WAITING TO EXHALE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MASERU 000270

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/6/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KICC LT
SUBJECT: WAITING TO EXHALE

REF: MASERU 261 AND PREVIOUS

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




1. (C) As noted reftel, Prime Minister Mosisili promised
Ambassador that he would be briefed on Article 98 at the next
Cabinet meeting (which we had been told by the GOL would be June
13). We learned today, June 6, that the Prime Minister called
for an informal Cabinet meeting, that the decision was taken by
the entire Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister that Lesotho
should sign an agreement with the U.S. on Article 98. In a
meeting with Foreign Minister Moleleki immediately following the
Cabinet session, he stated that a formal memorandum would go
forward for the formal Cabinet meeting to be held June 13. He
said he did not have a bottle of champagne available, but that
we should raise our glasses today.


2. (C) We agreed that the Cabinet assent under the Prime
Minister's chairmanship should be the next to the last step
before we actually sign the agreement, which the Ambassador
handed to the Prime Minister directly during her May 30 call on
him. Unless ill winds blow over the next 7 days, we hope to
have a formal document signed, sealed and delivered during the
week of June 12. Ergo "waiting to exhale."

PERRY