TFGV01: STRAIGHT TALK TO PRIME MINISTER AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000179 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR AF, AF/W TREASURY FOR OFFICE OF AFRICAN NATIONS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINS AEMR GV SUBJECT: TFGV01: STRAIGHT TALK TO PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER Classified By: Ambassador Jackson McDonald. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On February 14, the U.S., French, British, and German ambassadors as well as the EC head of delegation and U.N. resident representative met with Prime Minister Eugene Camara and Foreign Minister Mamady Conde for two hours. The exchange was unprecedentedly frank and potentially productive. ¶2. (C) The six chiefs of mission all spoke, expressing grave concern over the recent unrest in Guinea, the declaration of a state of siege, the abrogation of civil liberties, and the killing of civilians by the military and other security forces. They called for restraint on the part of the military and security forces, the lifting of the state of siege before the end of the 12-day period, and the restoration of full civilian rule. They reiterated demands for credible investigations into the civilian deaths during the June 2006 and January 2007 general strikes as well as under the current state of siege. The Ambassador said he hoped Guinean military and government officials realized that they could be held personally accountable for any grave violations of human rights. ¶3. (C) In response, Prime Minister Camara said he shared our concerns, saying no one wants to see his country in flames and blood. He asserted that political unrest, looting, and killing had necessitated the declaration of a state of siege to restore order. Referring to President Conte's statement to the nation, the Prime Minister claimed that the government had done its utmost to fulfill its side of the January 27 strike settlement. He alleged that the general strike had been taken over by "ill-intentioned parties." He claimed to have received unconfirmed reports of armed men infiltrating into Guinea from the rebel-held zone in Cote d'Ivoire. He maintained that investigations into recent strike-related killings were proceeding apace. He said he had plans to renew political dialogue. ¶4. (C) After an hour of polite, but unproductive, discussion, the Ambassador decided to put the cards on the table. He said that the U.S. is a friend of Guinea and that sometimes friends have to tell friends the plain truth, even if it hurts. He said the Guinean government seems obsessed with the labor unions, but the unions are not the problem; they are simply voicing a much broader set of legitimate popular grievances. The Ambassador said that Guinea is facing a leadership crisis. It is on the verge of becoming a failed state. It is imploding before our eyes. Why? Because for decades successive governments have been unable to transform Guinea's vast potential wealth into a decent standard of living for the people. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador said the government is ineffectual; worse, it has become profoundly dysfunctional because of a leadership vacuum at the very top. President Conte is no longer up to the job; he is old, sick, out of touch with reality, poorly advised, and easily influenced. Meanwhile, the people are fed up, they cannot take it any longer, and they have now taken to the streets for the first time. They are not asking for much -- just the basic material necessities of life and a glimmer of hope for the future. ¶6. (C) The Ambassador said all Guineans, including the government, have to face the facts. The only way forward is a civilian transition. The constitution provides for such cases (Article 34),but neither the President of the National Assembly nor the President of the Supreme Court has shown the courage necessary to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities. Instead, the problem has festered, and the President of the Republic has used another provision of the constitution to declare a state of siege, thereby resorting the military to restore order. The Ambassador said that the government was trying to treat the symptoms of the disease, not the disease itself. The problem, he said, is a leadership vacuum at the very top. We are witnessing today the final agony of a man and a regime. The government has failed to deliver; the people are on the verge of insurrection; large areas of the country are no long being administered; ethnic factors are coming to the surface; the country could unravel. ¶7. (C) The Ambassador said it is urgent for Guineans of all persuasions to come together. It is imperative to end the state of siege now, to get the soldiers off the streets and back into the barracks, to restore basic freedoms, to restart political dialogue, and to effectuate a civilian transition. CONAKRY 00000179 002 OF 002 ¶8. (C) The French Ambassador, somewhat stunned, said he agreed entirely with his American colleague. He said Guinea is teetering on the edge. He asked the Prime Minister to make a bold gesture. He proposed the formation, without further delay, of a broad-based, care-taker government of national consensus, following immediately by the convening of a national conference bringing together representatives of all sectors of Guinean society. He said it was important for the Prime Minister to send a strong signal to the people that things can and will change. He said Guinea needs "electroshock" treatment. The other chiefs of mission concurred, with some minor variations. ¶9. (C) The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister listened intently. The Prime Minister responded that he has no personal political ambitions, that he is a man of dialogue, and that he wants to get Guinea back on track and moving forward. He said that he intends to reach out to the labor unions, political parties, civil society, and others. ¶10. (C) The U.S. and French ambassadors said that the Prime Minister needs to do so urgently --- even during the state of siege --- in order to have the basic elements of a political process in place when the state of siege ends. ¶11. (C) In closing, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation for our having put the real problems on the table with unprecedented frankness but in the spirit of friendship. He concluded with a plea for help. ¶12. (C) The Ambassador responded that Guinea must take the first step by lifting the state of siege, restarting the political dialogue, and facing the leadership problem head on. MCDONALD