Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DARESSALAAM126
2007-01-26 03:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Cable title:  

AU CHAIRMANSHIP: PRESIDENT KIKWETE WILLING TO STEP

Tags:  AF PREL TZ 
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VZCZCXRO9033
PP RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDR #0126 0260354
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 260354Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5416
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 3120
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY 2472
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 2915
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0044
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI PRIORITY 0897
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE PRIORITY 0499
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0275
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0458
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0182
RUEHPL/AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS PRIORITY 1186
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 000126 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF/E FOR BYODER, AF/RSA FOR MBITTRICK
ADDIS FOR AU MISSION
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017
TAGS: AF PREL TZ
SUBJECT: AU CHAIRMANSHIP: PRESIDENT KIKWETE WILLING TO STEP
UP, IF ASKED

REF: A. STATE 08022

B. KAMPALA 0145

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission D. Purnell Delly for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 000126

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF/E FOR BYODER, AF/RSA FOR MBITTRICK
ADDIS FOR AU MISSION
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017
TAGS: AF PREL TZ
SUBJECT: AU CHAIRMANSHIP: PRESIDENT KIKWETE WILLING TO STEP
UP, IF ASKED

REF: A. STATE 08022

B. KAMPALA 0145

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission D. Purnell Delly for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) A source at the State House close to President Jakaya
Kikwete told the Deputy Chief of Mission the evening of
January 24 that Kikwete would accept the chairmanship of the
African Union (AU) "if asked" and if "requisite support"
existed. At the same time, our contact added that Tanzania
seemed to be on a "collision course" with the Government of
Sudan (GOS) for several reasons. First and foremost,
President Kikwete had been perhaps the most vocal opponent of
President Bashir's chairmanship at the AU Summit in January
2006; if Kikwete were now offered and accepted this position,
he would appear to have voiced such opposition in part to
position himself to assume the presidency this year.


2. (C) Moreover, in the recent past, there have been other
diplomatic "skirmishes" between Tanzania and Sudan.
President Bashir's government, for example, wanted the
African Court of Justice to be in Sudan, but it went to
Tanzania. Sudan also wanted a Sudanese to be named as
Secretary General of the Great Lakes Regional secretariat

SIPDIS
based in Bujumbura, but that position was awarded to the
former chief of the Multilateral Division of Tanzania's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),Ambassador Liberata
Mulamula, in December 2006. Thus, a Kikwete candidacy will
be difficult for Sudan and for other African countries
supporting President Bashir to readily accept.


3. (SBU) In separate discussions January 24 with Nelson
Lymio, the MFA's Acting Head of the African Division,
PolCouns learned only that Tanzania does not consider
President Bashir's track record over the past 12 months on
Darfur and on other key issues to warrant his stepping into
the AU chairmanship. Lymio declined to suggest or intimate
whether a compromise candidate from another East African
nation was being considered.

Comment
--------------

4. (C) President Kikwete appears to be preparing to leave for
the AU Summit in Addis Ababa on January 29, one day earlier
than originally planned, perhaps for side meetings to test
the waters on whether indeed there would be adequate support
among other African heads of state for his candidacy as the
AU chair.
RETZER