SENIOR MINISTER GADIO'S HOLIDAY MESSAGE TO THE SECRETARY:

UNCLAS DAKAR 000129 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR S/ES-CR, DRL/AE, INR/AA, AF/RSA AND AF/W NSC FOR AF SENIOR DIRECTOR PITTMAN PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC PREL PHUM KDEM SG SUBJECT: SENIOR MINISTER GADIO'S HOLIDAY MESSAGE TO THE SECRETARY: GOVERNMENT READY FOR ELECTIONS? ¶1. (U) On January 16, the Embassy received a copy of a letter from Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs Cheikh Tidiane Gadio to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. An unofficial translation follows. Begin text. Republic of Senegal Minister of Foreign Affairs Office of the Senior Minister Dakar, January 10, 2007 Dear Madam Secretary and Dear Friend, It was with great pleasure that I received your best wishes for Eid Al-Adha. Those underscore, if it were necessary, the esteem and the interest that the American Government and people have for the Senegalese people and Government. Please be reassured that the Government of Senegal has taken all necessary measures to hold free, fair and democratic presidential and legislative elections in February 2007. In transmitting in turn my wishes for health, personal happiness and continued success in your functions, please accept, Madam Secretary, my renewed assurances of my highest consideration. /S/ Cheikh Tidiane Gadio Her Excellency Ms. Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State SIPDIS Washington. END TEXT. COMMENT -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Senior Minister Gadio's letter was written two days before that Council of State invalidated the government's proposed redistricting plan, which led Minister of Interior Ousmane Ngom to announce that the legislative elections might be postponed by up to three months. The same opposition parties that took the redistricting plan to the Council of State are now challenging the election delay in court. Politicians, lawyers and observers have asserted that there is no need to postpone the elections since only district boundaries and not candidacies are in play. Many observers believe that the blatant disregard for "one person, one vote" was intentional and was designed to provide the Government an excuse to postpone the legislative elections in which President Wade's party may face an uphill battle. ¶3. (SBU) While the Embassy cannot be certain of the Government's motives, we agree that postponing the legislative elections is not necessary. The more serious issue is that approximately 60 percent of registered voters have yet to receive their voter registration cards. END COMMENT. JACKSON