WIPO DIRECTOR GENERAL ELECTION - COTE D'IVOIRE

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000300 SIPDIS SENSITIVE US MISSION GENEVA FOR US WIPO REPRESENTATIVE IO/T LAURA LUFTIG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KIPR AORC ETRD PREL IV SUBJECT: WIPO DIRECTOR GENERAL ELECTION - COTE D'IVOIRE DEMARCHED REF: SECSTATE 47557 ¶1. (U) Emboff presented reftel demarche points and preferred candidate lists to MFA Assistant Director for the Office of Economic and Social Issues within the UN Department, Etienne Kinda. Kinda asked if the French candidate were a preferred U.S. candidate. Emboff reiterated that the five candidates on the list fit USG criteria for a strong leader, while several (not including the French nominee) would, in our view, obstruct progress on intellectual property issues. Concerning the Ivoirian delegation to the WIPO conference May 13-14, Kinda said it was "likely" Minister of Advanced Technologies Ahmed Bakayoko would be the lead. ¶2. (SBU) Comment. Given strong French influence in Cote d'Ivoire (more than 1500 troops participate in peacekeeping here, Cote d'Ivoire's bilateral debt exceeds $1.5 billion, and French companies dominate finance and other key industries),it is possible that Cote d'Ivoire would support the French candidacy, at least in the first round, particularly given Kinda's reaction and question. If that candidacy does not advance, however, Kinda's general receptivity to the demarche indicates Cote d'Ivoire could be receptive to supporting a candidate on the USG preferred list. End Comment. NESBITT