Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ABUJA1615
2009-09-01 12:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:
NIGERIA: DEMARCHE ON UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL RACE
how-toVZCZCXRO6016 PP RUEHFL RUEHKN RUEHMJ RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPB RUEHQU RUEHRN RUEHSL DE RUEHUJA #1615 2441210 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 011210Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6940 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNSCO/UNESCO COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0441 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 2067 RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY 1020 RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY 0042 RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS PRIORITY 1902 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0419 RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001615
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO (KELLY SIEKMAN),AF/W, INR/AA;
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR UNESCO UNSC NI EG BN TZ
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: DEMARCHE ON UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL RACE
REF: STATE 82701
Classified By: Political Counselor James P. McAnulty
for reasons 1.4. (b & d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001615
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO (KELLY SIEKMAN),AF/W, INR/AA;
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR UNESCO UNSC NI EG BN TZ
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: DEMARCHE ON UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL RACE
REF: STATE 82701
Classified By: Political Counselor James P. McAnulty
for reasons 1.4. (b & d).
1. (U) POLOFF delivered demarche with U.S. views on the race
for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization's (UNESCO) Director-General to Nigerian Foreign
Ministry Second United Nations Division Director Ambassador
M. K. Ibrahim on August 27.
2. (C) Without prompting, Ambassador Ibrahim raised the
contentious candidacy of Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk
Hosni and his recent remarks about Israel, which he described
as "unfortunate" and "careless." Ibrahim intimated that the
Nigerian Government (GON) had real concerns about Hosni, whom
he described as "a weak candidate," but felt trappeQby a
"premature" African Union (AU) endorsement of his candidacy.
He mentioned a potential legal complication, noting that the
AU resolution that endorsed Hosni also contained the official
AU endorsement of Nigeria for a United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) seat. Ibrahim said GON colleagues, therefore,
believed that failure to honor the Hosni candidacy for UNESCO
could undermine their own standing as the AU candidate for
the UNSC, despite harboring qualms about Hosni.
3. (C) When POLOFF pointed out that voting would occur by
secret ballot, such news pleased Ibrahim, who commented that
this was the most welcome point POLOFF had made. Ibrahim
volunteered that, if GON officials did not follow the AU
endorsement, they would be more inclined to support the
candidate from neighboring Benin, rather than from Tanzania
or another nation.
MCCULLOUGH
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO (KELLY SIEKMAN),AF/W, INR/AA;
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR UNESCO UNSC NI EG BN TZ
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: DEMARCHE ON UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL RACE
REF: STATE 82701
Classified By: Political Counselor James P. McAnulty
for reasons 1.4. (b & d).
1. (U) POLOFF delivered demarche with U.S. views on the race
for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization's (UNESCO) Director-General to Nigerian Foreign
Ministry Second United Nations Division Director Ambassador
M. K. Ibrahim on August 27.
2. (C) Without prompting, Ambassador Ibrahim raised the
contentious candidacy of Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk
Hosni and his recent remarks about Israel, which he described
as "unfortunate" and "careless." Ibrahim intimated that the
Nigerian Government (GON) had real concerns about Hosni, whom
he described as "a weak candidate," but felt trappeQby a
"premature" African Union (AU) endorsement of his candidacy.
He mentioned a potential legal complication, noting that the
AU resolution that endorsed Hosni also contained the official
AU endorsement of Nigeria for a United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) seat. Ibrahim said GON colleagues, therefore,
believed that failure to honor the Hosni candidacy for UNESCO
could undermine their own standing as the AU candidate for
the UNSC, despite harboring qualms about Hosni.
3. (C) When POLOFF pointed out that voting would occur by
secret ballot, such news pleased Ibrahim, who commented that
this was the most welcome point POLOFF had made. Ibrahim
volunteered that, if GON officials did not follow the AU
endorsement, they would be more inclined to support the
candidate from neighboring Benin, rather than from Tanzania
or another nation.
MCCULLOUGH