LIBERIA TO WORK WITH ECOWAS ON GUINEA ACCORDING TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONROVIA 000022

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV GV LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA TO WORK WITH ECOWAS ON GUINEA ACCORDING TO
GOL OFFICIAL

REF: STATE 1631

Classified By: Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield for Reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).


1. (C) National Security Advisor Dr. Henry Boima Fahnbulleh
told Ambassador and Deputy UN SRSG Jordan Ryan January 8 that
Liberia fully backs the ECOWAS initiative to press the junta
in Guinea to hold elections as soon as practical (he
mentioned November 2009 as a likely date) as a "middle way"
between those who would want an immediate return to
constitutional order and members within the CNDD (especially
those dealing with drug traffickers who seem to be "calling
the shots") who want to hold on to power as long as possible
to consolidate their wealth and positions, and may not accept
a November date.


2. (C) At the same time, Liberia is in a "delicate position",
with its long, porous border with Guinea and cannot do
anything to "alarm" the junta. For that reason, Liberia has
not attempted to close the border or even reinforce its
security forces along the border in order to reassure the
Guineans.


3. (C) Fahnbulleh discounted reports of LURD ex-combatants
being recruited for a militia in Guinea by elements of the
CNDD close to LURD, attributing the reports to disinformation
by informants backing the Conte family. He said there was no
direct evidence of any recruitment going on.


4. (C) According to Fahnbulleh, Nigerian President Yar'Adua
"detests" Libyan leader Qadhafi's involvement and that his
hard line against any military coup was because he did not
want his own military to take a lesson from the experiences
in Mauritania and Guinea.


5. (C) Fahnbulleh believed that Liberia can be of assistance
by conveying to the Guineans international community and
ECOWAS desire to bring about early elections, and to convince
them that actions such as imprisoning former generals will
only hurt their cause, so the longer they remain in power,
the more isolated they will become.


6. (C) In response to the Ambassador, Fahnbulleh said that
there was no indication of large movements across the border
into Liberia, only the normal flow of traffic. He could not
say at that moment who would join President Sirleaf (who is
presently in Paris) at the extraordinary ECOWAS summit in
Abuja.


7. (C) Comment: Fahnbulleh's comments came at the end of a
Security Pillar sub-group meeting, and he was responding to a
question from the D/SRSG. Also present were the ministers of
Justice and Defense and the acting Minister of Internal
Affairs. None of them added to Fahnbulleh's comments or
contradicted them. Fahnbulleh's comments about Liberia's
policy seem to be in line with what we are hearing.
President Sirleaf will support an ECOWAS position for early
elections, but does not seem to want to use her position as
Chair of the Mano River Union to get ahead of ECOWAS.
Despite Fahnbulleh's statements to the contrary, the Embassy,
through various sources and means, believes there is some
low-level recruiting of Liberians in support of the junta.
His comments about not adding assets to the border in order
not to raise alarm are also rather disingenuous, as the GOL
has precious few to send anyway and media reports say the GOL
has asked UNMIL to beef up border patrols. Reftel demarche
will be conveyed to President Sirleaf before her arrival in
Abuja.
THOMAS-GREENFIELD