AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON PRIME MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MASERU 000261

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/2/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV KICC KHIV LT
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON PRIME MINISTER

REF: MASERU 242 AND PREVIOUS

CLASSIFIED BY: June Carter Perry, Ambassador, EXEC , STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



CLASSIFIED BY: June Carter Perry, Ambassador, EXEC , STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



Summary
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1. (C) Ambassador called on Prime Minister Mosisili May 31
prior to his departure for the UNGASS on AIDS. The agenda
included Article 98 Agreement status which is awaiting Cabinet
review; positions on Iran, Iraq and democratic growth; HIV/AIDS,
education and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). The
revealing of his cautious manner was not surprising, but
reported admission of lack of knowledge on major bilateral
issues such as the MCA was surprising. Mosisili apologized for
the delayed meeting, expressed his thanks to the U.S. for aid
across the board and stated he awaited a full legal briefing on
Article 98 during a June 13 Cabinet meeting. Hesitancy on
Iran's status at the NAM revealed Lesotho's continuing
hesitation on taking hard positions among NAM nations. He
supported looking "forward" regarding Iraq's recent government
and supported a democratic process in Lesotho itself. His
professed lack of detail on major issues demonstrated
communications gaps between ministries, hesitancy of ministers
in presenting a full picture to the PM on several key matters or
possible dissembling. Also participating were POLOFF Dornburg
(notetaker) and the GOL's A/Minister of Foreign Affairs Mrs.
Mpeo Mahase. End Summary.

Article 98 Agreement Status
--------------


2. (C) Following courtesy points, including the PM's apologies
for a day's delay in our meeting, we questioned him on Article

98. (Note: We were called late May 26 by FOMIN Moleleki
reporting there was no legal problem with the draft agreement.
He said he had so advised the PM and said the head of government
agreed to approve. The Acting Attorney General (A/AG) had
called Ambassador earlier to affirm he had presented the opinion
of the Hague to the Government. End Note.).


3. (C) The Ambassador told the PM, as had been frankly put to
the FOMIN (see reftels) that a request for assistance to Lesotho
had already been denied because of Lesotho's high profile as a
non-signatory nation, particularly among the 100 plus nations
that have already signed. The PM's reaction was that such a
linkage could be so "blunt." I reminded him, as his government
has been aware for some time, that Congress had dictated certain
reactions and that many proposals were reviewed by interagency
committees. If Lesotho continued to "stick out" as the FOMIN
had put it, the country would be an obvious one to be omitted.
Furthermore, it would be beneficial to both countries, if high
level visits were indeed desired, to deal speedily with any
outstanding issues. The PM admitted that such visits were
desirable from his point of view (including a high-level New
York or Washington trip he would like to have) and that
"hurdles" should be overcome. He was reminded that we would
like to see him receive a warmer welcome whenever he traveled to
the U.S. and an Article 98 Agreement would help ensure that,
particularly as so many countries in the SADC region had already
signed. I reminded him this could be a quiet, low key event,
but one important to continued, beneficial relations in the
future. He agreed and said he anticipated the June 13 Cabinet
briefing. (Comment: Per the FOMIN, the PM has already been
told that there is no contradiction between the draft version
and ICC "language." This suggests either dissembling on one
side or the other as the PM consistently referred to awaiting
the A/AG's presentation. End Comment.)

Iran, Iraq, Democracy
--------------


4. (C) Ambassador advised the PM that our position on the NAM's
proposed declaration on Iran had been presented to FOMIN
Moleleki (the GOL representative at the NAM conference) prior to
his departure for Malaysia. We reviewed the points again. The
PM demurred, saying he was not as up to date on the situation of
Iran as he should be and had not had the opportunity to discuss
the issue with the FOMIN. However, he questioned the disparity
he perceived between the West's acceptance of some countries'
possession of nuclear capability and that of Iran. The
Ambassador pointed out that nuclear development for energy
(e.g., in South Africa and France) had been accepted and the
President's recent visit to India had underscored that stance.

MASERU 00000261 002 OF 003


Regarding Iraq, the Ambassador referred to the Secretary's
statement on the establishment of a government there and
requested acknowledgment of democratic progress in that nation.
The PM nodded, and then began a long monologue on the importance
of democracy. We observed the coming together of various ethnic
groups in Iraq as a positive development and emphasized the
importance of moving forward.


5. (C) The PM said he wished for comity among all the political
groups in Lesotho and that he was in full agreement with our
emphasis on forward movement. He said Lesotho must have
tranquil circumstances in which to ensure its economic and
political future. We briefly noted that in American history,
there had been disagreements successfully overcome and
acceptance by citizens of the final outcome either of elections
or court decisions without destabilization of the society.
Mosisili asserted that was his deepest desire for Lesotho -- a
stable, democratic country. We agreed and observed that with
Lesotho taking the SADC helm, it should stand out as a model of
progress and positive developments should be made known to the
public as stakeholders.

Millennium Challenge Update
--------------


6. (C) The PM leapt on the issue of public perception saying
there had been much publicity in early 2004 before the
Ambassador's arrival about the Millennium Challenge Account and
he claimed USG assistance to build the Metalong Dam had been
abandoned. I took the opportunity to brief the PM on the fact
that all dam projects required environmental and social impact
assessment studies in countries around the world. Once his own
interministerial committee (led by the FOMIN and the Minister of
Finance) realized a study could take 9-12 months, the GOL
decided to work on a more limited proposal, but depending on the
study's outcome, there remained the potential for U.S. funding
of the dam. Our understanding from the Minister of Finance was
that the proposal would come before Cabinet soon (June 13). We
encouraged the PM to make sure that all proposal papers were in
to Washington on time so that the due diligence process could
begin by July at the latest in order to look at a potential
compact before the end of the year, assuming the MCC Board
approved Lesotho's submission.

HIV/AIDS, UNGASS, Education
-------------- -


7. (C) The Ambassador informed the PM that First Lady Mrs.
Laura Bush would lead the USDEL to UNGASS and congratulated him
and his wife on the public stance they had taken to make the
AIDs battle a priority in Lesotho. Mosisili thanked the U.S.
for its help (we had told him PEPFAR had not been present
previously, but had now tripled funds in country). He observed
the ongoing need for human and material resources. We
highlighted our efforts to have all USG and U.S. private
organizations work in concert with Basotho partners, otherwise
sustainability would not exist. Mosisili fully agreed,
especially with our suggestion that we have U.S. clinicians work
side-by-side for 6 months to 2 years training as well as
treating to make every effort a lasting one. We noted our
regular one-on-one meetings with the Minister of Health to help
resolve any cross-cultural or technical problems. (Comment: The
Health Minister is a relative of the PM and seems to tell him
everything in detail. End Comment.) We thanked the PM for his
attention and his wife's to education; Mrs. Mosisili is helping
us launch rotating libraries across the country, including in
isolated rural, mountainous areas. The PM (who was an exchange
student in the U.S.) said he could not overemphasize the
importance of U.S. book donations. The meeting ended on that
high note with Mosisili saying he appreciated hearing U.S. views
before he traveled to New York and indicated his interest in
future high-level visits to New York and Washington. The
Ambassador responded that we wanted to overcome any "hurdles"
that might hinder the warmest welcome possible should any
opportunities come to fruition.

Comment
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8. (C) We found the sometimes dour PM in a rather upbeat mood
(for him). His dancing around the Article 98 legalities seems
to us to reflect, perhaps, lingering doubts or lack of full
disclosure by the Foreign Minister who accuses the PM's son ("a
drunk" in Moleleki's words) of undoing opinions the FOMIN
assumes are fully agreed. It is important to remember the
rivalry between the PM and the FOMIN, the stakes of pending 2007
elections and the slippery character of both these men. They
are politicians above all else. At the same time, as we have
previously reported, PM Mosisili is still in "a liberation frame
of mind." We have made it clear that diplomacy requires
"realpolitick," not procrastination. His misperception of the

MASERU 00000261 003 OF 003


MCA was surprising; the Minister of Finance has told us
repeatedly that he briefs the PM (and Cabinet) on the state of
play. Either that is not true or the PM made up his line on the
MCC's "abandonment." Regarding Article 98, the A/AG called
Ambassador just days before our call on the PM to say he had
briefed the Government on our consistency of views. Was this
not communicated to the PM by the FOMIN? Was the FOMIN's late
Friday call to us to say the PM "agreed" to move ahead a ruse?
We do not have the full answer yet. The FOMIN should return
from Asia and New York soon and we will obtain his side of the
story. One thing is clear, the PM wants to have high-level
dialogue with the USG and desires continued support in training,
health and other areas. He also wants Lesotho to be regarded
still as an AU and AMIS player on the continent and by the
international community. We will continue to say that positive
perceptions can only be maintained through active leadership in
the arenas of security and democracy. End Comment.
PERRY