PM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ELECTIONS DURING AMBASSADOR'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 001245

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: PM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ELECTIONS DURING AMBASSADOR'S
COURTESY CALL



1. SUMMARY. (SBU) In the Ambassador,s initial courtesy
call on the prime minister, Kouyate was relaxed and upbeat.
He was optimistic about progress on elections and said that
he expects the CENI decree to be signed before the end of
November. However, Kouyate noted that USG assistance for
training to the CENI and for addressing the $19 million
elections budget shortfall would be welcome. In a separate,
unplanned side meeting, the Ministry of Youth and Culture
complained about his treatment during a recent visa
interview. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate warmly welcomed
Ambassador Carter in his office on November 14 for the
Ambassador,s initial courtesy call. Having already met each
other in Washington when the Ambassador was the AF/W
Director, Kouyate was noticeably comfortable and eager to
engage in an open, friendly discussion. Kouyate,s Chief of
Staff, Mme. Macauley Alfia Diallo, and poloff also attended
the meeting, which was followed by a brief, on camera press
interview.

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CENI BEFORE THE END OF NOVEMBER
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3. (SBU) Kouyate was optimistic about Guinea,s delayed
elections and said that everything is moving forward. He
noted that with President Conte,s recent signature of the
law authorizing the creation of the National Independent
Electoral Commission (CENI ) see reftel),he expects the
CENI decree, which approves the nominations of 25 CENI
members, to be signed before the end of November. Kouyate
said he had talked to President Conte the day before and is
sure that &everything will advance.8 He added that if the
President does not sign the decree within a few weeks,
Kouyate will sign it himself.


4. (SBU) The prime minister emphasized that the elections
cannot move forward without the CENI officially in place. He
acknowledged recent criticism with respect to technical teams
from the European Union who came to Guinea to begin the first
stage of the EU elections assistance project, but were
prevented from conducting their mission because the CENI had
not yet been established. Kouyate said that failure to
ensure CENI oversight of critical election processes could
potentially open the door to disputes over election results.
Kouyate added that he wants to ensure that the elections are
free and fair ) &the best in Africa,8 he said.

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POLITICAL PARTIES READY, BUT CIVIL SOCIETY DIVIDED
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5. (SBU) In response to the Ambassador,s inquiry about
relations with the individual political parties, Kouyate said
that the parties are not a problem and that they are ready to
move forward on elections. He noted that he had some
difficulty with them previously when certain opposition
parties could not agree on their CENI nominees, but that the
problem has since been resolved. However, Kouyate said that
there are currently some difficulties with the unions and
civil society, which he said are increasingly divided. He
added that he has been talking to them regularly in order to
try and resolve some of the issues.

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AREAS FOR USG ASSISTANCE
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6. (SBU) The Ambassador asked Kouyate what the USG could do
to assist with elections, noting that some financial
assistance has already been identified. Kouyate said that
training for the CENI is absolutely critical. In addition,
he noted that the Government of Guinea needs help addressing
the $19 million elections budget shortfall, a figure that did
not include CENI operating costs.


7. (SBU) Kouyate also mentioned the military as an area
where USG assistance could be particularly useful, especially
with respect to equipment and training. He added that with
the GoG,s recent efforts to provide troops to ECOWAS,
assistance is needed more than ever.


8. (SBU) Before closing the meeting, the Ambassador
encouraged Kouyate to consider his government,s public
relations campaign, noting that Kouyate has several concrete
accomplishments that should be more broadly publicized.
Kouyate said he is working on it, but his main priority is to
focus on successful results first and talking about them
second.

CONAKRY 00001245 002 OF 002



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MINISTER OF YOUTH MAD ABOUT A VISA
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9. (SBU) While waiting for the meeting with the prime
minister, the Minister of Youth and Culture, Baidi Aribot,
entered the waiting room and told the Ambassador that he had
a complaint he wanted to discuss. Without even a cursory
greeting, he launched into a twenty minute oratory regarding
his treatment at the U.S. Embassy during a visa interview.
The Minister complained that he had to wait for nearly 45
minutes in the same room as all the other visa applicants.
He said that he was not asking that U.S. law be applied
differently to him, but that he should be treated differently
because of his rank. The Ambassador emphasized that the USG
has strict requirements, but that he would review Embassy
receiving procedures. (COMMENT ) The overall tone of the
meeting was decidedly negative. USAID reports that at a
separate function during which the Minister was supposed to
participate, he showed up 90 minutes late, and once there,
chastized the organizers for doing the event outside in the
heat. END COMMENT).

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COMMENT
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10. (SBU) Kouyate was relaxed and up beat about his
government,s general progress. He was eager to receive the
Ambassador and had actually called a break to his cabinet
meeting in order to do so. As an initial courtesy call, the
meeting went very smoothly, which bodes well for future
meetings, which will focus on tougher questions and issues.
END COMMENT.
CARTER