Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LIBREVILLE500
2007-11-14 12:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Libreville
Cable title:
SAO TOME: DEFENCE MINISTER WANTS HELP ON STATUS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHLC #0500 3181220 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 141220Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9979 INFO RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000500
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR FM/SNA, L/PM AND AF/RSA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2012
TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PREL TP
SUBJECT: SAO TOME: DEFENCE MINISTER WANTS HELP ON STATUS
OF FORCES AGREEMENT
REF: A. LIBREVILLE 0461
B. STATE 141741
Classified By: CDA Nathan Holt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000500
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR FM/SNA, L/PM AND AF/RSA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2012
TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PREL TP
SUBJECT: SAO TOME: DEFENCE MINISTER WANTS HELP ON STATUS
OF FORCES AGREEMENT
REF: A. LIBREVILLE 0461
B. STATE 141741
Classified By: CDA Nathan Holt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Sao Tome and Principe (STP) Minister of Defence Oscar
Sousa told CDA November 10 that it would be useful for the
USG to send a team to STP to negotiate a Status of Forces
Agreement (SOFA). Sousa said he was impatient to get the
agreement concluded. For the second time, he requested
examples of SOFAs concluded by the United States with other
countries. Sousa explained that such examples would help
persuade others in the STP bureaucracy to move forward more
quickly. Sousa suggested that February 2008 would be a good
time for the U.S. to send a negotiating team. CDA said he
would check into the availability of examples of other SOFAs,
some of which are published and publicly disseminated. We
also promised to check and see whether a negotiating team
could be sent to STP. Post delivered a diplomatic note
proposing the text of a SOFA to the government of STP on
August 23, and has followed up regularly since then.
2. (C) Separately, STP Foreign Minister Gustavo Dos Anjos
told us November 9 that the government is still reviewing the
agreement. He had no estimate of when that review would be
completed.
--------------
Comment
--------------
3. (C) STP's review of our proposed SOFA needs a jump start.
Our sense is that the defence minister genuinely wants an
agreement concluded quickly, and that the foreign minister is
somewhat taken aback by the perceived breadth of the proposed
text. Regardless of whether the Saotomeans provide their
promised written comments on our proposal, the dispatch of a
negotiating team empowered to clarify issues and agree
alternative language would be useful--in February 2008 (as
the defence minister proposes) or as soon as the team can be
assembled. End Comment.
HOLT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR FM/SNA, L/PM AND AF/RSA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2012
TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PREL TP
SUBJECT: SAO TOME: DEFENCE MINISTER WANTS HELP ON STATUS
OF FORCES AGREEMENT
REF: A. LIBREVILLE 0461
B. STATE 141741
Classified By: CDA Nathan Holt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Sao Tome and Principe (STP) Minister of Defence Oscar
Sousa told CDA November 10 that it would be useful for the
USG to send a team to STP to negotiate a Status of Forces
Agreement (SOFA). Sousa said he was impatient to get the
agreement concluded. For the second time, he requested
examples of SOFAs concluded by the United States with other
countries. Sousa explained that such examples would help
persuade others in the STP bureaucracy to move forward more
quickly. Sousa suggested that February 2008 would be a good
time for the U.S. to send a negotiating team. CDA said he
would check into the availability of examples of other SOFAs,
some of which are published and publicly disseminated. We
also promised to check and see whether a negotiating team
could be sent to STP. Post delivered a diplomatic note
proposing the text of a SOFA to the government of STP on
August 23, and has followed up regularly since then.
2. (C) Separately, STP Foreign Minister Gustavo Dos Anjos
told us November 9 that the government is still reviewing the
agreement. He had no estimate of when that review would be
completed.
--------------
Comment
--------------
3. (C) STP's review of our proposed SOFA needs a jump start.
Our sense is that the defence minister genuinely wants an
agreement concluded quickly, and that the foreign minister is
somewhat taken aback by the perceived breadth of the proposed
text. Regardless of whether the Saotomeans provide their
promised written comments on our proposal, the dispatch of a
negotiating team empowered to clarify issues and agree
alternative language would be useful--in February 2008 (as
the defence minister proposes) or as soon as the team can be
assembled. End Comment.
HOLT