NIGERIA-CAMEROON: BAKASSI HANDOVER PROCEEDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001632 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, AF/C, INR/AA DOE FOR GEORGE PERSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PHSA NI CM SUBJECT: NIGERIA-CAMEROON: BAKASSI HANDOVER PROCEEDS WITHOUT A HITCH REF: ABUJA 1626 (NOTAL) Classified By: A/DCM Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b & d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The transfer of authority over the Bakassi Peninsula happened as scheduled on August 14. GON Attorney General (AG) Michael Aondoakaa headed the Nigerian delegation, and GRC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Ahmadu Ali led that of Cameroon. The ceremony took place in Calabar under tight security, and was witnessed by representatives from the UN, France, UK and U.S. We believe the GON very much wanted to get this over with, and is now hoping this unpopular issue will begin fading from veiw here. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) The Bakassi transfer took place in the city of Calabar, capital of Nigeria's Cross River State on August 14 shortly after mid-day. Nigerian troops were very visible in the city beginning on August 13, and tight security was evident around the ceremony site. The GON had kept the venue secret until the morning of the 14th, having previously suggested (and perhaps intended) that the event would be held either in the village of Abana, on the peninsula itself, or in the border town of Ikang. The ceremony was broadcast live on both Nigerian and Cameroonian television. ¶3. (U) The Nigerian delegation, in addition to AG Aondoakaa, included Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Tijani Kaura and the acting Governor of Cross River State Francis Adah. The Cameroonian delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Ahmadu Ali and included the Minister of State for Justice Professor Kamto. Sir Kieran Prendergast (who will serve as Chair of the Follow-up Committee established under the Greentree Agreement to monitor a 5-year transitional period in the peninsula) represented the UNSYG. Representatives of all the Greentree witness states (the U.S., UK, France and Germany) were also present. Yaounde Charge' Steve Fox was the senior USG representative. ¶4. (SBU) In his (for him, remarkably short) statement, AG Aondoakaa described the Bakassi handover as "a painful but most important task" which he said illustrated President Yar'Adua's "commitment to the rule of law, international peace and good neighborly relations." He reviewed the protections promised to Bakassi's residents under the Greentree agreement, and pledged that Nigeria would remain committed to their welfare. He added that the GON's action in withdrawing from Bakassi should be seen as "a contribution to the promotion of international peace and harmony." GRC Minister of State for Justice Kamto spoke for the GRC. He thanked both President Yar'Adua and former President Obasanjo for their "courage" in helping to resolve the Bakassi dispute and carrying through with the Greentree agreement. Like Aondoakaa, he reviewed the political and human rights promised to Bakassi residents in Greentree, and pledged that the GRC would fulfill these commitments. Prendergast read a message from UNSYG Ban which described the way Cameroon and Nigeria had resolved the Bakassi issue as "a model for the peaceful resolution of disputes," and promised continuing UN engagement during a 5-year transitional period. ¶5. (C) Following the remarks, the heads of the two delegations signed papers effecting the handover of Bakassi to Cameroon. Much to the annoyance of the Nigerian TV commentators, the signing was arranged so that the delegations had their backs to the cameras, and could not be seen when they actually signed the documents. Photographers were also shooed back by security men and blocked from taking pictures of the signing. (Comment: This may merely have been clumsy staging on the GON's part, but it certainly looked like Aondoakaa or his staff were hoping to prevent photos being taken of him signing the documents, perhaps reflecting the continuing unpopularity of the Bakassi handover in Nigeria. End comment.) ¶6. (C) Comment: The members of the Nigerian delegation were positively funereal in their bearing, at least in front of the cameras. The broadcast of the ceremony was packaged together with over an hour of TV commentary complaining about ABUJA 00001632 002 OF 002 the "unfairness" of the Greentree Agreement, and lengthy interviews with local Bakassi residents demanding GON compensation. Now that the handover has been completed, the Nigerian domestic aspect of the dispute will refocus on political arguments over the care and treatment of those Bakassi residents who choose to relocate inside Nigeria, and over how much compensation is owed to whom. Our sense is that the GON is hoping these more pedestrian debates will take place on the inside pages of newspapers, and allow the issue to begin fading from public view here. End comment. PIASCIK