Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08NOUAKCHOTT628
2008-10-26 19:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nouakchott
Cable title:  

UPDATE WITH FNDD FOREIGN MINISTER

Tags:  PREL PGOV MR 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0334
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0711
C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000628 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV MR
SUBJECT: UPDATE WITH FNDD FOREIGN MINISTER

REF: NOUAKCHOTT 615

Classified By: CDA Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000628

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV MR
SUBJECT: UPDATE WITH FNDD FOREIGN MINISTER

REF: NOUAKCHOTT 615

Classified By: CDA Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and d)


1. (C) Aziz Tells Lies: Charge met October 26 with FNDD
co-leader and effective Abdallahi Foreign Minister Mohamed
Ould Maouloud to follow-up on press reports that General Aziz
had been on the verge of releasing President Abdallahi as a
gesture to the European Union when he had learned the FNDD
planned to have Abdallahi immediately order the parliament
dissolved. Ould Maouloud said that was fiction and that the
General was simply trying to somehow shift the blame to the
FNDD when he had simply decided not to release the President
after he had made a commitment to do so. Ould Maouloud said
the FNDD parliamentary strategy remains the same as described
REFTEL -- to force gridlock unless the regime allowed the
parliamentary session to serve as a real national dialogue.
He added, "we want to maintain the Presidency of the National
Assembly, we have no interest in dissolving it before the
President comes back."


2. (C) Two International Communities: Ould Maouloud thanked
Ambassador Boulware for his October 24 press conference
underlining the U.S. position that the restoration of
constitutional order requires the reinstatement of President
Abdallahi. He saw the U.S. and the AU as one on this issue
while the EU remains dangerously vague. While acknowledging
that, once back in office, President Abdallahi may decide the
best course of action is in fact to resign in favor of new
elections, Ould Maouloud saw any prior decision to that
effect as a victory for the military that will lead to future
coups. He insisted that "the political dialogue cannot begin
until the military agree to leave.


3. (C) Diplomatic Outreach: Ould Maouloud told Charge he
had just heard from National Assembly President Messaoud Ould
Boulkheir who had met that morning in Libya with Qadhafi.
The FNDD, fearful a regime delegation might have convinced
the Libyan to support them, had dispatched their senior
statesman to bolster their position. Ould Maouloud said, "we
heard the right things" from Qadhafi but he was obviously not
convinced the Libyans would stick to what they said. Ould
Maouloud thanked the U.S. for facilitating communications
between the FNDD and AU Chairperson Kikwete confirming that
he, the anti-coup Mauritanian ambassador to the AU, and FNDD
partner Abdel Kaddous Ould Abeidna (a fluent English speaker)
were ready to participate in an October 27 video conference
with the Tanzanian Foreign Minister or his representative.
HANKINS