GHANA RESPONSE TO IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL ELECTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 000423

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO/T-MATTHEW GOLDSTEIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2019
TAGS: AORC IAEA KNNP PREL
SUBJECT: GHANA RESPONSE TO IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL ELECTION

REF: A. STATE 46302

B. UNVIE 189

Classified By: POLOFF Raymond Stephens for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Ghana offers strong support for Japanese
candidate Yukiya Amano to be IAEA DG but does not give a
definitive "yes". END SUMMARY


2. (U) Per reftel, POLOFF Raymond Stephens delivered
demarche to Dr. Kojo Assan, Director, International
Organizations and Multilateral Bureau, Ghana MFA. Assan said
the Embassy of Japan is lobbying hard for Amano, and Amano
has paid courtesy calls in Accra on VP John Dramani Mahama
and Deputy Foreign Minister.


3. (U) Assan also said Ghana and Japan enjoy strong
relations. VP Mahama worked as Political FSN in Embassy of
Japan in Accra for several years before joining government in
mid 1990s as a Deputy Minister.


4. (U) Assan concluded the meeting by saying that USG
support for Amano adds flavor to information about the
candidate.


5. (C) While Assan gave no concrete indication of how Ghana
will vote, he strongly indicated that Ghana will continue to
support Assan as it did in previous rounds.
TEITELBAUM