MBANIE-GATE KEEPS GABON-EQUATORIAL GUINEA BORDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000627

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EPET GB EK
SUBJECT: MBANIE-GATE KEEPS GABON-EQUATORIAL GUINEA BORDER
DISPUTE ON THE FRONT PAGE

REF: A. LIBREVILLE 580

B. LIBREVILLE 598

Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhanani. Reason 1.4 (b) & (d).


1. (U) The failed effort to conclude a Gabon-EG maritime
boundary agreement in early September (Ref A) continues to
dominate the headlines in Gabon; it is now known as the
"Mbanie-gate" scandal. Foreign Minister Ping held a press
conference on September 29 to explain the history of the
border dispute and appeal for respect of the confidentiality
of negotiations. On September 30, the dispute was discussed
at a cabinet meeting; the subsequent communique assured the
public that Gabonese territory would not be sold and
expressed distress and astonishment at the lies contained in
media reports. On October 6, Prime Minister Eyeghe Ndong
addressed the nation on the subject, requesting Gabonese to
use their freedom of speech with responsibility, and assuring
the public that no Gabonese leader would dream of selling
Gabonese territory.


2. (U) On September 29, the National Communications Council
suspended for three months the newspaper Les Echos du Nord
for unethical reporting on the border dispute. In contrast
to highly personal and vituperative reporting in Le Crocodile
(Ref B),Les Echos du Nord carried a thoughtful column
criticizing infighting in the Gabonese government. It's
editor subsequently launched a hunger strike and was
hospitalized.


3. (C) On October 6 Ambassador discussed next steps in the
border dispute with Minister Ping. Ping said that everyone
recognized that the political stakes were too high for UN
mediation to succeed in Geneva in early October, as planned
(Ref A.). No new date has been set. Ping told Ambassador
that Gabon would prefer to go directly to the International
Court of Justice, but such a step required agreement of both
parties. Ping said that at the time of the African Union
Summit in Maputo in 2003, the GREG had asked for UN mediation
to resolve the question. The Prime Minister echoed this
point in his address. (Comment: This new emphasis in the
GoG's public description of the border dispute implies that
Gabon is tolerating the UN effort to accommodate the GREG's
wishes, but would not itself have sought this mediation. End
comment.)


4. (C) Comment: The rumor mill continues to work overtime on
Mbanie-gate. For example, many believe that before the
Cabinet meeting on September 30, the Prime Minister was
threatening to resign if the President did not dismiss the
Ministers of Interior, Finance and Communications. (All four
continue in office.) Key insiders, as well as the public at
large, are also inclined to believe that the USG is actively
supporting the GREG in this dispute. More credibly, there is
general agreement that the border dispute has been
overwhelmed by domestic politics in Gabon. Personal attacks
related to these negotiations are early skirmishes in the war
over succession.
DHANANI