AMBASSADOR MOLLER URGES KONATE TO MOVE TOWARD A

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000769 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC GV SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MOLLER URGES KONATE TO MOVE TOWARD A DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION REF: CONAKRY 762 Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Moller for Reason 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) In a brief meeting December 8 with Guinea's acting of Head of State, Ambassador Patricia Moller urged General Sekouba Konate to move the country towards a real democratic transition. In her first meeting with Konate since arriving in Conakry November 1, Ambassador Moller noted the historic opportunity now at hand to break with decades of authoritarian rule. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador stated that Konate was responsible for the peace and security of all the inhabitants of Guinea. She also pressed him to establish a government of transition with a council of diverse political advisers that would lead to democratic elections. Ambassador Moller also urged him to reach out to international and African organizations for their help and assistance. She urged him to welcome a mission from ECOWAS to help him keep the peace and assist in the transition to a civilian government. She told Konate that the United States understood the difficult decisions required to set Guinea on a truly democratic course and was willing to assist in the transition. ¶3. (C) Konate said he was thankful for the US offer, adding that Guinea would gladly accept assistance. Alluding to the recent shooting of Dadis (Reftel) and possibly the September 28 massacre, he noted that the military needed a great deal of help since it was the cause of recent troubles. He also stated that Guinea would welcome US 'logistical and material assistance' for the transition. Konate did not go into detail over what specific assistance might be needed. ¶4. (SBU) Konate and CNDD Permanent Secretary Major Moussa Keita received the Ambassador, DCM and RSO at Konate's private residence in the Taouyah neighborhood, a 10-minute drive from the Embassy. Both Konate and Keita were visibly pleased that Ambassador Moller had sought the meeting, noting that there had been no previous contact between the US Chief of Mission and high-level CNDD officials. They exchanged phone numbers with Embassy personnel and offered to remain in personal contact. ¶5. (SBU) The residence had the appearance of an armed camp in the suburbs, full of gun-toting soldiers eating, talking in groups and smoking. Women tended cooking fires and ladled food into bowls which they passed to the soldiers. Outside the compound several Toyota pickups stood guard with mounted machine guns. Soldiers directed traffic on the street, while other milled around the driveway or enjoyed their morning beer at an adjacent outdoor bar. Machine guns, assault rifles, bandoleers of cartridges, and assorted military gear lay strewn throughout the residence and surrounding grounds. ¶6. (C) Comment: This 20-minute initial meeting proved a useful encounter. It made clear to the interim leadership that the United States expects it to seize the opportunity to move toward a democratic transition, and that it could count on significant assistance from the international community to do so. More significantly, the encounter opened the door to further discussions at a personal level between Konate and the Ambassador. Such discussions, and the confidence and trust they foster, may prove useful in moving Konate toward making real democratic progress. Moller