Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NOUAKCHOTT159
2009-02-22 13:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nouakchott
Cable title:
POST-PARIS: TWO REQUESTS FROM FNDD
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C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000159
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR KANEDA; RABAT FOR JACKSON; SECSTATE FOR
AF-BOULWARE; AF/W-HEFLIN/DENNISON; USEU FOR FRANCIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MR
SUBJECT: POST-PARIS: TWO REQUESTS FROM FNDD
REF: NOUAKCHOTT 157
Classified By: CDA Cornelius C. Walsh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000159
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR KANEDA; RABAT FOR JACKSON; SECSTATE FOR
AF-BOULWARE; AF/W-HEFLIN/DENNISON; USEU FOR FRANCIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MR
SUBJECT: POST-PARIS: TWO REQUESTS FROM FNDD
REF: NOUAKCHOTT 157
Classified By: CDA Cornelius C. Walsh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Charge met with National Front for the Defense of
Democracy President (FNDD),Abdelkoudouss Abeidna, February
20 as Abeidna received word from Paris regarding the outcome
of the OIF Consultative Committee meeting regarding
Mauritania. (Note: FNDD is national coalition of 14
political parties, Abeidna is president of the National
Development Party and FNDD President for the month of
February in a rotating monthly Presidency. End note.)
2. (C) While initially pleased with the results of the
meeting, upon reading the posted OIF communiquQ, Abeidna's
reaction was less enthusiastic. EU support for AU targeted
sanctions appeared less than firm. RFD proposal for turning
government over to President of the Senate as well as Junta
proposal to step down on/about April 22 seemed to be
considered on equal basis with FNDD/Presidential camp
proposal for Abdahllahi return, honorable exit of Junta, and
national presidential and/or parliamentary elections. Worse
still, the Europeans, Francophonie, Arab League, OIC, and AU
participants appeared to have left the door open to continued
mediation or intervention in Mauritanian affairs by AU
President Muammar Qadhafi.
3. (C) After considerable multi-cell consultations with the
FNDD Paris delegation, the Presidential camp, and fellow FNDD
leaders in Mauritania, Abeidna made the following requests to
the Charge:
i. That the US publicly underline its support for a peaceful
resolution, consonant with the Mauritanian constitution by
endorsing the recent proposal by President Abdahllahi to
return and step down in favor of a new round of independently
organized presidential/parliamentary elections. If full
endorsement not possible, noting it as a positive step
forward would be welcomed as well. The FNDD also asked that
the US endorse the February 5 call for targeted sanctions by
the African Union peace and Security Council and indicate
that it, too, would be developing a targeted sanctions
process at the appropriate time.
ii. Mr. Abeidna again repeated the FNDD's request that the
US move swiftly to apply targeted sanctions against members
of the Junta and especially against their supporters among
the business community. The FNDD representatives present
helpfully suggested specific names and companies. Charge
demurred.
4. (C) After two weeks of solid action (Presidential
proposal, massive public rally, large local gatherings),the
FNDD's disappointment at the tepid tone of the Paris meeting
is understandable. We assured President Abeidna that we
would take his requests under consideration and relay them to
the responsible authorities. We cautioned him and his
colleagues that action would not be necessarily easy or
immediate, particularly regarding sanctions. However, this
Embassy does believe that action on these requests may be
helpful to our overall policy objective of returning
Mauritania to a democratic government and, perhaps,
encouraging allies to take more active steps in their
progress towards the same goal.
WALSH
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR KANEDA; RABAT FOR JACKSON; SECSTATE FOR
AF-BOULWARE; AF/W-HEFLIN/DENNISON; USEU FOR FRANCIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MR
SUBJECT: POST-PARIS: TWO REQUESTS FROM FNDD
REF: NOUAKCHOTT 157
Classified By: CDA Cornelius C. Walsh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Charge met with National Front for the Defense of
Democracy President (FNDD),Abdelkoudouss Abeidna, February
20 as Abeidna received word from Paris regarding the outcome
of the OIF Consultative Committee meeting regarding
Mauritania. (Note: FNDD is national coalition of 14
political parties, Abeidna is president of the National
Development Party and FNDD President for the month of
February in a rotating monthly Presidency. End note.)
2. (C) While initially pleased with the results of the
meeting, upon reading the posted OIF communiquQ, Abeidna's
reaction was less enthusiastic. EU support for AU targeted
sanctions appeared less than firm. RFD proposal for turning
government over to President of the Senate as well as Junta
proposal to step down on/about April 22 seemed to be
considered on equal basis with FNDD/Presidential camp
proposal for Abdahllahi return, honorable exit of Junta, and
national presidential and/or parliamentary elections. Worse
still, the Europeans, Francophonie, Arab League, OIC, and AU
participants appeared to have left the door open to continued
mediation or intervention in Mauritanian affairs by AU
President Muammar Qadhafi.
3. (C) After considerable multi-cell consultations with the
FNDD Paris delegation, the Presidential camp, and fellow FNDD
leaders in Mauritania, Abeidna made the following requests to
the Charge:
i. That the US publicly underline its support for a peaceful
resolution, consonant with the Mauritanian constitution by
endorsing the recent proposal by President Abdahllahi to
return and step down in favor of a new round of independently
organized presidential/parliamentary elections. If full
endorsement not possible, noting it as a positive step
forward would be welcomed as well. The FNDD also asked that
the US endorse the February 5 call for targeted sanctions by
the African Union peace and Security Council and indicate
that it, too, would be developing a targeted sanctions
process at the appropriate time.
ii. Mr. Abeidna again repeated the FNDD's request that the
US move swiftly to apply targeted sanctions against members
of the Junta and especially against their supporters among
the business community. The FNDD representatives present
helpfully suggested specific names and companies. Charge
demurred.
4. (C) After two weeks of solid action (Presidential
proposal, massive public rally, large local gatherings),the
FNDD's disappointment at the tepid tone of the Paris meeting
is understandable. We assured President Abeidna that we
would take his requests under consideration and relay them to
the responsible authorities. We cautioned him and his
colleagues that action would not be necessarily easy or
immediate, particularly regarding sanctions. However, this
Embassy does believe that action on these requests may be
helpful to our overall policy objective of returning
Mauritania to a democratic government and, perhaps,
encouraging allies to take more active steps in their
progress towards the same goal.
WALSH