Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CONAKRY179
2007-02-14 16:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:  

TFGV01: STRAIGHT TALK TO PRIME MINISTER AND

Tags:  PGOV PINS AEMR GV 
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DE RUEHRY #0179/01 0451639
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O 141639Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0650
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
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RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
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).

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