Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COTONOU185
2009-05-11 11:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cotonou
Cable title:  

BENIN: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH FOREIGN MINISTER ON

Tags:  PREL PGOV ASEC CU IR XF BN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1157
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0185/01 1311101
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 111101Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0903
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000185 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/W, S/SAGSWA, NEA/IR
PARIS FOR RKANEDA
LONDON FOR PLORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC CU IR XF BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH FOREIGN MINISTER ON
IRAN, CUBA, MIDEAST, PCV MURDER, AND US PRESIDENT

REF: A. BROWN/TAYLOR E-MAIL DATED 5/6/2009

B. TAYLOR/BROWN E-MAIL DATED 4/22/2009

C. BROWN/COOK E-MAIL DATED 4/22/2009

D. TAYLOR/BROWN E-MAIL DATED 4/7/2009

E. BROWN/COOK E-MAIL DATED 4/6/2009

Classified By: Ambassador Gayleatha Brown. Reasons: 1.4 (b&d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000185

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/W, S/SAGSWA, NEA/IR
PARIS FOR RKANEDA
LONDON FOR PLORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC CU IR XF BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH FOREIGN MINISTER ON
IRAN, CUBA, MIDEAST, PCV MURDER, AND US PRESIDENT

REF: A. BROWN/TAYLOR E-MAIL DATED 5/6/2009

B. TAYLOR/BROWN E-MAIL DATED 4/22/2009

C. BROWN/COOK E-MAIL DATED 4/22/2009

D. TAYLOR/BROWN E-MAIL DATED 4/7/2009

E. BROWN/COOK E-MAIL DATED 4/6/2009

Classified By: Ambassador Gayleatha Brown. Reasons: 1.4 (b&d).


1. (C) Summary: In a May 5, 2009 meeting with the Ambassador,
Foreign Minister Ehouzou, acknowledging USG demarches, said
that President Yayi will not visit Iran as planned and
approved by the Council of Ministers; urged an end to the
embargo against Cuba; welcomed dialogue on the Middle East;
gave assurances that the Government of Benin (GOB) would
meticulously ensure due process and justice in the criminal
investigation and punishment of the person or persons
responsible for the March 12, 2009 murder of our Peace Corps
Volunteer; and requested an official visit to Washington for
President Yayi to meet with President Obama whom he also
invited to visit Benin. End summary.


2. (C) Iran: During a May 5 tour d'horizon with the
Ambassador, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (ForMin) Ehouzou
acknowledged receipt of her demarches against President
Yayi's trip to Iran (refs) and said the President had
accepted his recommendation to cancel the trip, particularly
after Iranian President Ahmadinejad's speech at the recent
Durban II Conference in Geneva. The Council of Ministers had
approved an April 8-13 visit to Turkey and Iran, which had
been interrupted April 8 literally on the runway at the
Cotonou International Airport due to technical problems with
the President's airplane. Ehouzou congratulated the
Ambassador on her handling of "very important dossiers,"
including Iran. He affirmed that Benin's position on Iran
was similar to that of the USG and that the GOB only had
intended to be "helpful."


3. (C) Middle East: Ehouzou welcomed appointment of a new
envoy for the Middle East and applauded the new U.S.
administration's willingness to pursue independent Israeli

and Palestinian states as an important initiative for peace
in the region. He also commented favorably on the USG's
outreach to Muslims, noting the visit the week of May 5 of an
American Iman from Fort Worth, Texas, to Benin as part of the
U.S. Mission's public diplomacy outreach programming.


4. (C) Cuba: Regarding the administration's lifting of
restrictions on travel by Cuban-Americans to Cuba, Ehouzou
said that the "first signs are good," expressing appreciation
for President Obama's "sincerity" and participation in the
recent OAS meeting. He hoped that the USG would make a
"surprise" and end the embargo against Cuba, contending that
it was not the only country that violated human rights and
rule of law.


5. (U) Peace Corps Volunteer Murder Case: ForMin Ehouzou
assured the Ambassador that Benin would do everything
properly and correctly to investigate, prosecute and punish
the person(s) responsible for the March 12, 2009 murder of
Peace Corps Volunteer Catherine Puzey at her resident in the
village of Badjoude in western Benin where she had taught
high school. On May 8, he invited the Ambassador back to the
Ministry accompanied by Peace Corps Director Cowan, as
promised on May 5, to make the same points, stating that
Benin's justice system was based on that of the French and
moved slowly but surely. Ehouzou said that suspects were in
detention pending the investigation into charges against them
by the police. On completion of that phase, they would go
before a judge and subsequently to trial and sentencing if
sufficient evidence exists. Ehouzou repeated GOB condolences,
noting the official presentations already made, including his
presence at the memorial service for Catherine at the Chief
of Mission Residence in Cotonou.


6. (C) President Obama: Ehouzou welcomed President Obama's
"formidable leadership," praised his early initiatives,
wished him well, requested an official invitation for Yayi to
meet Obama, and invited the latter to Benin. The ForMin
requested that Benin be among the first African countries to
receive President Obama.


7. (C) Comment: Foreign Minister Ehouzou has broad
experience in multilateral fora and knows USG positions on
major international issues well. He was jubilant over the USG
decision to stand for election in the UNHRC and has become
markedly more friendly since President Obama's election. His
recommendation to President Yayi to cancel the Iran trip was
due more probably to the extreme position of the Iranian

COTONOU 00000185 002 OF 002


president in Geneva than to our demarches, although he now
downplays the decision to go to Iran at all. Yayi had
refused to visit Iran after our demarches twice before. This
last time Ehouzou had worked it through the Council of
Ministers before advising the Ambassador, not giving her a
chance to demarche the President. However, fate intervened,
and technical problems with the President's plane stopped the
take-off. Ahmadinejad did the rest by his antics in Geneva
such that even Ehouzou could not justify a visit to Iran by
Yayi. End comment.
BROWN