PRESIDENT GUELLEH CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000880 SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/ES-CR, S/ES-O, AF/EX E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC PREL DJ SUBJECT: PRESIDENT GUELLEH CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA ¶1. The Embassy received via fax November 5 a congratulatory letter from President Guelleh to President-elect Barack Obama. Scan of original French-language text has been forwarded to AF/E. ¶2. BEGIN EMBASSY TRANSLATION. Presidency of the Republic Republic of Djibouti November 5, 2008 Barack Obama President-Elect of the United States of America Mr. President, At a time when your country, the most powerful and prosperous of the world, has just designated you to oversee the conduct of its higher interests, it is my honor and great pleasure to extend to you my warmest congratulations. Mr. President, permit me to say that through your stunning victory, the United States fully reaffirms its commitment to the principle of prioritizing merit over all other forms of consideration. There is no doubt that your new status as President of the United States will be a source of emulation for thousands of young and less young natives of your country whose resignation to immobility was to date based on vain and imaginary stereotypes. I actually believe that in the United States, like elsewhere, the values of diligence, faith in accomplishments, intensification of effort, and imagination are truly rewarded. This is the way I see the honor you have just been crowned with. The sovereign American people have elected you by a majority thanks to your integrity and competence. I express the wish that, under your leadership, the United States will experience continued and greater prosperity, and will strengthen its arrangements in matters of cohesion. In terms of impact throughout the world, I hope that your election as President of the United States will be a victory against the ideas of all extremists who, whatever their origins and beliefs, seek to oppose the various communities that make up our planet. By renewing the expression of my warm congratulations on behalf of the Government and the people of Djibouti, I convey to you my friendliest and most sincere greetings. Yours sincerely, /s/ Ismail Omar Guelleh President of the Republic of Djibouti END EMBASSY TRANSLATION. ¶3. The Embassy received this letter via fax. Should a hard copy arrive, the Embassy will forward it to S/ES-CR. SWAN