MEETING WITH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HANANA

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000207

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR EAID KDEM MR
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HANANA

REF: NOUAKCHOTT 98

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Charles H. Twining.
Reason: 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) Summary. Presidential candidate Saleh Ould Hanana said
the August 2005 coup d'etat was a "vindication" of his bloody
2003 coup attempt. While pleased with the transition, he
believes that the new government will need to go further in
several areas. He was a "witness" to the 1989 Events, which
saw violence and the displacement of thousands of people, and
beleives the country needs to find reconciliation. Although
backed by moderate Islamists, he sees cooperation with the
USG as important. End Summary.


2. (C) Charge and DCM called on presidential candidate Saleh
Ould Hanana February 23 at his party headquarters in
Nouakchott. Hanana, who is president of the Mauritanian
Party for Union and Change (Hatem),had agreed to meet Friday
at noon, before prayers, as he had just returned from a
campaign trip and the official campaign was to begin the next
day. The headquarters was bustling with people, mostly men,
mostly young and mostly White Moor. We were led through the
crowd, and brought to Hanana's spacious but sparse office.
Joining Hanana were two Islamists, former Ambassador to Saudi
Arabia Moktar Mohamed Moussa and diplomatic relations chief
Amar Ould Mohamed Najem. Both had attended our meeting last
month with moderate Islamist leader Jemil Mansour (reftel).
Since that meeting, their Islamist group Centrist Reformists
has publicly endorsed Hanana, and what we saw was clear
evidence that Hanana's campaign has been strengthened from
this alliance. Hanana indicated that he has been able to
build campaign organizations in all 53 departments
(moughaata) in the 13 regions (Wilaya).


3. (C) Charge asked Hanana his reasoning behind leading a
bloody attempted coup d'etat in 2003 and now participating in
the political process. Hanana said that the 2005 coup d'etat
was a "vindication" of his coup attempt. Since 1989
Mauritania's political situation was getting worse and worse,
and while his attempt failed, the 2005 coup succeeded in
making the needed change and bringing about democratic rule,
which is what he had wanted all along.


4. (C) When asked if he intended to continue the policies of
the transitional government, he noted that in fact a lot more
needed to be done in terms of good governance and reforms.
He then raised the issue of restitution for victims of the
1989 events, saying the new government needed to resolve the
issue. While international partners may be sought out to
help, it was primarily a Mauritanian problem requiring a
Mauritanian solution, saying that there were only "about 500
families" to indemnify, not an overwhelming number. He
called himself a "witness" to the 1989 events, which appalled
him and formed a basis for his stance against the Taya
regime. Hanana said he liked what the South Africans had
done. He would not want to go after the perpetrators, but
only undertake a process on the basis which the government
would apologize to the victims.


5. (C) Charge then asked if Hanana was prepared to support
another CFCD candidate if he does not go to the second round.
He hesitated for a second and responded "yes, in principle,"
and added that the members of the coalition would be meeting
to make an agreement on this question.


6. (C) With the two prominent Islamists sitting there, we
asked how the Islamist group's agreement to support him was
working, noting that some wondered which side was calling the
shots. He said a "directorate" has been created to combine
his efforts and those of his party with those of the Centrist
Reformist group. It coordinates the campaign down to the
departmental level and will make the internal decision
regarding support of a winning CFCD candidate for the second
round. He did not answer the question directly as to whether
he is in charge.


7. (C) Hanana concluded that he wanted the United States to
understand that the partnership between our two countries is
important for both, but especially for Mauritania, which will
need U.S. support both bilaterally and multilaterally. He
wants that relationship to develop in mutual respect. While
we will invariably have differences, we have even more areas
where we need to work together. "Together we can do a lot,"
he concluded.


8. (C) Comment. This is the first time that the Embassy has
met Hanana at this level, as we did not want to give his
previous activities any legitimacy. However, now that his
Hatem party has been recognized by the government, he has
been accepted into one of the two major political coalitions,
and his presidential candidacy has been accepted, this seemed
to be an opportune moment to know the man better. Our calls
on major candidates and political leaders of all stripes is
well publicized here and meeting Hanana will in these
circumstances would be less conspicuous. Note that the
President recently invited him in for a chat, as he did some
other candidates.


9. (C) Comment continued. Hanana sported a beard and wore a
traditional boubou, but his military bearing came through
just as strongly as if he were wearing a uniform. We are not
ready to judge the former Major's sincerity about his
altruistic motives for his coup attempt, or his disgust of
the 1989 events. Despite the support of the Islamists, it is
unlikely he will make it to the second round. However, given
his relative youth and vigor, and his surprisingly good
political survival skill, he is a person to continue to watch.

Twining