NON-ISSUANCE OF U.S. VISA ROILS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

UNCLAS COTONOU 000914

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W (DBANKS)
DEPT FOR CA/VO/L/C (LGAITHER)
DEPT FOR INL/C/CP (JBECKER)
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV CVIS KCOR BN
SUBJECT: NON-ISSUANCE OF U.S. VISA ROILS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

REF: (A) COTONOU 888, (B) COTONOU SAO COT00000KO01, (C)

Becker/Derrick Email 11/26/2007


1. (SBU) Summary: The decision to refer Celestine Adjanohoun's visa
application to the department for a possible 212(f) determination
(Ref B) has roiled the waters of Benin's National Assembly. As
detailed in Ref A, the GOB's State Audit Office (IGE) recently
unveiled a report accusing Adjanohoun of corruption when she was
Executive Director of Benin's Electric Energy Corporation (SBEE).
Due to the referral of Adjanohoun's application to the Department
she was unable to travel to New York City on November 15, 2007 as a
member of Benin's delegation to an Interparliamentary Union (IPU)
Conference. The issue has surfaced in press reports and a group of
deputies in the National Assembly has asked the GOB to determine why
Adjanohoun was not issued a visa. President Yayi called the
Ambassador for more information on November 28. End Summary.

2.(SBU) The GOB's Council of Ministers (equivalent to the USG
Cabinet) made extracts from the IGE's report public on November 12,

2007. The consular section received Adjanohoun's application, along
with those of the other deputies traveling with her, on November 13,

2007. Post confirmed that Adjanohoun still intended to travel
despite the situation and then sent a Security Advisory Opinion
(SAO) request electronically (Ref B). At the time, the Consul
advised the GOB's Protocol Office, which was arranging the visa,
that Anjanohoun's case would be delayed for administrative
processing in Washington, and that post could not estimate how long
the process might take. This was the last communication the GOB
made directly with the consular section regarding the case.

3.(SBU) After the return of the rest of the Beninese delegation from
the IPU conference the issue of the non-issuance of a visa to
Adjanohoun started to receive press attention. On November 26, a
group of 20 deputies tabled a parliamentary question asking for the
GOB to determine the reasons Adjanohoun was not issued a visa. The
thrust of the deputies' complaint is that Adjanohoun should retain a
presumption of innocence until she is convicted of a crime.
According to a credible source many deputies believe President Yayi
asked Post to refuse Adjanohoun's visa.

4.(SBU) President Yayi telephoned the Ambassador on November 29 to
discuss a separate issue and then asked the Ambassador if Post had
refused Adjanohoun's application. The Ambassador responded that
Adjanohoun's visa application was not refused and that it was
referred to the Department for further processing under U.S. laws.


5. (SBU) Comment: While the deputies' point that Adjanohoun should
retain the presumption of innocence until a conviction is well
taken, she could retain that presumption indefinitely, regardless of
her acts, if her parliamentary immunity is not lifted. Post is
currently gathering more information about Adjanohoun's acts to
respond to the Department's request for more information (Ref C) to
make the 212(f) determination. End Comment.

BROWN