DRL A/S KRAMER MEETS NIGERIAN FONMIN MADUEKWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001844

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA
DOE FOR GEORGE PERSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM MASS MARR MCAP KNNP KPKO KUNR
CM, SO, SU, NI
SUBJECT: DRL A/S KRAMER MEETS NIGERIAN FONMIN MADUEKWE

Classified By: CDA Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b & d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy,
Human Rights and Labor (DRL) David Kramer and DAS Jeffrey
Krilla met with Nigerian Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe to
discuss Nigerian involvement in peacekeeping, Sudan, the UN
Human Rights Council, the Niger Delta and coordinating
positions on resolutions before the UNGA Third Committee
(septel). Maduekwe restated GON commitment to nuclear
non-proliferation, peacekeeping operations (particularly
Nigeria's upcoming deployment to Somalia),and promoting
development in the Niger Delta while dealing with criminal
elements in a manner consistent with the rule of law and
respect for human rights. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) A/S Kramer began by congratulating the GON on living
up to its obligations to implement the International Court of
Justice decision recognizing Cameroonian sovereignty over the
Bakassi Peninsula. He characterized the handover as
difficult but "handled extremely well." A/S Kramer
expressed concern over President Yar'Adua's health and
extended his and Secretary Rice's best wishes to the
President. He also thanked Nigeria for its past and
continued support of peacekeeping operations, particularly of
the UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID),as well as its planned
deployment to Somalia under the auspices of the African Union
(AMISOM).

AU and UN Peacekeeping Missions
===============================

3. (C) Foreign Minister Maduekwe stated that Nigerian
peacekeepers "should deploy by next month" to bolster
AMISOM's severely undermanned forces. (Comment: Deployment
within 30 to 60 days has been predicted for quite some time.
DAO currently estimates that Nigerian troops will be unable
to deploy until at least December, as the GON has yet to
provide an appropriate list of specific equipment required,
despite multiple requests since mid-2007. The USG has
provided $3 million for the procurement of said equipment
which must then be shipped to Somalia. End comment.)
Maduekwe related that he had recently met with Nigerian
General Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor, the new UN Military Adviser
to Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, to discuss peacekeeping
operations. According to Maduekwe, both agreed that U.S.
support was critical to the Somalia mission as it was "not a
typical peacekeeping operation," but one which required
"enforcement and technical capacity." "I don't want our
troops to be sitting ducks," Maduekwe commented to A/S
Kramer, alluding to the September 2007 attacks on Nigerian
troops in Sudan which resulted in the loss of ten soldiers.
He expressed frustration about UNAMID and criticized the
Government of Sudan whose procedural arguments with the UN
and "excuses don't seem to be impressing anybody." Though he
expressed hope that the quest for justice would not undermine
the peace process, he flatly stated that "sovereignty is no
reason to close our eyes in Darfur." In his view, UNAMID is
under-equipped and in particular need of helicopters, given
the janjaweed's ability to move freely and what he
characterized as their apparent support from GOS gunships.
"There is no peace to keep in Sudan," Maduekwe opined, and
speculated that it may become difficult to sustain public
support for the continued deployment of Nigerian troops
there. In response, A/S Kramer undertook to explore the
possibility of getting Ukrainian helicopters for air support,
assets which he said had been helpful in the past.

UN Human Rights Council
=======================

4. (C) Maduekwe expressed disappointment with the USG's
decision to disengage from the Human Rights Council (HRC),
suggesting that the U.S. had "left at the wrong time." He
maintained that Nigeria would use its chairmanship of the
Council to make it more effective, but thought this work
would be advanced if the U.S. were playing an active role in
the HRC. In reference to USG objections to having human
rights offenders on the Council, he asked, "If sinners come
to church, what's wrong with that?" to which Kramer replied
"Nothing... as long as they're repenting." A/S Kramer also

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stressed the importance of the upcoming UN General Assembly
Third Committee session in light of the deterioration of the
Human Rights Council (septel). Maduekwe related his
experience at the last African Union (AU) ministerial meeting
where he said he had rejected the routine condemnations of
Israel and expressed to his counterparts the need to move
beyond them, and to encourage both Israeli and Palestinian
moderates. Otherwise, he predicted, the AU will lose its
influence, and position as an honest broker, with the parties
involved. He also suggested that Africa had other
under-utilized avenues of influence available to it,
especially economic ones, though he did not elaborate.

Niger Delta
===========

5. (C) FonMin Maduekwe was critical of the pre-1999 military
government's mishandling of the Niger Delta issue, while
noting the need for a national political consensus on the
Delta. "Neglect of the Niger Delta was not only
unconscionable, but stupid, as it undermined our own national
interest. It is the source of 90 percent of government
revenue," he said. While critical of the Niger Delta
Development Commission for its corruption, Maduekwe
maintained that "things have moved since '99". He noted that
the GON was trying to learn from past mistakes, and
maintained that resolution of the Delta issue was the most
important aspect of President Yar'Adua's Seven Point Agenda.
He insisted that the GON did not underestimate the complexity
of the problem; he lamented the fact that, in his view,
criminals who benefited from the status quo -- and so wanted
neither a peaceful resolution nor development in the Delta --
had hijacked the process.


6. (C) Maduekwe noted that the purpose of government was to
confront and address problems. He said the GON was trying to
proceed on the dual tracks of both restoring law and order in
the Delta and of injecting massive investment to undermine
the political justification for continued unrest. He insisted
that the GON was committed to implementing the Niger Delta
Master Plan and felt a summit would be helpful in promoting
buy-in and a sense of ownership amongst the riverine
communities.


7. (C) The FonMin reiterated that the GON would not turn a
blind eye to criminal activity, but stressed that force would
only be used if absolutely necessary. "Our capacity to deal
with the Niger Delta is directly linked to human rights" he
said. Maduekwe acknowledged that the GON was not always
happy or even comfortable with the behavior of some of its
military forces in the Delta, but argued that the same held
true whenever military forces were deployed amomg civilians.
He observed that such situations were especially challenging
for the GON because of the media savvy of the militant
groups, who were quick to charge the Government with
"genocide." Maduekwe underscored the fact that the GON had
progressed on the investment track three weeks ago when it
approved a three billion naira ($25.5 million) contract to
build bridges in the Delta, the start of what he
characterized as a "Marshall Plan" for the region.
PFLAUMER