIATION FAILS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0035 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHLC #0580 2541236 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 111236Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9314 INFO RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0719 RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 1323 RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0367 RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 0395 RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0926 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0052 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0182
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000580
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
YAOUNDE ALSO FOR MALABO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EPET GB EK
SUBJECT: SECRET EG-GABON BOUNDARY MEDIATION FAILS
Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4 (b) & (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000580
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
YAOUNDE ALSO FOR MALABO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EPET GB EK
SUBJECT: SECRET EG-GABON BOUNDARY MEDIATION FAILS
Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4 (b) & (d).
1. (C) According to MFA Legal Advisor Michel Biang, the draft
schedule for EG President Obiang's September 8 visit to
Libreville included the surprise signing of a maritime
boundary agreement. Biang said the deal, which he did not
see until a short time before Obiang's arrival, gave EG most
of the waters in the Igoumou block that Gabon had granted to
Shell, and gave Gabon Mbanie Island. Biang was told that
both Presidents had blessed the deal. After Obiang's
arrival, however, the EG team retired from the meeting room
for an hour and returned insisting that the boundary be moved
so that EG would have sovereignty over Mbanie. This led to a
collapse of the agreement and heated exchanges.
2. (C) Biang said the draft agreement was the product of a
secret mediation carried out over the last few months by a
SIPDIS
Cameroonian attorney acquainted with both the Gabonese and
Equato-Guinean Chiefs of State. Biang reported that, while
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ping and President of the
Constitutional Court Mborantsuo were aware of the initiative,
they and other members of the Gabonese experts' team involved
in the UN mediation played no role in negotiations. Instead,
Minister of Interior Mba Obame managed the effort for the
GoG. Biang first learned about it in late August when he was
told to go to the Intercontinental Hotel to meet and answer
the questions of a young woman (he did not know her name).
She (the Cameroonian mediator) asked him about different
possible boundary locations.
3. (C) Biang told Charge that this initiative now appears to
be dead. There will be a new effort to resolve the dispute
through UN mediation in Geneva, with experts called to meet
on October 1 and 2 and Chiefs of State scheduled to meet with
UNSG Annan on October 3 and 4. Biang, however, holds out
little hope for what he considers a discredited UN process.
He believes the failure of the secret deal has now convinced
even President Bongo that the dispute will ultimately have to
go to the International Court of Justice.
DHANANI
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
YAOUNDE ALSO FOR MALABO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EPET GB EK
SUBJECT: SECRET EG-GABON BOUNDARY MEDIATION FAILS
Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4 (b) & (d).
1. (C) According to MFA Legal Advisor Michel Biang, the draft
schedule for EG President Obiang's September 8 visit to
Libreville included the surprise signing of a maritime
boundary agreement. Biang said the deal, which he did not
see until a short time before Obiang's arrival, gave EG most
of the waters in the Igoumou block that Gabon had granted to
Shell, and gave Gabon Mbanie Island. Biang was told that
both Presidents had blessed the deal. After Obiang's
arrival, however, the EG team retired from the meeting room
for an hour and returned insisting that the boundary be moved
so that EG would have sovereignty over Mbanie. This led to a
collapse of the agreement and heated exchanges.
2. (C) Biang said the draft agreement was the product of a
secret mediation carried out over the last few months by a
SIPDIS
Cameroonian attorney acquainted with both the Gabonese and
Equato-Guinean Chiefs of State. Biang reported that, while
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ping and President of the
Constitutional Court Mborantsuo were aware of the initiative,
they and other members of the Gabonese experts' team involved
in the UN mediation played no role in negotiations. Instead,
Minister of Interior Mba Obame managed the effort for the
GoG. Biang first learned about it in late August when he was
told to go to the Intercontinental Hotel to meet and answer
the questions of a young woman (he did not know her name).
She (the Cameroonian mediator) asked him about different
possible boundary locations.
3. (C) Biang told Charge that this initiative now appears to
be dead. There will be a new effort to resolve the dispute
through UN mediation in Geneva, with experts called to meet
on October 1 and 2 and Chiefs of State scheduled to meet with
UNSG Annan on October 3 and 4. Biang, however, holds out
little hope for what he considers a discredited UN process.
He believes the failure of the secret deal has now convinced
even President Bongo that the dispute will ultimately have to
go to the International Court of Justice.
DHANANI