Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07GABORONE1261
2007-10-15 09:19:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Gaborone
Cable title:
BOTSWANA GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO AFRICOM SURVEY
how-toO 150919Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY GABORONE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4537 INFO AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE PRIORITY AMEMBASSY MONROVIA PRIORITY SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
S E C R E T GABORONE 001261
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR D, P, AF, AF/RSA, AF/S AND PM
DOD FOR OSD/ISA/AFR (WHELAN)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR BC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO AFRICOM SURVEY
REF: A. GABORONE 1249 AND PREVIOUS
B. STATE 140052
Classified By: CDA Philip R. Drouin; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
S E C R E T GABORONE 001261
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR D, P, AF, AF/RSA, AF/S AND PM
DOD FOR OSD/ISA/AFR (WHELAN)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR BC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO AFRICOM SURVEY
REF: A. GABORONE 1249 AND PREVIOUS
B. STATE 140052
Classified By: CDA Philip R. Drouin; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S/NF) Mompati Merafhe, Botswana's Minister of Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC),convoked the
Charge (accompanied by ODC Chief) Monday morning October 15
to his office in order to present the GOB's formal reply to
our recent demarche on AFRICOM (Ref A). Minister Merafhe
said, "in principle, Botswana is not adverse to the idea of
hosting AFRICOM." He went on to offer that Botswana "accepts
that it has been short-listed" as a possible hosting site for
AFRICOM. He did recognize that this is not yet a formal USG
offer to situate an AFRICOM element in Botswana, but the GOB
welcomes the visit of the USG assessment/survey team as part
of this ongoing process. "Then the real discussions and
negotiations on this can begin," he added. The Minister
apologized that he had not been able to give us a firm reply
by last Friday, October 12, as he had initially promised (he
did speak with the Ambassador),but he had needed to
coordinate with senior GOB officials and the President was
away from Gaborone.
2. (S/NF) The Charge thanked the Minister for this useful
information and promised to convey this to Washington
immediately. He added that the Embassy will be in close
contact with appropriate GOB counterparts in the coming days
to coordinate arrangements of the visiting assessment team.
3. (S/NF) Comment: We see nothing unusual about the Foreign
Minister's seemingly reserved and diplomatic "in principle"
remark. The GOB is indeed interested in learning more about
what the USG has to offer on AFRICOM, and in hosting an
element here. We believe the Minister used neutral language
in that just as the USG has yet to formally decide "yes or
no" in offering AFRICOM to Botswana, the GOB is also
reserving and exercising its rights to say "yes or no" in the
event a formal offer is presented and negotiations begin in
earnest. As we were escorted out of the Ministry, the
visibly ebullient MFAIC Permanent Secretary thanked us for
coming over on short notice, adding that "the Vice President
personally insisted that (we) were given this important news
right away." We also understand that the President is
favorably disposed to hosting AFRICOM in Botswana, whatever
the composition of the element here might look like. End
Comment.
DROUIN
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR D, P, AF, AF/RSA, AF/S AND PM
DOD FOR OSD/ISA/AFR (WHELAN)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR BC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO AFRICOM SURVEY
REF: A. GABORONE 1249 AND PREVIOUS
B. STATE 140052
Classified By: CDA Philip R. Drouin; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S/NF) Mompati Merafhe, Botswana's Minister of Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC),convoked the
Charge (accompanied by ODC Chief) Monday morning October 15
to his office in order to present the GOB's formal reply to
our recent demarche on AFRICOM (Ref A). Minister Merafhe
said, "in principle, Botswana is not adverse to the idea of
hosting AFRICOM." He went on to offer that Botswana "accepts
that it has been short-listed" as a possible hosting site for
AFRICOM. He did recognize that this is not yet a formal USG
offer to situate an AFRICOM element in Botswana, but the GOB
welcomes the visit of the USG assessment/survey team as part
of this ongoing process. "Then the real discussions and
negotiations on this can begin," he added. The Minister
apologized that he had not been able to give us a firm reply
by last Friday, October 12, as he had initially promised (he
did speak with the Ambassador),but he had needed to
coordinate with senior GOB officials and the President was
away from Gaborone.
2. (S/NF) The Charge thanked the Minister for this useful
information and promised to convey this to Washington
immediately. He added that the Embassy will be in close
contact with appropriate GOB counterparts in the coming days
to coordinate arrangements of the visiting assessment team.
3. (S/NF) Comment: We see nothing unusual about the Foreign
Minister's seemingly reserved and diplomatic "in principle"
remark. The GOB is indeed interested in learning more about
what the USG has to offer on AFRICOM, and in hosting an
element here. We believe the Minister used neutral language
in that just as the USG has yet to formally decide "yes or
no" in offering AFRICOM to Botswana, the GOB is also
reserving and exercising its rights to say "yes or no" in the
event a formal offer is presented and negotiations begin in
earnest. As we were escorted out of the Ministry, the
visibly ebullient MFAIC Permanent Secretary thanked us for
coming over on short notice, adding that "the Vice President
personally insisted that (we) were given this important news
right away." We also understand that the President is
favorably disposed to hosting AFRICOM in Botswana, whatever
the composition of the element here might look like. End
Comment.
DROUIN