Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ADDISABABA332
2009-02-06 15:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:
USAU: PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES
how-toVZCZCXRO5063 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHDS #0332 0371508 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 061508Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3693 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0910 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7720 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000332
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, AND IO/UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MR AU
SUBJECT: USAU: PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES
SANCTIONS AGAINST MAURITANIAN JUNTA
Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000332
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, AND IO/UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MR AU
SUBJECT: USAU: PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES
SANCTIONS AGAINST MAURITANIAN JUNTA
Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (U) This message contains an action request in para. 6.
2. (U) Summary: At its February 5 meeting, the African
Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council decided to impose
targeted sanctions on the Mauritanian junta that overthrew
democratically elected President Abdallahi six months ago.
The Council also agreed that sanctions should be accompanied
by efforts on the part of the AU and its partners to restore
constitutional order. The debate over sanctions now shifts
to the UN and the EU. End Summary.
3. (U) In a landmark decision, the AU Peace and Security
Council voted in closed session on February 5 to implement
sanctions against the Mauritanian junta. Specifically, the
Council envisions visa denials, travel restrictions, and
freezing of assets. The communique, issued after the
meeting, requests member-states to "scrupulously implement
this decision." (Note: This was only the second time that
the Council had adopted such stiff measures against an AU
member; the first was in 2007 against the leadership of
Anjouan. End note.)
4. (U) The Council had announced in a December 22, 2008
communique that if, by February 5, constitutional order is
not restored, it would impose targeted sanctions on all
individuals, both civilian and military, "whose activities
are designed to maintain the unconstitutional status quo in
Mauritania." The Council, as well as the AU's international
partners, were insistent that the sanctions not harm the
Mauritanian people.
5. (SBU) The February 5 decision also triggers the AU's
notification of the UNSC that it is going to pursue sanctions
as a pressure tactic against the junta. Council members, AU
partners, and AU Commission staff expect more debate on the
appropriateness of sanctions at both the UN and the EU.
6. (C) Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra will
be at UN headquarters February 9-13. USAU encourages USUN to
meet with Lamamra to discuss the sanctions issue, as well as
concerns over the seating of a Mauritanian PermRep who has
allegiances to the military junta. The AU has suspended
Mauritania from participating in any AU activity, including
the recent Summit. USAU will advise Lamamra before he
departs Addis that AU member-states -- as a bloc -- are best
placed to challenge the seating of the junta's candidate at
the UN.
7. (U) The Council's decision is not limited to sanctions.
Sanctions should be accompanied by efforts on the part of the
AU, its partners, and all Mauritanian parties, to restore
constitutional order. Moreover, coup leaders need to
cooperate with the AU Commission.
8. (C) Council PermReps told USAU Pol/Econ Chief that the AU
Commission (the organization's Secretariat) actually
recommended that the Council defer its decision until
February 20 when the Francophonie Organization hosts a
consultative meeting on the situation in Mauritania in Paris.
An overwhelming majority of member-states on the Council
argued against deferral, while only one member-state
advocated for it, according to sources within the Council.
"They tried to move the discussion in their direction. We
resisted," said the PermRep from Uganda, who supported
sanctions.
9. (C) Upon learning of the Council's decision, the
Mauritanian PermRep to the AU (sidelined by the junta but
still in Addis Ababa) telephoned President Abdallahi to
deliver the news. Abdallahi reportedly told him that this
was a "positive development."
YAMAMOTO
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, AND IO/UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MR AU
SUBJECT: USAU: PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES
SANCTIONS AGAINST MAURITANIAN JUNTA
Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (U) This message contains an action request in para. 6.
2. (U) Summary: At its February 5 meeting, the African
Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council decided to impose
targeted sanctions on the Mauritanian junta that overthrew
democratically elected President Abdallahi six months ago.
The Council also agreed that sanctions should be accompanied
by efforts on the part of the AU and its partners to restore
constitutional order. The debate over sanctions now shifts
to the UN and the EU. End Summary.
3. (U) In a landmark decision, the AU Peace and Security
Council voted in closed session on February 5 to implement
sanctions against the Mauritanian junta. Specifically, the
Council envisions visa denials, travel restrictions, and
freezing of assets. The communique, issued after the
meeting, requests member-states to "scrupulously implement
this decision." (Note: This was only the second time that
the Council had adopted such stiff measures against an AU
member; the first was in 2007 against the leadership of
Anjouan. End note.)
4. (U) The Council had announced in a December 22, 2008
communique that if, by February 5, constitutional order is
not restored, it would impose targeted sanctions on all
individuals, both civilian and military, "whose activities
are designed to maintain the unconstitutional status quo in
Mauritania." The Council, as well as the AU's international
partners, were insistent that the sanctions not harm the
Mauritanian people.
5. (SBU) The February 5 decision also triggers the AU's
notification of the UNSC that it is going to pursue sanctions
as a pressure tactic against the junta. Council members, AU
partners, and AU Commission staff expect more debate on the
appropriateness of sanctions at both the UN and the EU.
6. (C) Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra will
be at UN headquarters February 9-13. USAU encourages USUN to
meet with Lamamra to discuss the sanctions issue, as well as
concerns over the seating of a Mauritanian PermRep who has
allegiances to the military junta. The AU has suspended
Mauritania from participating in any AU activity, including
the recent Summit. USAU will advise Lamamra before he
departs Addis that AU member-states -- as a bloc -- are best
placed to challenge the seating of the junta's candidate at
the UN.
7. (U) The Council's decision is not limited to sanctions.
Sanctions should be accompanied by efforts on the part of the
AU, its partners, and all Mauritanian parties, to restore
constitutional order. Moreover, coup leaders need to
cooperate with the AU Commission.
8. (C) Council PermReps told USAU Pol/Econ Chief that the AU
Commission (the organization's Secretariat) actually
recommended that the Council defer its decision until
February 20 when the Francophonie Organization hosts a
consultative meeting on the situation in Mauritania in Paris.
An overwhelming majority of member-states on the Council
argued against deferral, while only one member-state
advocated for it, according to sources within the Council.
"They tried to move the discussion in their direction. We
resisted," said the PermRep from Uganda, who supported
sanctions.
9. (C) Upon learning of the Council's decision, the
Mauritanian PermRep to the AU (sidelined by the junta but
still in Addis Ababa) telephoned President Abdallahi to
deliver the news. Abdallahi reportedly told him that this
was a "positive development."
YAMAMOTO