SIERRA LEONE FOREIGN MINISTER LAYS OUT AGENDAS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L FREETOWN 000455

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA SNAR ML
SUBJECT: SIERRA LEONE FOREIGN MINISTER LAYS OUT AGENDAS FOR
THIRD COMMITTEE AND PRESIDENTIAL VISITS

REF: A. FREETOWN 453

B. STATE 93981

C. FREETOWN 336

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JUNE CARTER PERRY FOR REASON 1.4 B/D


1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Zainab Hawa BANGURA met
with Ambassador September 9th to discuss President Koroma's
upcoming trip to Washington and New York for the United
Nations General Assembly. Bangura expected Koroma to seek
international assistance in three priority areas,
Agriculture, Infrastructure, and Energy, and Koroma will also
engage in outreach activities with Sierra Leoneans in the
United States and meet with IFI and USG partners. Koroma and
Sierra Leone can be expected to follow African Union policy
on Third Committee resolutions in general, but may break
ranks and support the U.S. voting against the resolution on
the defamation of religion. Bangura also discussed
counter-narcotics issues, and later reported that the
President had agreed to attend an interagency briefing hosted
by DEA on narcotics trafficking in West Africa. End Summary.


2. (U) Foreign Minister Zainab Hawa BANGURA provided a
schedule of President Koroma's upcoming trip to the United
States (original scanned and sent to the desk),and his
intention to promote his development priorities:
Agriculture, Infrastructure, and Energy. Delegation members
are provided by reftel A. Highlights of the visit include:

--September 21, Sunday
--President Koroma will arrive in New York, staying at the
Waldorf Astoria
--Speak at Rutgers University

--September 22, Monday
--Meeting with Director of Foreign Assistance Henrietta Fore
--Reception hosted by President and Laura Bush

--September 23, Tuesday
--Visits to New Haven (sister city of Freetown; home port of
the Amistad) and Southern Connecticut University

--September 24, Wednesday
--Meeting with Bill Clinton concerning the Clinton Global
Initiative
--Meeting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (proposed)

--September 25, Thursday
--Addresses General Assembly
--Meeting with George Soros

--September 26, Friday
--Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative
--Depart for Washington DC by train
--Check into the Willard InterContinental

--September 27, Saturday
--Meeting with Congressman Conyers (Congressional Black
Caucus head) and Actor Isaiah Washington

--September 28, Sunday
--Various meetings with Sierra Leoneans in the US

--September 29, Monday
--Meeting with DEA, CIA, and Coast Guard (proposed)
--Meeting with IMF Director General
--Meeting with World Bank President
--Lunch with Corporate Council on Africa
--Meeting with Maurice Tempelsman, Chairman of the Board of
Lazare Kaplan International
--Depart Washington for Accra


3. (U) Additional meetings, including with U/S Burns, are
currently under consideration.

4, (C) In response to reftel B, FM Bangura indicated that
Sierra Leone was in general agreement with U.S. Third
Committee goals, and would support US efforts on resolutions
on prisoners of conscience, freedom of expression, and
defamation of religion. She proved very supportive of the
United States' interest in opposing the resolution of
defamation of religion, noting her position as a "Modern
Muslim Woman" who had battled discrimination in the past.


5. (C) Bangura also appeared supportive of possible
resolutions on Iran, Burma, DPRK, agreed that resolutions on
the Sudan and Belarus were unhelpful at this time, and
appeared to support the U.S. position against no action
motions. Bangura indicated that a motion on Zimbabwe might
not be productive at this time. (Embassy note: while Sierra

Leone seemed inclined not to support a resolution on Zimbabwe
at this time, the Koroma government has broken with the AU in
the past and joined in UK/U.S. condemnation of the Mugabe
regime in the past, and might be persuaded to do so again.
End note.).


6. (C) After completing discussions of the President's trip
and the UNGA, Bangura dismissed members of her staff that had
been attending the meeting and asked for an update on the
possible U.S. indictment of Colombians and Venezuelans
arrested in July (reftel C). It was suggested to Bangura
that President Koroma meet with the DEA and other agencies in
Washington to get a threat assessment and a way forward for
addressing the increased risk to Sierra Leone posed by drug
trafficking. Bangura later reported that the President had
agreed to the meeting.


7. (C) Comment: As a country with a strong pro-Western
foreign policy and a willingness to occasionally breach AU
consensus, Sierra Leone could prove a valuable ally in the
General Assembly Third Committee. Koroma's visit will also
provide the USG an opportunity to deepen its relationship
with a head of state determined to fight the influx of
narcotics into West Africa. End Comment.

PERRY