Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CONAKRY282
2007-03-07 10:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:  

GUINEA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER PUSHING THE LIMITS OF

Tags:  PGOV PINR GV 
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VZCZCXRO8230
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0282 0661024
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 071024Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0801
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD/J2//
C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000282 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/17
TAGS: PGOV PINR GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER PUSHING THE LIMITS OF
CHANGE

REF: Conakry 277

Classified by Ambassador Jackson McDonald. Reasons 1.4
(b)and(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000282

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/17
TAGS: PGOV PINR GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER PUSHING THE LIMITS OF
CHANGE

REF: Conakry 277

Classified by Ambassador Jackson McDonald. Reasons 1.4
(b)and(d).


1. (C) On March 6, newly appointed Prime Minister Lansana
Kouyate met with the Ambassador to request PL-480 rice on a
priority basis to help meet Guinea's post-strike food needs
(septel).


2. (C) The Ambassador took advantage of this one-on-one
meeting to ascertain where Kouyate stands on forming a new
government. He asked Kouyate how he planned to reconcile
the people's demand for real change with the
establishment's desire to maintain power and privilege.


3. (C) Without hesitation, Prime Minister Kouyate replied,
"I'm siding with the people; I'm for change." He said that
he did not want the re-appointment of a single minister
from the old government.


4. (C) Kouyate commented that President Lansana Conte had
told him that he wanted to remain Minister of Defense, that
he wanted Jean-Paul Sarr to stay as Minister of
Agriculture, but that Kouyate was free to select the other
ministers. Kouyate said that he had told President Conte
that he was no longer up to the Minister of Defense job.
Conte is now considering three candidates -- all senior
military officers -- for the post. Kouyate said that he
also wanted a new Minister of Agriculture. (Note: Jean-
Paul Sarr, one of President Conte's pals, is involved in
running Conte's large rice farms, but he is a notoriously
incompetent minister.)


5. (C) Kouyate stated that he had submitted two draft
decrees to President Conte, one to dismiss the current
government, the other to establish the new government's
structure. Kouyate wants no more than 18 or 19 ministers,
as opposed to almost 30 now.


6. (C) Kouyate said that he was continuing his
consultations with the labor unions, civil society, the
National Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the
political parties, etc., to build their support for his new
government and to obtain their input on ministerial
candidates. Kouyate noted that he had requested Ousmane
Dore to return to Guinea from the IMF and had convinced a
certain Camara to return from Mexico, where he has been
extremely successful in the agricultural sector.


7. (C) The Ambassador asked how Kouyate will deal with the
old guard, the members of which will undercut him, if
necessary, to preserve their power. Kouyate said the old
guard has been resisting change for almost 50 years and
that their resistance to change has resulted in Guinea's
failed development. Kouyate remarked that it would be
impossible to convince the old guard to change their ways
by words, but it might be possible to gain their support
over time by demonstrating that change is good for Guinea.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


8. (C) Prime Minister Kouyate is consulting broadly within
Guinea and reaching out to the Guinean diaspora. He
clearly wants to bring Guinea into the modern world. He is
trying to ride the wave of popular support for change. He
is betting that he can manage the old guard, including
President Conte.


9. (C) Many observers are predicting, however, that sooner
or later this new Prime Minister will hit the same brick
wall as his predecessors when Conte re-exerts his
presidential prerogatives. Indeed, it remains uncertain
for how long and to what extent President Conte will permit
Prime Minister Kouyate to use his (delegated) powers as
head of government. The difference now, however, is that
the people have taken to the streets for the first time in
Guinea's history to demand change, and they are willing to
mobilize again, if necessary, to achieve it.
MCDONALD