QADHAFI VISITS LIBERIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONROVIA 000013 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM ASEC GV LY LI SUBJECT: QADHAFI VISITS LIBERIA Classified By: Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield for Reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d). ¶1. (U) Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi met with President Sirleaf January 3 in what the Executive Mansion termed a "transit stopover" at Roberts International Airport. According to press accounts, the two discussed "a wide range of issues, including bilateral relations between the two countries, the recent military takeover in Guinea, and the Libyan leader's campaign for united African government." According to the Executive Mansion's press release, Qadhafi also "renewed his government's commitment towards ... a rubber processing plant, a $30 million agriculture project, and the renovation of the Hotel Africa facilities on the outskirts of Monrovia." ¶2. (C) Minister of State Eddie McClain confirmed to the Ambassador that the discussions were in fact not limited to Guinea. He noted that, with the change of power in Ghana, President Sirleaf has become "the elder statesman" in the sub-region, and other African leaders are looking to her to play an increased diplomatic role. He said Sirleaf will travel to Accra on January 7 to attend the inauguration of the new President, then to Paris to deliver a speech at a forum on emerging democracies and to meet with President Sarkozy, then to Abuja for the extraordinary ECOWAS session on Guinea January 10. ¶3. (C) Guinean Ambassador Abdoulaye Dore told Ambassador January 5 that the Guinean leadership and population have accepted the takeover by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara (whom he referred to only as "the Boy") because Camara is from the minority Kpelle ethnic group, thus allaying suspicions that one ethnic group might try to take power. He also believed that the transition will be smooth now that the French have accepted the junta's promise of elections within a year and expansion of the CNDD, and will continue to provide assistance. Dore said that President Sirleaf initially did not want to travel to Conakry for President Conte's funeral, but Dore "begged" her to go and she agreed. He told her Liberia has no reason to be fearful about events in Guinea. THOMAS-GREENFIELD