Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAMAKO98
2009-02-19 16:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bamako
Cable title:
OFF AGAIN ON AGAIN REGIONAL HEAD OF STATE SUMMIT
how-toVZCZCXRO7097 RR RUEHPA DE RUEHBP #0098 0501657 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 191657Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0034 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0569 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0322 RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAMAKO 000098
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PINS PGOV ML
SUBJECT: OFF AGAIN ON AGAIN REGIONAL HEAD OF STATE SUMMIT
ON, THEN OFF, AGAIN
REF: A. 08 BAMAKO 00897
B. BAMAKO 00085
Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAMAKO 000098
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PINS PGOV ML
SUBJECT: OFF AGAIN ON AGAIN REGIONAL HEAD OF STATE SUMMIT
ON, THEN OFF, AGAIN
REF: A. 08 BAMAKO 00897
B. BAMAKO 00085
Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1.(U) On February 16 local press in Bamako announced that
Mali intended to host President Amadou Toumani Toure's
oft-discussed and more oft-postponed Head of State
Sahel-Saharan security summit on February 19. According to
local media reports, five foreign Heads of State would
attend: Algerian President Bouteflika, Burkina President
Compaore, Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi, Nigerien President
Tandja, and Chadian President Deby. On February 17 French
media reported that the leaders of Burkina Faso, Niger,
Algeria, Libya and Chad were expected to spend several hours
in Bamako.
2.(C) On February 18, however, former Minister of Defense
and ex-Head of State Security, Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, told
the Embassy that the Head of State summit had been once again
postponed. Maiga, who is one of the summit's many
organizers, said Malian authorities had only informed him of
the postponement the night before and that several Heads of
State had already committed for the date of February 19.
Maiga speculated that scheduling problems for one or more
regional leaders prompted the delay. Presidential insider
Kader Bah told the Embassy on February 18 that the Summit had
been "canceled", then amended his description to "postponed"
and blamed Qadhafi for the last minute change in plans. Bah
also said that there was a problem with Morocco, which was
not on the list of those attending, as Morocco wanted
participants to formally list the Polisario as a terrorist
group.
3.(U) Originally proposed by President Toure in September
2007, the Head of State summit has suffered a number of
setbacks which Malian authorities generally attributed to
presidential scheduling conflicts. In November 2008 Foreign
Ministers from the five nations noted above convened in
Bamako to lay the framework for an eventual Head of State
meeting (Ref. A). The November 2008 Ministerial meeting
produced two documents: a Bamako Declaration and an action
plan on peace, security, and development in the region.
Signatories to both documents renewed their commitments to
combating terrorism, improved information sharing, and the
deployment of joint and/or simultaneous military patrols to
strengthen cross-border security.
4.(U) According to one generally reliable Malian newspaper,
scheduling difficulties and disagreements over the scope of
the summit's agenda previously prevented regional Heads of
State from gathering in Bamako. The newspaper also noted
that President Toure was one of those seeking to limit the
scope of the Summit and quoted the President as saying that
"it was out of the question to come to discuss the rebellion
in (Northern Mali),as each leader manages his own
rebellion." The agreed upon agenda for the summit will
include creating a shared space of integrated economic
development, exchange, and cooperation. The leaders will
discuss boundary security cooperation, including the
possibility of creating mixed units to patrol the border
regions, or the coordination of simultaneous patrols on each
side of the frontier.
--------------
Comment: The Malian Trifecta, Almost
--------------
4.(C) Had Mali pulled off President Toure's Head of State
summit, it would have capped a remarkable two weeks which saw
the apparent defeat of Tuareg rebel leader Ibrahim Bahanga
(Ref. B) and the negotiated voluntary disarmament of Tuareg
rebel factions in Kidal (septel). The unexpected and rapid
resolution of Mali's own Tuareg rebellion may have been the
catalyst behind President Toure's renewed attempt to convoke
his fellow Presidents as President Toure suddenly found
himself - whether briefly or on a more long-term basis - in
the category of Presidents without an internal rebellion to
manage. It may also explain the ad hoc nature of the
Summit's organization. News of the Summit's postponement
came as no surprise as Mali's media roll-out for the Summit
was rather hesitant and none of the normal preparations for
welcoming arriving Heads of State were visible in Bamako.
MILOVANOVIC
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PINS PGOV ML
SUBJECT: OFF AGAIN ON AGAIN REGIONAL HEAD OF STATE SUMMIT
ON, THEN OFF, AGAIN
REF: A. 08 BAMAKO 00897
B. BAMAKO 00085
Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1.(U) On February 16 local press in Bamako announced that
Mali intended to host President Amadou Toumani Toure's
oft-discussed and more oft-postponed Head of State
Sahel-Saharan security summit on February 19. According to
local media reports, five foreign Heads of State would
attend: Algerian President Bouteflika, Burkina President
Compaore, Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi, Nigerien President
Tandja, and Chadian President Deby. On February 17 French
media reported that the leaders of Burkina Faso, Niger,
Algeria, Libya and Chad were expected to spend several hours
in Bamako.
2.(C) On February 18, however, former Minister of Defense
and ex-Head of State Security, Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, told
the Embassy that the Head of State summit had been once again
postponed. Maiga, who is one of the summit's many
organizers, said Malian authorities had only informed him of
the postponement the night before and that several Heads of
State had already committed for the date of February 19.
Maiga speculated that scheduling problems for one or more
regional leaders prompted the delay. Presidential insider
Kader Bah told the Embassy on February 18 that the Summit had
been "canceled", then amended his description to "postponed"
and blamed Qadhafi for the last minute change in plans. Bah
also said that there was a problem with Morocco, which was
not on the list of those attending, as Morocco wanted
participants to formally list the Polisario as a terrorist
group.
3.(U) Originally proposed by President Toure in September
2007, the Head of State summit has suffered a number of
setbacks which Malian authorities generally attributed to
presidential scheduling conflicts. In November 2008 Foreign
Ministers from the five nations noted above convened in
Bamako to lay the framework for an eventual Head of State
meeting (Ref. A). The November 2008 Ministerial meeting
produced two documents: a Bamako Declaration and an action
plan on peace, security, and development in the region.
Signatories to both documents renewed their commitments to
combating terrorism, improved information sharing, and the
deployment of joint and/or simultaneous military patrols to
strengthen cross-border security.
4.(U) According to one generally reliable Malian newspaper,
scheduling difficulties and disagreements over the scope of
the summit's agenda previously prevented regional Heads of
State from gathering in Bamako. The newspaper also noted
that President Toure was one of those seeking to limit the
scope of the Summit and quoted the President as saying that
"it was out of the question to come to discuss the rebellion
in (Northern Mali),as each leader manages his own
rebellion." The agreed upon agenda for the summit will
include creating a shared space of integrated economic
development, exchange, and cooperation. The leaders will
discuss boundary security cooperation, including the
possibility of creating mixed units to patrol the border
regions, or the coordination of simultaneous patrols on each
side of the frontier.
--------------
Comment: The Malian Trifecta, Almost
--------------
4.(C) Had Mali pulled off President Toure's Head of State
summit, it would have capped a remarkable two weeks which saw
the apparent defeat of Tuareg rebel leader Ibrahim Bahanga
(Ref. B) and the negotiated voluntary disarmament of Tuareg
rebel factions in Kidal (septel). The unexpected and rapid
resolution of Mali's own Tuareg rebellion may have been the
catalyst behind President Toure's renewed attempt to convoke
his fellow Presidents as President Toure suddenly found
himself - whether briefly or on a more long-term basis - in
the category of Presidents without an internal rebellion to
manage. It may also explain the ad hoc nature of the
Summit's organization. News of the Summit's postponement
came as no surprise as Mali's media roll-out for the Summit
was rather hesitant and none of the normal preparations for
welcoming arriving Heads of State were visible in Bamako.
MILOVANOVIC