DEMARCHE ON RESULTS OF US-RUSSIA PRESIDENTIAL

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000449 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL RS IV SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON RESULTS OF US-RUSSIA PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT REF: STATE 71326 ¶1. (U) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Minister of Foreign Affairs Youssouf Bakayoko on July 20. The Minister had recently returned from attending the Non-Aligned Movement leaders summit in Sharm el-Sheikh and said it was very reassuring to see the U.S. and Russia making an effort to resolve their difference and cooperate more closely. Minister Bakayoko expressed particular interest in U.S. cooperation with Russia regarding Afghanistan, specifically Russian views towards al-Qaeda, and also wanted more data on U.S. and Russian views regarding Iran's nuclear program. Ambassador promised to send the Minister a copy of the joint statement made by Presidents Obama and Medvedev and to forward additional information, particularly recent USG statements about Iran's nuclear program. NESBITT