EU AGREES TO SEND OBSERVATION MISSION SANS MOU

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUANDA 000567 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM AO SUBJECT: EU AGREES TO SEND OBSERVATION MISSION SANS MOU REF: A. LUANDA 00563 ¶B. LUANDA 00556 Classified By: AMB DAN MOZENA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (SBU) The EU has agreed to send an observation mission for the September 5 legislative elections without a signed MOU (reftels). In a July 25 phone call with the Ambassador, the European Commission Head of Administration Luis Martinez said that the EU headquarters in Brussels has stated in a written communication to the National Electoral Commission (CNE) that it will proceed with the observation mission based on "guarantees" provided by the Angolan government. ¶2. (C) According to Martinez, CNE President Caetano de Sousa had earlier sent a letter to the EU President saying that, while the CNE would like the participation of EU observers in the electoral process, it would not sign an MOU because it believes Angolan law, coupled with CNE guarantees of the safety and security of international observers, addresses the EU's concerns. Faced with a lose-lose situation, Martinez said that an atypically pragmatic Brussels decided simply to take the GRA at its word this go-around, and see how it follows through on its commitments. Martinez confided that while EU opinion (locally and at headquarters) was not unanimous on the issue, the local EC mission had advised Brussels that the GRA's typical hesitance to sign any type of MOU should not be allowed to sabotage the mission. ¶3. (SBU) The mission is now moving ahead at full speed, and the two logistics and security personnel already on-ground are rushing to finalize arrival and housing plans. The remaining 9 members of the core management team are slated to arrive early next week; some are still awaiting visas in Brussels. Forty long-term observers plan to arrive in time for the August 5th start of the campaign period. An additional 40 short-term observers and 18 European Parliament observers will arrive immediately prior to the election. MOZENA