MEDIA RESPONSE TO USG PRESS RELEASE AND SUBSEQUENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000500 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2019 TAGS: PGOV KDEM ASEC GV SUBJECT: MEDIA RESPONSE TO USG PRESS RELEASE AND SUBSEQUENT GOG RESPONSE REF: CONAKRY 00493 Classified By: A/PAO MOLLY SANCHEZ CROWE FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D ¶1. (U) Summary: Following the August 20 USG press release on Guinean elections and the subsequent GOG response (REFTEL),journalists told PAS staff that the USG is playing an appropriate role by reminding the CNDD of the commitments it made upon taking power. The USG press release and GOG response has also sparked on-going discussions on radio talk shows regarding a possible Dadis candidacy in the presidential elections of 2010. Guinean state television continues to present only pro-Dadis reporting. End Summary ¶2. (C) PAS Press Assistant spoke with Souleyman Diallo, senior Guinean journalist and editor of the newspapers Le Lynx and La Lance. Mr. Diallo said that he originally supported the junta, thinking that Dadis was a real military officer, but that it is now clear that Dadis is not respecting his commitments. Diallo commented, "If he has changed, we have changed too. We do not support him." He also commented, "We will push him out the door. We are not scared." ¶3. (C) Another journalist, Moussa Ibn Conte of the Guinean written press association, noted that the USG press release came at the right time and shook everything up in Guinea. Both journalists stated that the press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was prepared by the controversial Minister of Communication to the Presidency and to the Minister of National Defense, Tibou Camara, a recent CNDD appointee who previously served as the Minister of Information under the Souare administration. ¶4. (U) PAS also received calls from a large number of journalists expressing support for the USG press release. In general, journalists said the USG is playing an appropriate role by reminding the CNDD of the commitments they made when they took power. Some commented that the CNDD was correct to remind the United States that this is an internal affair; however they also noted that since the CNDD made commitments to the international community, it is appropriate for the U.S. to remind them of those commitments. Another comment heard from journalists noted that if the U.S. did not make this type of statement now, it would not have the moral authority to criticize the regime later. ¶5. (U) PAS continues to monitor radio programs, including call-in programs, on private radio stations. During several recent programs that opened phone lines for listeners to comment on a possible Dadis candidacy, the vast majority of callers commented that, while Dadis has the right to present himself as a candidate, he should not do so because he made the commitment not to run when he took power. According to comments, this early commitment gave people hope that there would be a democratic transition in Guinea, which is why people originally supported Dadis and the CNDD. Another frequently heard comment suggests that Dadis is manipulating certain groups to push for his candidacy, but that if he does run, people will take to the streets and will reject his candidacy. ¶6. (U) While debate continues on the private radio airwaves, the government television station RTG consistently presents pro-CNDD reporting. RTG aired the GOG's response to the USG press release on August 22, followed by a commentary describing the release as undermining the will of the new authorities to carry out the transition, and noting that Guineans should be allowed to choose their leaders without foreign interference. The television news did not air or make reference to the Forces Vives' August 23 statement. The lead story on August 24 was an editorial piece describing the ad-hoc committee as an independent and impartial body created at the suggestion of the Forces Vives and noting that the Guinean people are "perplexed" by the voices attempting to undermine the new timeline for elections announced by this committee. ¶7. (U) Comment: Discussion has not abated. Contacts seem to be looking to next week's International Contact Group meeting as a strong indicator of how the transition process may unfold in the weeks ahead. End Comment BROKENSHIRE