Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NOUAKCHOTT1363
2006-11-28 12:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nouakchott
Cable title:  

CHARGE INTRODUCTORY CAL ON COL. VALL

Tags:  PREL PGOV EAID EFIN KDEM MR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0029
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNKA #1363 3321220
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE3102 3321208
P 281220Z NOV 06 (508)
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 001363 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EFIN KDEM MR
SUBJECT: CHARGE INTRODUCTORY CAL ON COL. VALL


CLASSIFIED BY: CDA CHARLES H. TWINING. REASONS: 1.4 (B),(D)

-----------
(C) SUMMARY
-----------

-- IN HIS INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MILITARY COUNCIL LEADER VALL,
CHARGE PRAISED THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THE NOVEMBER 19
ELECTIONS WERE CONDUCTED.

-- VALL LAID OUT HIS VISION OF A MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRATIC
SYSTEM, AND SAID HE EXPECTS THE MILITARY TO RETURN TO THE
BARRACKS ONCE THE TRANSITION IS COMPLETE. HE DID LEAVE OPEN
THE QUESTION OF THE MILITARY INTERVENING AGAIN IF THE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS GOES OFF TRACK.

-- VALL STRESSED THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE FOR MAURITANIA FOR
CONTINUED CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. AND ASKED THAT THE
USG "LOOK TO THE FUTURE" WHEN ASSESSING ITS RELATIONS WITH
MAURITANIA.

------------
(C) COMMENTS
------------

-- VALL APPEARED EXTREMELY RELAXED AND WAS OBVIOUSLY
SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS.

-- WHILE HIS COMMENTS INDICATE THAT HE HAS GIVEN CONSIDERABLE
THOUGHT TO MAURITANIA'S DEMOCRATIC EVOLUTION, THE MILITARY'S
NEW ROLE STILL NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR.

END SUMMARY AND COMMENTS.

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 001363

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EFIN KDEM MR
SUBJECT: CHARGE INTRODUCTORY CAL ON COL. VALL


CLASSIFIED BY: CDA CHARLES H. TWINING. REASONS: 1.4 (B),(D)

--------------
(C) SUMMARY
--------------

-- IN HIS INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MILITARY COUNCIL LEADER VALL,
CHARGE PRAISED THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THE NOVEMBER 19
ELECTIONS WERE CONDUCTED.

-- VALL LAID OUT HIS VISION OF A MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRATIC
SYSTEM, AND SAID HE EXPECTS THE MILITARY TO RETURN TO THE
BARRACKS ONCE THE TRANSITION IS COMPLETE. HE DID LEAVE OPEN
THE QUESTION OF THE MILITARY INTERVENING AGAIN IF THE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS GOES OFF TRACK.

-- VALL STRESSED THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE FOR MAURITANIA FOR
CONTINUED CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. AND ASKED THAT THE
USG "LOOK TO THE FUTURE" WHEN ASSESSING ITS RELATIONS WITH
MAURITANIA.

--------------
(C) COMMENTS
--------------

-- VALL APPEARED EXTREMELY RELAXED AND WAS OBVIOUSLY
SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS.

-- WHILE HIS COMMENTS INDICATE THAT HE HAS GIVEN CONSIDERABLE
THOUGHT TO MAURITANIA'S DEMOCRATIC EVOLUTION, THE MILITARY'S
NEW ROLE STILL NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR.

END SUMMARY AND COMMENTS.


1. (U) CHARGE MADE AN INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MILITARY COUNCIL
FOR JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY (CMJD) PRESIDENT COL. ELY OULD
MOHAMED VALL ON NOVEMBER 23, ACCOMPANIED BY DCM. NO ONE ELSE
WAS PRESENT ON THE MAURITANIAN SIDE, AND THE MEETING WAS HELD
IN VALL'S PRIVATE OFFICE.

--------------
VALL'S VISION OF THE FUTURE
--------------


2. (C) VALL BEGAN THE DISCUSSION BY GIVING FOUR ELEMENTS
NECESSARY TO HAVE A STABLE DEMOCRACY IN MAURITANIA.


3. (C) THE FIRST IS THE QUESTION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY.
MAURITANIANS MUST SEE THEMSELVES AS CITIZENS OF MAURITANIA,
AND NOT IDENTIFY THEMSELVES BY TRIBE OR ETHNIC GROUP. NOTING
THAT TRIBAL AND ETHNIC ISSUES CROSS BORDERS, MAURITANIA WOULD
BE DRAGGED INTO PROBLEMS "GOING ALL THE WAY TO ZAIRE" IF
MAURITANIA CANNOT PUT ITS NATIONAL INTERESTS FIRST. HE
ADMITTED THERE WAS STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE TO ENSURE ALL
MAURITANIANS HAVE THEIR FULL RIGHTS.


4. (C) SECOND, DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS MUST BE STRENGTHENED,
MOST IMPORTANTLY THE PEOPLES' RIGHT TO CHANGE THEIR
GOVERNMENT, IN ORDER TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF ONE-PARTY STATES
AND MILITARY GOVERNMENTS.


5. (C) THIRD, POLITICAL PARTIES NEED TO BE BASED ON PLATFORMS
AND POSITIONS, RATHER THAN ON PERSONALITIES. HE NOTED THAT
FIVE MAJOR PARTY HEADS WITH WHOM HE RECENTLY MET WERE ALL AT
ONE TIME MEMBERS OF THE FORMER RULING PARTY AND EVEN FORMER
MINISTERS. THEY HAD ONLY RECENTLY JOINED THE OPPOSITION, AND
WERE BENEFITING FROM THE NEW CIRCUMSTANCES. ALL THEY NEED TO
SAY IS "IM FOR CHANGE" WITHOUT TAKING ANY POSITIONS AND GET
VOTES, A POSITION HE CLEARLY FOUND LESS THAN USEFUL.


6. (C) FINALLY, CITIZENS MUST ASSUME THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND
VOTE FOR CANDIDATES WHO WILL CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRESS MADE
AND ESCHEW CANDIDATES (HE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED ISLAMISTS)
WHO ARE OPPORTUNISTIC AND "WILL PUT DEMOCRACY IN DANGER"
THROUGH "ADVENTURISM."

--------------
SATISFIED WITH ELECTION RESULTS
--------------


7. (C) CHARGE PRAISED THE CONDUCT OF THE ELECTIONS. VALL
SAID THAT DESPITE THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE VOTING, THE
ELECTION SUCCEEDED BECAUSE THE PROCESS WAS TRANSPARENT, WHICH
IS THE ONLY WAY TO ELIMINATE FRICTION AND BUILD CONFIDENCE
BETWEEN THE PEOPLE, THE STATE, AND THE POLITICAL PARTIES.
NEUTRALITY WAS A FUNDAMENTAL FACTOR IN THE SUCCESS OF THE
ELECTIONS AS WERE THE INDEPENDENT BODIES SUCH AS THE
ELECTORAL COMMISSION AND THE PRESS AND BROADCAST MEDIA
AUTHORITY. THE PROOF THAT THE ELECTIONS WERE CREDIBLE WAS IN
THE DIVERSE RESULTS: NO PARTY OR GROUP WON AN EXCESSIVELY
LARGE AMOUNT OF VOTES.

--------------
POST-TRANSITION CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS
--------------


8. (C) CHARGE SAID THE ELECTIONS WERE A SIGNIFICANT STEP
FORWARD TO THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC
TRANSITION, AND THAT THE USG IS ALREADY HOPING TO RESTORE
FULL COOPERATION WITH THE NEW ELECTED GOVERNMENT. IN THAT
REGARD, ONE ELEMENT WE WILL BE EXAMINING WILL BE THE
CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONSHIP. CHARGE ASKED VALL'S VIEW ON THE
MILITARY ROLE IN THE NEW DEMOCRACY.


9. (C) NOT RESPONDING DIRECTLY, VALL EXPRESSED HIS LONG-HELD
POSITION THAT THE MILITARY DID NOT CONDUCT THE COUP IN ORDER
TO SEIZE AND HOLD POWER, BUT AS A RESPONSE TO EVENTS THAT
WERE HEADING THE COUNTRY INTO CHAOS. HE ADMITTED, HOWEVER,
THAT THE MILITARY WAS A "PRISONER OF PERCEPTION." HE SAID
RATHER EMPHATICALLY THAT THE MILITARY DOES NOT WANT TO STAY
IN POWER BUT IS READY TO GO BACK TO ITS BARRACKS.


10. (C) THE PRESIDENT WARNED THAT TRUE DEMOCRACY WAS THE ONLY
WAY TO AVOID ANOTHER COUP. "THERE WILL BE CLEAR CONSEQUENCES
IF THE POLITICAL CLASS FALLS BACK INTO THE OLD WAYS. THEN
NOTHING CAN KEEP THE MILITARY OUT."


11. (C) VALL NOTED THAT THE PEOPLE WILL EXPECT TO SEE CLEAR
PROGRESS FROM THE NEW GOVERNMENT. IF THE NEW GOVERNMENT IS
SEEN AS TRYING TO BENEFIT FROM THE SPOILS OF POWER RATHER
THAN WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE, IT WILL CREATE FRUSTRATION AND
DESTABILIZATION. THE TREND OF THE GOVERNMENT BEING ETHICAL
AND USING THE NATIONS WEALTH FOR THE SERVICE OF THE PEOPLE
MUST CONTINUE. THE TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN SEVERAL
STEPS IN GOOD GOVERNANCE, THE PRESIDENT SUGGESTED, ESPECIALLY
IN PROTECTING OIL AND MINING REVENUES. IF THE NEW GOVERNMENT
GOES BACKWARDS, IT ALONE CAN BE BLAMED FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
DEMOCRACY IS THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID INSTABILITY. "THEY MUST
BE SINCERE AND DEMOCRACY IS THE ONLY ANSWER."


12. (C) VALL SAID THE POLITICAL PARTIES MUST ALSO RISE TO THE
OCCASION. HE HAS CONFIDENCE IN THE PEOPLE, WHO CAME OUT IN
MASSIVE NUMBERS TO VOTE -- 73 PCT. THE TURNOUT WAS EXTREMELY
HIGH AMONG WOMEN AND THE YOUNG. WHEN GIVEN A REAL CHOICE,
THEY WILL MAKE THE CORRECT CHOICE.

--------------
U.S.-MAURITANIA RELATIONS
--------------


13. (C) CHARGE PURSUED THE QUESTION OF FUTURE EXPANSION OF
BILATERAL COOPERATION. VALL SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THE USG AND AU
POSITIONS ON THE COUP AS ONES OF PRINCIPLE AND LEGAL
FRAMEWORKS. HOWEVER, CLOSE RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. IS A
STRATEGIC DECISION FOR MAURITANIA GIVEN OUR CONTINUING SHARED
ECONOMIC AND SECURITY CONCERNS. THEREFORE THE U.S. MUST LOOK
TO THE FUTURE IN ITS RELATIONS. MAURITANIA WILL CHANGE
PROFOUNDLY IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD. COUNTRIES THAT
HAVE SHARED STRATEGIC INTERESTS MUST HAVE GOOD RELATIONS WITH
THE U.S. IN TURN, THE UNITED STATES MUST CONTINUE TO HELP
MAURITANIA ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE OF DEMOCRACY IN THE BEST WAY
POSSIBLE. MAURITANIA IS PREPARED TO WORK "IN THE CLOSEST
POSSIBLE COLLABORATION (EN CONCERTATION LA PLUS ABSOLUE)" HE
CONCLUDED.

--------------
MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER
--------------


14. (C) CHARGE PAID AN INTRODUCTORY COURTESY CALL ON PRIME
MINSTER SIDI MOHAMED OULD BOUBACAR LATER ON NOVEMBER 23. PM
BOUBACAR THANKED THE USG FOR ITS SUPPORT FOR MAURITANIA'S
DEBT CANCELLATION UNDER MDRI AND FOR ITS BACKING FOR THE NEW
IMF PROGRAM TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN DECEMBER.
TWINING