Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08NOUAKCHOTT710
2008-12-03 14:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Nouakchott
Cable title:  

NATIONAL DAY MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT BUSH GARNERS

Tags:  PREL KPAO KDEM MR 
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VZCZCXRO7528
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNK #0710 3381443
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031443Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7894
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY 0290
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0344
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0672
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 1887
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0368
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0410
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0785
UNCLAS NOUAKCHOTT 000710 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO KDEM MR
SUBJECT: NATIONAL DAY MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT BUSH GARNERS
LOCAL PRESS ATTENTION

REF: STATE 125129

UNCLAS NOUAKCHOTT 000710

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO KDEM MR
SUBJECT: NATIONAL DAY MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT BUSH GARNERS
LOCAL PRESS ATTENTION

REF: STATE 125129


1. (U) Charge hand-delivered message from President Bush to
President Abdallahi (Reftel) on November 30 to FNDD co-leader
in charge of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ould Maouloud. Local
media picked up the story December 1, resulting in several
calls to the PAO section asking for confirmation that the
message was genuine. Press coverage of the message was
limited to short articles that only presented the facts, with
no additional commentary. However, a broad cross-section of
the media covered the message: both pro-coup and anti-coup,
and French-language and Arabic-language newspapers and
websites devoted space to it.


2. (SBU) Comment: Anti-coup groups undoubtedly welcomed the
letter as a continuing sign of strong USG commitment to the
Mauritanian constitution. Press interest in the message
indicates that any kind of official high-level communication
from the USG to GIRM has the power to create a stir in the
local media. The FNDD did not release the actual text of the
short letter from the President. End comment.

HANKINS