Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LISBON141
2009-03-10 11:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:
PORTUGAL: DISAPPOINTING BRIEFING ON GUINEA-BISSAU
how-toVZCZCXRO5033 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBZ RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHDU RUEHFL RUEHGI RUEHIK RUEHJO RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHNP RUEHPA RUEHPOD RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHTRO RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHLI #0141 0691125 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 101125Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY LISBON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7448 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0406 RUEHPD/AMCONSUL PONTA DELGADA 0582
UNCLAS LISBON 000141
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: DISAPPOINTING BRIEFING ON GUINEA-BISSAU
REF: LISBON 0129
UNCLAS LISBON 000141
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: DISAPPOINTING BRIEFING ON GUINEA-BISSAU
REF: LISBON 0129
1. (SBU) The Portuguese Foreign Ministry on March 9 briefed
the Lisbon diplomatic corps on recent activities in
Guinea-Bissau. Portuguese MFA number two, Secretary of State
Joao Cravinho, last week led a delegation of the Lisbon-based
Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) to Bissau,
and this briefing was the readout from that visit.
Unfortunately, the briefing was not very useful.
2. (SBU) Jorge Cabral, the MFA's Acting Deputy PolDir for
Multilateral Affairs, provided the briefing and noted that
Cravinho's March 3-5 CPLP mission to Bissau included the
CPLP's Executive Secretary (from the Bissau-Guinean embassy
in Portugal),and was joined on the ground by the Brazilian
and Angolan ambassadors in Bissau. The delegation met with
the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Defense Minister and
service chiefs, as well as with the UN SRSG, and ECOWAS
representatives.
3. (SBU) The delegation found the situation in Bissau "calm
yet fragile". They passed the following messages to their
interlocutors:
- signaled solidarity with the citizens of Guinea-Bissau,
- appealed to the country's leaders for calm,
- offered CPLP support in turning the page on the cycle of
violence,
- noted the importance of a serious investigation into the
two assassinations,
- expressed willingness to mobilize international assistance,
especially for elections,
- stressed the importance of replacing General Na Wai and
bringing the armed forces fully under political control,
- expressed CPLP's willingness to work with other
international partners on the range of issues, including
pensions for retired military personnel.
4. (SBU) The Bissau-Guinean interlocutors responded, said
Cabral, with expressions of willingness to investigate the
killings and to follow the constitutional process forward,
and with a request for rapid support from the international
community. ECOWAS officials similarly agreed on the
importance of the role of the international community, saying
that an international contact group should meet quickly.
Cabral did not offer any notional dates, locations, or
participants for such a meeting, and he did not solicit input.
5. (SBU) Cabral did not know about the plans of President
Vieira's widow (rumored to be seeking asylum in Portugal),
but commented that she seemed comfortable in the Angolan
embassy in Bissau. He offered no conclusions, preliminary or
otherwise, about the events of March 1-2 and the two
killings, and he did not know when the CPLP might meet again
to discuss the way forward.
6. (SBU) COMMENT. Today's briefing was disappointing. The
Portuguese MFA often presents itself as a leader within, and
a bridge to, the lusophone world. It pays a great deal of
attention to events in lusophone countries and expends a
great deal of effort "leading" the CPLP. Yet all of the
information from this briefing could be found in today's
Lisbon newspapers. If the MFA has some ideas for
Guinea-Bissau, but is not ready to reveal them, we have to
ask why not, and why hold a briefing? If the MFA does not
have any ideas, we have to wonder if it is in a position to
offer leadership in this crisis. We came away with a sense
that Portugal --and others interested in the future of
Guinea-Bissau-- have the desire to contribute to a solution,
but are not yet able to offer a way forward or ideas on how
others might participate.
For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal
STEPHENSON
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: DISAPPOINTING BRIEFING ON GUINEA-BISSAU
REF: LISBON 0129
1. (SBU) The Portuguese Foreign Ministry on March 9 briefed
the Lisbon diplomatic corps on recent activities in
Guinea-Bissau. Portuguese MFA number two, Secretary of State
Joao Cravinho, last week led a delegation of the Lisbon-based
Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) to Bissau,
and this briefing was the readout from that visit.
Unfortunately, the briefing was not very useful.
2. (SBU) Jorge Cabral, the MFA's Acting Deputy PolDir for
Multilateral Affairs, provided the briefing and noted that
Cravinho's March 3-5 CPLP mission to Bissau included the
CPLP's Executive Secretary (from the Bissau-Guinean embassy
in Portugal),and was joined on the ground by the Brazilian
and Angolan ambassadors in Bissau. The delegation met with
the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Defense Minister and
service chiefs, as well as with the UN SRSG, and ECOWAS
representatives.
3. (SBU) The delegation found the situation in Bissau "calm
yet fragile". They passed the following messages to their
interlocutors:
- signaled solidarity with the citizens of Guinea-Bissau,
- appealed to the country's leaders for calm,
- offered CPLP support in turning the page on the cycle of
violence,
- noted the importance of a serious investigation into the
two assassinations,
- expressed willingness to mobilize international assistance,
especially for elections,
- stressed the importance of replacing General Na Wai and
bringing the armed forces fully under political control,
- expressed CPLP's willingness to work with other
international partners on the range of issues, including
pensions for retired military personnel.
4. (SBU) The Bissau-Guinean interlocutors responded, said
Cabral, with expressions of willingness to investigate the
killings and to follow the constitutional process forward,
and with a request for rapid support from the international
community. ECOWAS officials similarly agreed on the
importance of the role of the international community, saying
that an international contact group should meet quickly.
Cabral did not offer any notional dates, locations, or
participants for such a meeting, and he did not solicit input.
5. (SBU) Cabral did not know about the plans of President
Vieira's widow (rumored to be seeking asylum in Portugal),
but commented that she seemed comfortable in the Angolan
embassy in Bissau. He offered no conclusions, preliminary or
otherwise, about the events of March 1-2 and the two
killings, and he did not know when the CPLP might meet again
to discuss the way forward.
6. (SBU) COMMENT. Today's briefing was disappointing. The
Portuguese MFA often presents itself as a leader within, and
a bridge to, the lusophone world. It pays a great deal of
attention to events in lusophone countries and expends a
great deal of effort "leading" the CPLP. Yet all of the
information from this briefing could be found in today's
Lisbon newspapers. If the MFA has some ideas for
Guinea-Bissau, but is not ready to reveal them, we have to
ask why not, and why hold a briefing? If the MFA does not
have any ideas, we have to wonder if it is in a position to
offer leadership in this crisis. We came away with a sense
that Portugal --and others interested in the future of
Guinea-Bissau-- have the desire to contribute to a solution,
but are not yet able to offer a way forward or ideas on how
others might participate.
For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal
STEPHENSON