CNDD PRESIDENT SAYS HE MAY RUN FOR OFFICE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000213 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM ASEC GV SUBJECT: CNDD PRESIDENT SAYS HE MAY RUN FOR OFFICE REF: CONAKRY 0195 ¶1. (U) During another public rally on April 15 organized by Conakry Governor Mohmamed Diop (see reftel for details on first rally),CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara indicated that he is considering presenting himself as a candidate in Guinea's upcoming presidential elections. He warned that if leaders of political parties continue to "disrespect" him, he will turn in his military uniform and run for office himself. Dadis accused political leaders of failing to give him the respect and consideration he is due as head of state. He then stated that "all citizens have the right to present themselves as candidates for President...I am a citizen like them." Dadis' language was ambiguous. He did not announce his candidacy, but he did seem to set the stage for doing so later, if he decides he wants to. ¶2. (U) Dadis continued to criticize political leaders by saying that they had "misinformed" members of the international community about the CNDD, which had led to suspension of foreign aid. According to Dadis, opposition leaders intentionally misled the international community, and the World Bank and the IMF in particular, in order to make the CNDD incapable of paying government salaries, which would ultimately force a labor strike. ¶3. (U) The CNDD President also attacked the country's rice importers. He accused them of deliberately trying to provoke the population to revolt against the CNDD by constantly increasing the price of rice. Dadis threatened to cancel import licenses if the price of rice does not drop within a week. ¶4. (U) According to local press reports, Dadis requested permission from the gathered crowd to move into the presidential palace. The rally took place in Kaloum, in front of what is commonly called "the little palace." Dadis reportedly said that he was requesting permission according to local traditions whereby strangers must request permission from the locals to live among them. Elders and religious leaders present at they rally told Dadis that he could come live among them as it was already his home. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Dadis has told members of the international community several times that he has no intention of running for office although information from other contacts suggest that he has considered presenting himself as a candidate some years down the road, perhaps during a second or third post-coup presidential election. His statements at the April 15 rally suggest that Dadis may be testing the water to see how the population would react to his candidacy. People applauded, but he did not get the normal level of jubilant cheering that he normally does, although that might be due to the fact that the crowd waited several hours in the sun for him to show up. END COMMENT. RASPOLIC