TFGV01: SITREP 42: GUINEA UNREST, FEB. 15, 2007,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000183 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR GUINEA TASK FORCE, AF/W, AF/EX, CA/OCS, DS/IP/AF PLEASE ALSO PASS TO AID/AFR, PEACE CORPS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2017 TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC ELAB PINS AEMR GV SUBJECT: TFGV01: SITREP 42: GUINEA UNREST, FEB. 15, 2007, 1715 GMT REF: CONAKRY 181 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Public Affairs Officer Andrew McLean, Reasons 1.4 (b,d) -------------- Situation on the Ground -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The streets are calm downtown this afternoon. There are fewer gun shots heard in the neighborhoods than there have been in recent days, but there is still occasional random gunfire, largely firing in the air by military forces in an effort to keep the population quiescent. There is more vehicular traffic during the non-curfew hours than there has been recently and there have been a smaller number of military patrols. Anecdotal evidence points to a very small handful of produce stalls open. ¶2. (SBU) The milair flight scheduled for this afternoon arrived at about 1610, loaded its 48 passengers (details provided by e-mail to Dakar and Department) and departed at ¶1741. -------------- Diplomatic Update -------------- ¶3. (SBU) At his meeting with Foreign Minister Conde this afternoon, Ambassador confirmed that several regional diplomatic initiatives that have taken place since yesterday or are upcoming: -- Yesterday, current ECOWAS Chair President Blaise Compaore sent Minister of African Integration Somdu Jean de Dieu to meet with Guinean officials in the lead-up to the France-Africa summit in Cannes. -- Ivorian President Gbagbo also sent a representative, Kadep Bertin, who was accompanied by Mario Giro of the Congress of the Sant' Egidio. -- Guinea is expecting former Nigerian President Babangida on Saturday, Feb. 17. ECOWAS SecGen Chambas will accompany Babangida. -- Finally, although no date has been sent, the Foreign Minister is expecting Liberian President Ellen Johns Sirleaf and Sierra Leonian President Tejan Kabbah in the near term. -------------- Political Update -------------- ¶4. (C) The Ambassador is meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Justice to check on the status of the investigation of killings during the strike of June 2006 and January 2007. He will meet subsequently with Finance Minister Madikaba Camara. He will be making similar points as made to the PM and General Kerfalla as well (Conakry 179, 180). ¶5. (C) The meeting between the government of Guinea and union leaders is expected to take place this afternoon. Many union leaders will attend the meeting though they express fear that it may be a trap, and doubt that much can be accomplished. One spokesperson has said that a precondition for further talks is the lifting of the state of siege and cessation of killings by security forces. -------------- Mission Operations -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Post was able to send a vehicle and officers to a local grocery store, where they filled orders for basic foodstuffs for distribution to our official staff. Embassy employees will be able to stock up on basic food items. ¶7. (C) About 800 pounds of classified pouch arrived on the milair flight from Dakar. ¶8. (C) In consultation with Peace Corps Washington, Peace Corps Conakry has decided to suspend operations in Guinea. Coniditons do not currently permit the retunr of the 103 volunteers now in training in Mali; we do not know when that might be possible. Those who has time left on their assignments will be sent "TDY" to new assignments. If time CONAKRY 00000183 002 OF 002 permits, they will return o/a June, when they will be joined by a new intake of education volunteers. The local Pecae Corps office will remain open and minimally staffed. MCDONALD