Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LISBON129
2009-03-03 14:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:
PORTUGUESE DELEGATION HEADING TO GUINEA-BISSAU
how-toVZCZCXRO8063 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHLI #0129 0621457 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 031457Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY LISBON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7426 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0400 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR PRIORITY 0225 RUEHPA/AMEMBASSY PRAIA PRIORITY 0273 RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 0129 RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA PRIORITY 0590 RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO PRIORITY 0543 RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS LISBON 000129
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE DELEGATION HEADING TO GUINEA-BISSAU
REF: DAKAR 0263
UNCLAS LISBON 000129
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE DELEGATION HEADING TO GUINEA-BISSAU
REF: DAKAR 0263
1. (SBU) Portuguese MFA number two, Secretary of State Joao
Cravinho, is heading to Guinea-Bissau on March 3 on a
fact-finding mission, leading a delegation of the
Lisbon-based Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries
(CPLP). According to MFA contacts, Cravinho will meet with
senior military and government officials in Bissau to urge
calm and press for a political solution to the crisis. The
Portuguese embassy in Bissau has three diplomats, but their
last ambassador rotated out a few weeks ago. Ambassador
Antonio Ricoca Freire, who until recently was the MFA's
Deputy PolDir for Multilateral Affairs, is the new ambassador
and is traveling to Bissau with Cravinho today to take up his
duties.
2. (SBU) MFA officials have told us that with calm
apparently restored in Bissau, they do not have reports of
urgent security threats to Portuguese citizens in the
capital, though several citizens who are in Bissau for
temporary work and other reasons have requested assistance in
returning to Portugal.
3. (SBU) Portuguese military officials have informed Lisbon
DATT that they are conducting contingency planning in case an
evacuation operation is required. They also noted that
Portugal is looking for ways that the CPLP can support
national elections to replace President Vieira.
4. (SBU) Events in Guinea-Bissau this week have captured
attention in Portugal and are front-page news in the Lisbon
press. Guinea-Bissau is a lusophone country, was a
Portuguese colony until 1974, and there are many personal and
political ties between the countries. Murdered president
Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira lived in exile in Portugal in
1999-2005, between stints as president.
For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:
portugal
STEPHENSON
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE DELEGATION HEADING TO GUINEA-BISSAU
REF: DAKAR 0263
1. (SBU) Portuguese MFA number two, Secretary of State Joao
Cravinho, is heading to Guinea-Bissau on March 3 on a
fact-finding mission, leading a delegation of the
Lisbon-based Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries
(CPLP). According to MFA contacts, Cravinho will meet with
senior military and government officials in Bissau to urge
calm and press for a political solution to the crisis. The
Portuguese embassy in Bissau has three diplomats, but their
last ambassador rotated out a few weeks ago. Ambassador
Antonio Ricoca Freire, who until recently was the MFA's
Deputy PolDir for Multilateral Affairs, is the new ambassador
and is traveling to Bissau with Cravinho today to take up his
duties.
2. (SBU) MFA officials have told us that with calm
apparently restored in Bissau, they do not have reports of
urgent security threats to Portuguese citizens in the
capital, though several citizens who are in Bissau for
temporary work and other reasons have requested assistance in
returning to Portugal.
3. (SBU) Portuguese military officials have informed Lisbon
DATT that they are conducting contingency planning in case an
evacuation operation is required. They also noted that
Portugal is looking for ways that the CPLP can support
national elections to replace President Vieira.
4. (SBU) Events in Guinea-Bissau this week have captured
attention in Portugal and are front-page news in the Lisbon
press. Guinea-Bissau is a lusophone country, was a
Portuguese colony until 1974, and there are many personal and
political ties between the countries. Murdered president
Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira lived in exile in Portugal in
1999-2005, between stints as president.
For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:
portugal
STEPHENSON