Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LOME889
2006-09-12 18:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lome
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH TOGOLESE NATIONAL
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHPC #0889 2551807 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121807Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY LOME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7350 INFO RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1989 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0932 RUEHCO/AMEMBASSY COTONOU 3888 RUEHOU/AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 8840 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0490 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L LOME 000889
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2011
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EAID PINR TO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH TOGOLESE NATIONAL
DIALOGUE CHAIRMAN AGBOYIBO
REF: A. LOME 800
B. LOME 798
Classified By: Amb. David B. Dunn. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LOME 000889
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2011
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EAID PINR TOGO'>TO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH TOGOLESE NATIONAL
DIALOGUE CHAIRMAN AGBOYIBO
REF: A. LOME 800
B. LOME 798
Classified By: Amb. David B. Dunn. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
1. (SBU) Ambassador welcomed TOGOlese opposition party leader
and chairman of the recently concluded national political
dialogue Yawovi Agboyibo at the residence September 10 for an
hour long, one-on-one meeting. An attorney by profession,
Agboyibo is president of the Action Committee for Renewal
(CAR) party, one of the three main opposition parties in
TOGO. He was selected by fellow participants earlier this
year to chair the national dialogue process. His patient,
lawyerly approach undoubtedly contributed to the ultimate
success of the dialogue, reflected in unanimous agreement on
a comprehensive political agreement on August 22 (refs). We
meet with Agboyibo every couple of months to review
developments. Like most TOGOlese politicians, he is
pro-American; the day after this meeting, September 11, he
attended a memorial event held at the residence.
2. (C) The question of who would be appointed prime minister
in the national union government (a key provision in the
comprehensive political agreement) was uppermost on
Agboyibo's mind. He clearly would be happy to have the job
but recognizes that the UFC party of Gilchrist Olympio is the
opposition's 700 pound gorilla. At the same time, the UFC's
more radical posture, compounded by personality problems,
make the issue of a prime minister coming from UFC ranks
problematic. Agboyibo observed candidly that the greater the
tensions between the UFC and the ruling RPT, the greater his
own chances of emerging as the compromise candidate. Agboyibo
deemed it unlikely that President Faure would retain the
current prime minister, Edem Kodjo, who heads a party that
agreed to cooperate with the RPT following Faure's disputed
election in 2005. Although he did not think the nomination of
Kodjo would bring opposition youth onto the street, as some
have speculated, he said it was unlikely any of the three
main opposition parties would agree to join a Kjo-headed
government, putting at risk Faure's reform agenda (and
therefore reengagement with the donor community). For these
reasons, Agboyibo considered Kodgo's reappointment unlikely.
3. (C) Agboyibo expressed misgivings over a realignment of
the magistrate corps announced the previous week by the GOT,
which he said reflected Kodjo's accomodationist posture
vis-a-vis RPT hardliners. The move was important because the
magistrates will have an influential role in the local
election committees that will organize next year's
legislative elections, the second key focus of the
comprehensive political agreement. He said he hoped the
national union government would be able to make changes to
the new line-up of magistrates.
4. (C) Asked about dynamics during the final stages of the
dialogue, Agboyibo said that Burkina Faso president Blaise
Compaore's major achievement was convincing the other two
opposition parties (the UFC and Leopold Gnininvi's CDPA) to
sign. After all other issues had been resolved, the final
point of contention (which Agboyibo characterized as a
deal-breaker) centered on legal requirements regarding
residency and dual-nationality for candidates in the next
presidential election. As currently written, the rules would
rule out Gilchrist Olympio. The UFC and CDPA wanted new rules
written into the agreement; the government and RPT wanted the
new national union government to tackle the issue. Under
pressure from Compaore, the UFC and CDPA caved, Agboyibo
(protect) reported.
5. (C) Comment. Is Agboyibo the best choice to head the
government of national union? Probably not. He appears tired,
and his best days as a politician are probably behind him
(even though, in retrospect, he was ideally suited to chair
the dialogue). Because Faure chose to complete a tour of
European capitals before tackling the issue of naming the new
government and is seen as having dragged his feet, this has
emerged as a bigger issue than it needed to be. The
mini-controversy will favor Agboyibo's chances as a
compromise candidate, especially given his success with the
dialogue. End Comment.
DUNN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2011
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EAID PINR TOGO'>TO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH TOGOLESE NATIONAL
DIALOGUE CHAIRMAN AGBOYIBO
REF: A. LOME 800
B. LOME 798
Classified By: Amb. David B. Dunn. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
1. (SBU) Ambassador welcomed TOGOlese opposition party leader
and chairman of the recently concluded national political
dialogue Yawovi Agboyibo at the residence September 10 for an
hour long, one-on-one meeting. An attorney by profession,
Agboyibo is president of the Action Committee for Renewal
(CAR) party, one of the three main opposition parties in
TOGO. He was selected by fellow participants earlier this
year to chair the national dialogue process. His patient,
lawyerly approach undoubtedly contributed to the ultimate
success of the dialogue, reflected in unanimous agreement on
a comprehensive political agreement on August 22 (refs). We
meet with Agboyibo every couple of months to review
developments. Like most TOGOlese politicians, he is
pro-American; the day after this meeting, September 11, he
attended a memorial event held at the residence.
2. (C) The question of who would be appointed prime minister
in the national union government (a key provision in the
comprehensive political agreement) was uppermost on
Agboyibo's mind. He clearly would be happy to have the job
but recognizes that the UFC party of Gilchrist Olympio is the
opposition's 700 pound gorilla. At the same time, the UFC's
more radical posture, compounded by personality problems,
make the issue of a prime minister coming from UFC ranks
problematic. Agboyibo observed candidly that the greater the
tensions between the UFC and the ruling RPT, the greater his
own chances of emerging as the compromise candidate. Agboyibo
deemed it unlikely that President Faure would retain the
current prime minister, Edem Kodjo, who heads a party that
agreed to cooperate with the RPT following Faure's disputed
election in 2005. Although he did not think the nomination of
Kodjo would bring opposition youth onto the street, as some
have speculated, he said it was unlikely any of the three
main opposition parties would agree to join a Kjo-headed
government, putting at risk Faure's reform agenda (and
therefore reengagement with the donor community). For these
reasons, Agboyibo considered Kodgo's reappointment unlikely.
3. (C) Agboyibo expressed misgivings over a realignment of
the magistrate corps announced the previous week by the GOT,
which he said reflected Kodjo's accomodationist posture
vis-a-vis RPT hardliners. The move was important because the
magistrates will have an influential role in the local
election committees that will organize next year's
legislative elections, the second key focus of the
comprehensive political agreement. He said he hoped the
national union government would be able to make changes to
the new line-up of magistrates.
4. (C) Asked about dynamics during the final stages of the
dialogue, Agboyibo said that Burkina Faso president Blaise
Compaore's major achievement was convincing the other two
opposition parties (the UFC and Leopold Gnininvi's CDPA) to
sign. After all other issues had been resolved, the final
point of contention (which Agboyibo characterized as a
deal-breaker) centered on legal requirements regarding
residency and dual-nationality for candidates in the next
presidential election. As currently written, the rules would
rule out Gilchrist Olympio. The UFC and CDPA wanted new rules
written into the agreement; the government and RPT wanted the
new national union government to tackle the issue. Under
pressure from Compaore, the UFC and CDPA caved, Agboyibo
(protect) reported.
5. (C) Comment. Is Agboyibo the best choice to head the
government of national union? Probably not. He appears tired,
and his best days as a politician are probably behind him
(even though, in retrospect, he was ideally suited to chair
the dialogue). Because Faure chose to complete a tour of
European capitals before tackling the issue of naming the new
government and is seen as having dragged his feet, this has
emerged as a bigger issue than it needed to be. The
mini-controversy will favor Agboyibo's chances as a
compromise candidate, especially given his success with the
dialogue. End Comment.
DUNN