FOREIGN MINISTER APOLOGIZES FOR AUGUST 22 MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000578

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2019
TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV ASEC GV
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER APOLOGIZES FOR AUGUST 22 MEETING

REF: CONAKRY 0493

Classified By: A/DCM SHANNON CAZEAU FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D


1. (C) SUMMARY. The Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs
formally apologized to A/DCM for the strained meeting of
August 22 (reftel). He reiterated the GoG's position,
emphasizing that the issue of Dadis' candidacy will be a
sovereign decision. A/DCM explained the USG's policy
position, noting that the opportunity for continued dialogue
is critically important. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Following a broad meeting with the diplomatic corps
to address security concerns (septel),Guinean Foreign
Minister Luoua met privately with A/DCM on September 18.
During A/DCM's last meeting with Luoua, the Minister
criticized USG policy and unprofessionally reprimanded the
Embassy for failing to accurately convey the Guinean reality
to Washington (reftel). The Embassy later sent a diplomatic
note to formally lodge a complaint about how the meeting was
conducted.


3. (C) The Minister clearly wanted to offer an apology to
A/DCM, although he seemed ill at ease and some of his
statements did not ring true. Luoua said he absolutely
understood that the Embassy is an extension of the U.S.
Department of State, but that the Embassy's policy statement
"infuriated" the GoG because it suggested that the Embassy
was not accurately representing developments in Guinea to
Washington.


4. (C) Louoa emphasized that the United States is one of
Guinea's most important partners, which is why the GoG found
our policy statement particularly troubling. "We absolutely
need the United States on our side and it is important that
we understand each other," he said.


5. (C) He spent several minutes explaining how difficult
Guinea's situation is, and how concerned the CNDD is about
the precarious position Guinea finds itself in. At one
point, Minister Luoua said that this is one of the reasons
many Guineans feel that CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara is
the only person who can keep the country from falling apart.
"Whether or not Dadis presents himself as a candidate will
absolutely be a sovereign decision," the Minister said.


6. (C) Luoua then pointed out that Dadis had essentially
announced his candidacy to members of the ICG-G during the
last meeting in Conakry, but had yet to make a formal
announcement to the general population. He suggested that
Dadis is holding back because the entire government is trying
to figure out how best to manage the situation. The Minister
did not seem to be implying that Dadis had no intention of
running, but rather that potential opposition to his
candidacy could destabilize the country. Luoua was clearly
supportive of Dadis.


7. (C) A/DCM accepted the apology, noting that policy
disagreements between nations are at time unavoidable.
However, she emphasized that in such instances, the
opportunity for dialogue is all the more important. A/DCM
pointed out that the Minister is the Embassy's primary
interlocutor when it comes to explaining U.S. foreign policy
as the USG currently does not meet with the CNDD. The
Minister acknowledged this statement with a request for the
USG to consider opening direct communication with the CNDD,
noting that other Embassies have met directly with Dadis.


8. (C) With respect to Dadis' possible candidacy, A/DCM
explained that the USG's position on this issue is a
reflection of our overall policy of support for democratic
processes, which has been the cornerstone of our foreign
policy in Guinea for years. She underscored the USG's
neutrality, stating that the question of Dadis' candidacy is
not an issue of saying one citizen can run while another
cannot. Rather, it is the fact that the candidacy of someone
who seized power under force of arms would necessarily
undermine the democratic process.


9. (SBU) The meeting ended cordially with the Minister
thanking A/DCM for the exchange. The Minister is traveling
this weekend to represent Guinea at the United Nations
General Assembly meeting, as well as at the meeting of the
International Contact Group on Guinea, which will be held on
the margins of UNGA on September 22.

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COMMENT
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CONAKRY 00000578 002 OF 002



10. (C) The Minister genuinely seemed to want to mend
fences, although this desire was probably more of a
reflection of the GoG's need to win friends rather than any
sincere feeling of remorse. It was clear that Luoua's
initial reaction had not changed, although he did tone down
the message. Some of his comments suggested that the GoG may
have got ahead of itself in condemning the USG's policy
position so brusquely, thinking that the rest of the
international community would not take such a hardline.
Subsequent statements by France, and the general tone of the
last International Contact Group meeting, likely demonstrated
that the international community is united on several fronts.
In any case, the apology did much to mend relationships that
have felt strained in recent weeks. END COMMENT.
BROKENSHIRE