LIBYA LOOKING TO FINANCE MAURITANIAN POLITICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000665 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR SUBJECT: LIBYA LOOKING TO FINANCE MAURITANIAN POLITICAL PARTIES Classified By: Amb. Joseph LeBaron, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) On May 30, National Democratic Institute (NDI) North African Regional Director Gerard Latulippe briefed Ambassador on the status of NDI's efforts to help Mauritania prepare for elections (septel). During the meeting, Latulippe said that while in a hotel in Tripoli three weeks earlier, he happened upon Mohamed Ould Dellahi, president of the political party coalition, Bloc for Change. ¶2. (C) Dellahi reluctantly told Latulippe that he and other key Mauritanian political figures were in Tripoli at the invitation of the Libyan government, to discuss funding for their political campaigns for the coming elections. Latulippe told Ambassador that he later saw several other Mauritanian political party leaders, but didn't have a chance to speak with them. ¶3. (C) Dellahi's admission follows weeks of rumors about Libya's potential role in Mauritania's elections. Suspicion began after several political party leaders met Libyan officials in Timbuktu, Mali on April 11 during the Id el-Mawlud el-Nebewi (the celebration of Prophet Mohamed's birthday). Several weeks later, the political party coalition, Rally of the Forces for Progress (a catchall coalition of six minor parties),claimed that several larger parties were receiving financial support from the Libyans (in violation of Mauritanian law) and called on the Mauritanian authorities to take action. ¶4. (C) Embassy comment. Libya has a history of financial involvement in the region's political affairs, including in the past elections in Mali and Niger, and their involvement here comes as no surprise. But their role is worrisome. Mauritania's political transition is still quite fragile, and Mauritania's inexperienced political parties are quite susceptible to external influence. Post will follow Tripoli's moves and report any developments. End comment. LeBaron