PM SORO DISCUSSES ELECTION DELAY, HIPC WITH CARTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000066


STATE FOR AF/W AND EB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2019
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN PGOV PREL KDEM IV
SUBJECT: PM SORO DISCUSSES ELECTION DELAY, HIPC WITH CARTER
CENTER

REF: A. ABIDJAN 38

B. ABIDJAN 35

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Silvia Eiriz for reasons 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) Summary. The Carter Center representative in Cote
d'Ivoire, Sabina Vigani, told Emboffs that former President
Jimmy Carter has offered to visit Cote d'Ivoire if it would
advance the peace process. According to Vigani, President
Gbagbo's governing FPI party remarked that such a visit is
unnecessary, but opposition political parties and the Special
Representative of OPA Facilitator Compaore have welcomed the
offer. Vigani said that Prime Minister Soro told the Carter
Center that former President Carter could help by lobbying
the USG to support an early HIPC decision point for Cote
d'Ivoire and has instructed the Foreign Minister to send a
letter to Carter to make this point. End Summary.

CARTER CENTER OBSERVES IDENTIFICATION PROCESS
--------------


2. (SBU) The USG provided USD 200,000 ESF funds in September
2008 to the Carter Center to carry out an election
observation project. The Carter Center also received funding
from the UK and deployed a team to Cote d'Ivoire November
7-December 15 to observe the identification/voter
registration process. In December 2008, following several
site visits, the Carter Center issued a preliminary report on
the team's findings. The report states that, while the team
observed some irregularities, these did not impact on the
integrity and credibility of the identification/voter
registration process. Their findings did not support FPI
allegations of widespread fraud.


3. (SBU) When the USG and the UK government made their grants
to the Carter Center, Cote d'Ivoire was scheduled to hold the
first round of the presidential election on November 30. The
election was postponed in early November and a new date has
not yet been set. Vigani informed Emboffs on January 23 that
Hrair Balian, the Associate Director of the Carter Center's
Conflict Resolution Program, visited Cote d'Ivoire for 2 days
the week of January 19 to determine the cause of the
electoral delay. Balian met with the Prime Minister,
Ambassador Badini, Special Representative of the OPA
Facilitator, and political party representatives. The Carter
Center is preparing a budget to present to the US and UK
governments for additional funding since its project's
timetable has been thrown off by the election delay. It is
also exploring the possibility of a joint observation mission
with the South African NGO ESEA (Electoral Institute of South
Africa) and possibly NDI in order to reduce costs.

CARTER CENTER CURIOUS ABOUT ELECTION DELAY
--------------


4. (C) Vigani told Emboffs that former President Carter has
offered to travel to Cote d'Ivoire if his visit would
advance the peace process. According to Vigani, Balian
discussed the possibility of such a trip during his meetings
in Cote d'Ivoire. Vigani stated that the FPI told Balian
that there is no need for former President Carter to visit
Cote d'Ivoire since the peace process is proceeding well.
However, she said other political parties and Ambassador
Badini welcomed such a visit if it could appease political
tensions. According to Vigani, some interlocutors indicated
that President Carter might be able to influence Gbagbo to
hold elections.


5. (C) According to Vigani, Soro told her and Balian that the
international community must understand that Cote d'Ivoire
needs time to organize successful elections. She also said
that Prime Minister Soro wants to set up a "citizen dialogue"
among the country's main political parties about 2 months
before the election in order to obtain their commitment to
accept the poll results and to foster dialogue regarding
post-election governance. Vigani reflected that the Carter
Center might engage in a nation building program in Cote
d'Ivoire after elections are held.


6. (C) Vigani commented that Soro also said that former
President Carter could be of assistance by lobbying the U.S.
representatives at the international financial institutions
to support an early decision point for Cote d'Ivoire.
Vigani remarked that Soro said the USG is the obstacle to
this, and in response, Balian told Soro that the way to
transmit such a message would be to deliver it personally to
President Carter during his visit to Cote d'Ivoire.
According to Vigani, the Prime Minister then turned to
Foreign Minister Bakayoko, who was in the meeting, and
instructed him to send a letter to President Carter laying
out the HIPC issue.


7. (C) Comment: PM Soro's eagerness to engage former
President Carter on the HIPC issue reflects how worried
authorities are about U.S. criticism of their performance in
recent months. They are seizing every opportunity to lobby
for U.S. support (see reftels). Whether the PM will follow
through and actually solicit Carter's support remains to be
seen.


8. (C) Comment Cont'd: The Carter Center is the only
international organization that sent observers to watch and
evaluate Cote d'Ivoire's identification process. Their
report and their observations will be taken very seriously.
Whenever elections are held, the Carter Center will also be
in a unique position in that it may be the only organization
capable of linking flaws in the identification process to
flaws in the electoral process. Embassy would be very
supportive of additional funding for the Carter Center,
particularly for continued observation activities, but also
for post-electoral, reconciliation activities. End Comment.


NESBITT