Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CONAKRY108
2008-02-11 15:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:
EDUCATION MINISTER IS GUINEA,S NEW OFFICIAL
how-toVZCZCXRO5066 PP RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHRY #0108 0421508 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 111508Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2154 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
UNCLAS CONAKRY 000108
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: EDUCATION MINISTER IS GUINEA,S NEW OFFICIAL
GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
UNCLAS CONAKRY 000108
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: EDUCATION MINISTER IS GUINEA,S NEW OFFICIAL
GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
1. (U) Over national radio on February 7, Prime Minister
Lansana Kouyate announced that the Minister of Education,
Ousmane Souare, is the Guinean Government,s new official
spokesperson. The former Minister of Communication, Justin
Morel Jr., served in that capacity until he was dismissed by
President Lansana Conte in early January. In the interim,
the Minister of Economic Control has been filling in as the
spokesperson.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
2. (SBU) It is not necessarily unusual that the official
Government spokesperson be someone other than the Minister of
Communication - only one of the last five spokespersons was
actually the Communications Minister. However, the
spokesperson has traditionally been someone hand picked to
deliver the president's message. The PM,s decision to
appoint the Minister of Education as the official
spokesperson, after Conte appointed a new Minister of
Communications, suggests that the PM is looking for an
alternative means for getting his message out. The Minister
of Education happens to be one of two union members in the
current cabinet (the other is the Minister of Labor). He is
also Peuhl and Kouyate has been criticized for favoring his
own ethnic Malinke group over other Guinean ethnic
backgrounds. When the PAO met with the new Communications
Minister, Issa Conde, last week (septel),Conde seemed to
want to downplay any significance in Kouyate,s decision. At
the same time, Conde appeared evasive and uncomfortable with
the question, suggesting that the appointment may be more
important than he wanted to let on. END COMMENT.
CARTER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: EDUCATION MINISTER IS GUINEA,S NEW OFFICIAL
GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
1. (U) Over national radio on February 7, Prime Minister
Lansana Kouyate announced that the Minister of Education,
Ousmane Souare, is the Guinean Government,s new official
spokesperson. The former Minister of Communication, Justin
Morel Jr., served in that capacity until he was dismissed by
President Lansana Conte in early January. In the interim,
the Minister of Economic Control has been filling in as the
spokesperson.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
2. (SBU) It is not necessarily unusual that the official
Government spokesperson be someone other than the Minister of
Communication - only one of the last five spokespersons was
actually the Communications Minister. However, the
spokesperson has traditionally been someone hand picked to
deliver the president's message. The PM,s decision to
appoint the Minister of Education as the official
spokesperson, after Conte appointed a new Minister of
Communications, suggests that the PM is looking for an
alternative means for getting his message out. The Minister
of Education happens to be one of two union members in the
current cabinet (the other is the Minister of Labor). He is
also Peuhl and Kouyate has been criticized for favoring his
own ethnic Malinke group over other Guinean ethnic
backgrounds. When the PAO met with the new Communications
Minister, Issa Conde, last week (septel),Conde seemed to
want to downplay any significance in Kouyate,s decision. At
the same time, Conde appeared evasive and uncomfortable with
the question, suggesting that the appointment may be more
important than he wanted to let on. END COMMENT.
CARTER