Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MONROVIA13
2009-01-05 17:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Monrovia
Cable title:  

QADHAFI VISITS LIBERIA

Tags:  PREL PGOV KDEM ASEC GV LY LI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9977
OO RUEHPA
DE RUEHMV #0013 0051746
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 051746Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0663
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
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).

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