Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LIBREVILLE728
2006-12-28 13:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Libreville
how-toVZCZCXRO5561 RR RUEHBZ DE RUEHLC #0728 3621340 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 281340Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9475 INFO RUEHBZ/AMEMBASSY BRAZZAVILLE 0838 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0844
UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000728
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL GB CF
SUBJECT: BONGO VISITS WIFE IN PARIS
REF: LIBREVILLE 00676
UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000728
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL GB CF
SUBJECT: BONGO VISITS WIFE IN PARIS
REF: LIBREVILLE 00676
1. In June, Edith Lucie Bongo (the 42-year old wife of
President Omar Bongo -- and daughter of Congo president Denis
Sassou Nguesso) was evacuated to France, after apparently
suffering a stroke. Since that time (with the exception of
one 24-hour visit to Gabon in October),she has basically
stayed in France. Her absence, which has never been
explained publicly by the Presidency, has led to many rumors
in Libreville, the latest of which claim profound depression
and a recent attempt at suicide or suggest that Bongo has
been discussing divorce proceedings with Sassou Nguesso.
2. Perhaps to counter such rumors, Gabon's semi-official
national daily "l'Union" on December 27 featured three photos
of Bongo, Edith and their children (Yacine and Omar Denis)
during a Christmas-Eve party in Paris "at their private
residence in the 7th arrondissement." The accompanying
brief article indicates that Bongo will be back in Gabon for
his traditional December 31 "message to the nation" speech
(in fact, Bongo returned December 28). The article makes no
mention of Edith's condition or plans.
3. For what it's worth, in the photos Omar Bongo does not
appear in a particularly joyous mood. Edith is shown in three
different positions (and two different outfits). In one
photo she is sitting on a couch next to Bongo, in another,
she is standing while shaking hands, and in a third she is
perched on the arm of a chair alongside the children. The
photos are undoubtedly meant to show that Edith is capable of
movement and of functioning in a social setting. We report
the items in detail as we are aware of Embassy Brazzaville's
interest in the matter.
WALKLEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL GB CF
SUBJECT: BONGO VISITS WIFE IN PARIS
REF: LIBREVILLE 00676
1. In June, Edith Lucie Bongo (the 42-year old wife of
President Omar Bongo -- and daughter of Congo president Denis
Sassou Nguesso) was evacuated to France, after apparently
suffering a stroke. Since that time (with the exception of
one 24-hour visit to Gabon in October),she has basically
stayed in France. Her absence, which has never been
explained publicly by the Presidency, has led to many rumors
in Libreville, the latest of which claim profound depression
and a recent attempt at suicide or suggest that Bongo has
been discussing divorce proceedings with Sassou Nguesso.
2. Perhaps to counter such rumors, Gabon's semi-official
national daily "l'Union" on December 27 featured three photos
of Bongo, Edith and their children (Yacine and Omar Denis)
during a Christmas-Eve party in Paris "at their private
residence in the 7th arrondissement." The accompanying
brief article indicates that Bongo will be back in Gabon for
his traditional December 31 "message to the nation" speech
(in fact, Bongo returned December 28). The article makes no
mention of Edith's condition or plans.
3. For what it's worth, in the photos Omar Bongo does not
appear in a particularly joyous mood. Edith is shown in three
different positions (and two different outfits). In one
photo she is sitting on a couch next to Bongo, in another,
she is standing while shaking hands, and in a third she is
perched on the arm of a chair alongside the children. The
photos are undoubtedly meant to show that Edith is capable of
movement and of functioning in a social setting. We report
the items in detail as we are aware of Embassy Brazzaville's
interest in the matter.
WALKLEY