Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LIBREVILLE266
2007-06-12 15:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Libreville
Cable title:
PING TO BRIEF UNSG ON BOUNDARY DISPUTE WITH EG
how-toVZCZCXYZ0019 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHLC #0266 1631549 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121549Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9751 INFO RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0815 RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 1392 RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 0437 RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0966 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0895 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0061
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000266
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
YAOUNDE PLEASE PASS MALABO; PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2017
TAGS: PREL EPET GB EG
SUBJECT: PING TO BRIEF UNSG ON BOUNDARY DISPUTE WITH EG
REF: LIBREVILLE 167 AND PREV.
Classified By: DCM Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4(b) & (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000266
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
YAOUNDE PLEASE PASS MALABO; PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2017
TAGS: PREL EPET GB EG
SUBJECT: PING TO BRIEF UNSG ON BOUNDARY DISPUTE WITH EG
REF: LIBREVILLE 167 AND PREV.
Classified By: DCM Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4(b) & (d).
1. (C) Gabonese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Legal Advisor
Michel Biang told DCM that he and Foreign Minister Jean Ping
are traveling to New York this week to discuss the Gabon -
Equatorial Guinea border dispute with UN Secretary General
Ban Ki Moon. Biang said that both EG President Obiang and
the GREG Foreign Minister have met the new UNSG; the GoG
fears this may have given him a distorted view of the matter.
Biang also reported the GoG believes Ban Ki Moon wants
reassurance that the office of the UNSG, rather than Kofi
Annan, was given the mandate to mediate. ForMin Ping will
provide Gabon's perspective and express the GoG's continued
interest in UN mediation. Ping may, however, express
reservations about the current mediator (Canadian),who has
told the GoG he expects to continue his work. Biang
reiterated his personal view that Gabon should quit trying to
seek a compromise solution, and instead should submit the
dispute to the International Court of Justice. He said that
President Bongo, however, much pref
ers a political solution.
2. (C) Biang told DCM that Gabon came close to declaring the
First Secretary of the EG Embassy in Gabon persona non grata.
The EG diplomat offered two Gabonese MFA employees 20
million cfa each (about $41,000) to steal and deliver GoG
documents on the dispute. Biang said Ping called in the EG
Ambassador, and also used this incident, along with other
matters, to fight GREG efforts to take over leadership of the
BEAC (the central bank for the central African franc zone).
3. (C) Comment: Although Gabonese public interest in the
border dispute has quieted in recent months, the matter
remains a potential flash point for both Gabonese domestic
politics and the Gabon-EG relationship. President Bongo is
prone to seek a political solution to every question, but
would be hard pressed to sell to the Gabonese people any
compromise on the boundary that the GREG might accept. It is
difficult to see how this dispute could be resolved unless an
independent entity renders a binding legal decision.
WALKLEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
YAOUNDE PLEASE PASS MALABO; PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2017
TAGS: PREL EPET GB EG
SUBJECT: PING TO BRIEF UNSG ON BOUNDARY DISPUTE WITH EG
REF: LIBREVILLE 167 AND PREV.
Classified By: DCM Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4(b) & (d).
1. (C) Gabonese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Legal Advisor
Michel Biang told DCM that he and Foreign Minister Jean Ping
are traveling to New York this week to discuss the Gabon -
Equatorial Guinea border dispute with UN Secretary General
Ban Ki Moon. Biang said that both EG President Obiang and
the GREG Foreign Minister have met the new UNSG; the GoG
fears this may have given him a distorted view of the matter.
Biang also reported the GoG believes Ban Ki Moon wants
reassurance that the office of the UNSG, rather than Kofi
Annan, was given the mandate to mediate. ForMin Ping will
provide Gabon's perspective and express the GoG's continued
interest in UN mediation. Ping may, however, express
reservations about the current mediator (Canadian),who has
told the GoG he expects to continue his work. Biang
reiterated his personal view that Gabon should quit trying to
seek a compromise solution, and instead should submit the
dispute to the International Court of Justice. He said that
President Bongo, however, much pref
ers a political solution.
2. (C) Biang told DCM that Gabon came close to declaring the
First Secretary of the EG Embassy in Gabon persona non grata.
The EG diplomat offered two Gabonese MFA employees 20
million cfa each (about $41,000) to steal and deliver GoG
documents on the dispute. Biang said Ping called in the EG
Ambassador, and also used this incident, along with other
matters, to fight GREG efforts to take over leadership of the
BEAC (the central bank for the central African franc zone).
3. (C) Comment: Although Gabonese public interest in the
border dispute has quieted in recent months, the matter
remains a potential flash point for both Gabonese domestic
politics and the Gabon-EG relationship. President Bongo is
prone to seek a political solution to every question, but
would be hard pressed to sell to the Gabonese people any
compromise on the boundary that the GREG might accept. It is
difficult to see how this dispute could be resolved unless an
independent entity renders a binding legal decision.
WALKLEY