Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PARIS861
2007-03-06 15:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

GUINEA: FRANCE OFFERS NEW ASSISTANCE AS "CARROT"

Tags:  PREL PINS EAID KDEM GV FR 
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VZCZCXRO7204
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHFR #0861/01 0651501
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061501Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5395
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 3722
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1165
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 1950
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000861 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2017
TAGS: PREL PINS EAID KDEM GV FR
SUBJECT: GUINEA: FRANCE OFFERS NEW ASSISTANCE AS "CARROT"

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, 1.4 (b/d
).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000861

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2017
TAGS: PREL PINS EAID KDEM GV FR
SUBJECT: GUINEA: FRANCE OFFERS NEW ASSISTANCE AS "CARROT"

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, 1.4 (b/d
).


1. (C) SUMMARY: France was quick to respond to the
February 25 naming of Lansana Kouyate as Guinea's Prime
Minister, sending Minister-Delegate Brigitte Girardin
(Cooperation, Development, Francophonie) to Conakry for a
lightning visit on March 1. She met with Kouyate and
announced a 1.1 million euro French assistance package (1
million euro for specific water management projects and
100,000 euro to assist those most in need as a result of the
general strike/state of siege). The MFA recognizes that the
GOF could be criticized for acting prematurely, but notes the
strong urging of President Chirac's office that Girardin
visit Guinea and provide the assistance package ("carrot") as
a sign of support for Kouyate and encouragement for Guineans
after the turmoil of the past several weeks. At the
working-level, the MFA remains concerned that Guinea could
readily backslide into another round of unrest and that
Kouyate's selection may raise expectations that he will find
difficult to meet. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) MFA desk officer Damien Syed on March 1 (and in a
follow-up conversation on March 2) reviewed events in Guinea
since the naming of Lansana Kouyate as PM, the lifting of the
"state of siege," and the ending of the general strike. He
said that the GOF was pleased that tensions had lowered
significantly and that "normal" life was returning to Guinea.


3. (C) Notably, Syed commented on the decision to send
Minister-Delegate Brigitte Girardin (Cooperation,
Development, Francophonie) to Conakry on March 1 (her arrival
there was taking place at the same time we were meeting with
Syed). Girardin was already scheduled to hold consultations
on Cote d'Ivoire in Burkina Faso and then travel to Abidjan
on March 1 in order to take part in the planned March 2 IWG
meeting. Syed said that on February 27, the French
Presidency "firmly suggested" (Syed refrained from using the
word "ordered") that Girardin stop briefly in Conakry. Her
purpose was to show French support for the naming of Kouyate

as PM (who would take office on March 1 prior to Girardin's
arrival) and the steps both government and opposition had
taken to end the "state of siege" and general strike.


4. (C) Girardin met with Kouyate on March 1, Syed reported
the next day. They had known each other from previous
experiences, including the Cote d'Ivoire IWG process, in
which they had both been involved at various points.
According to Syed, Kouyate made a positive impression on
Girardin, seemed committed, but at the same time was under no
illusion about the difficulty of the tasks before him.
Kouyate had made a similar impression on France's ambassador
in Conakry when the two met earlier in the week.


5. (C) Girardin announced a new package of French
assistance while in Conakry. This package consists of 1
million euro specifically earmarked for water resource
management and 100,000 euro to assist those "most in need" as
a result of the "state of siege" and general strike. Syed
took care to note that the 1 million euro water resource fund
was very specific in nature, and, for example, provided that
specific types of water pumps would be installed in specific
facilities in specific villages. He said France had done its
utmost to ensure the money would not be misspent or diverted
elsewhere for other purposes.


6. (C) Anticipating our question, Syed said that the GOF
well understood that others might wonder if this largesse was
premature inasmuch as Kouyate had just been named and there
was no clear indication that positive change would occur in
Guinea, notwithstanding the reduction in turmoil caused by
the ending of the "state of siege" and general strike. He
said that "we believe it an appropriate moment to provide
'carrots' instead of 'sticks' and that this relatively small
package will not only serve to validate the choice of Kouyate
but also provide encouragement that Guinea has taken at least
one step -- an important step -- in the right direction."


7. (C) Syed readily acknowledged that Guinea's situation
remained precarious. "Naming Kouyate was a good first step,
which we want to recognize, but will he have real power?
Will he be manipulated by Conte and his followers, as Konan
Banny has been manipulated in Cote d'Ivoire? Will the army
remain quiet?" Syed observed that much remained to be
determined and that Guinea could easily backslide into
turmoil if there were not visible steady progress, even if

PARIS 00000861 002 OF 002


only slow progress. He cautioned that Guineans might think
that Kouyate's arrival signaled an imminent improvement in
their lives, something not likely in the short-term, Syed
noted, "or ever, if Guinea does not deal with its real
underlying problem -- the incompetence and cynicism of the
Conte regime." He said that the GOF viewed the naming of
Kouyate as an important step that might help Guinea address
its fundamental problem and assist it in moving out of the
Conte era.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

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