MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTY REACTIONS TO PARIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000161

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR AF-BOULWARE; AF/W-HEFLIN/DENNISON; PARIS FOR
KANEDA; RABAT FOR JACKSON; USEU FOR FRANCIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO MR
SUBJECT: MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTY REACTIONS TO PARIS
CONSULTATIVE MEETING

REF: NOUAKCHOTT 159


1. (SBU) Reactions among the Mauritanian media and political
class to the results of the February 20 OIF-led Consultative
Committee Meeting in Paris were mixed, though most saw a
small victory for the High State Council. The following is a
sample of the reactions.


2. (U) Junta response: None of the official state-run media
has reported or commented yet on the Paris consultative
meeting.


3. (U) RFD response: Ahmed Ould Daddah's party released an
approving communique February 21 in which it "noted with
satisfaction the commitment of the international community...
to search for a national consensus as the only way to restore
constitutional order." The communique went on to "ask all
national political actors to work for the success of this
dialogue in the interests of Mauritania's national unity,
security, and stability."


4. (C) RFD response continued: PolOff met RFD
representative Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Weddady February 22.
Weddady expressed his party's satisfaction at seeing their
position reflected and recognized in the communique. He
thought it was positive that the contact group acknowledged
that there are three distinct factions in the crisis and gave
them a last opportunity to negotiate. He said the group
implicitly rejected General Aziz's unilateral plan and
stressed the need for a consensual solution. Ould Weddady
was confident that General Aziz will be forced to make a
decision before the next deadline to either drop his
candidacy or engage in dialogue.


5. (U) FNDD reaction: The FNDD released a communique
stating that the "agenda of the military has been rejected"
despite the High State Council's propensity to "distort the
truth" and claim that the international community "has become
more understanding of the August 6 coup d'etat." The
communique noted that the Consultative Committee rejected any
"unilateral steps" and that any election must be organized by
"a neutral government."


6. (U) The anti-coup French-language "Le Renovateur"
newspaper led with the headline "A Fragile Diplomatic Success
for the High State Council in Paris: Will the General be
able to handle his advantage?" The article went on to say
the military authorities could "rub their hands and
congratulate themselves for having barely avoided the
tightening vise of sanctions that the most well-informed
observers regarded as all but inevitable."


7. (U) The strongly pro-coup French-language "Le Veridique"
newspaper ran an editorial with the headline "A New Failure
for the FNDD." Condemning the "propaganda machines" of the
FNDD that "led one to believe February 20 would be the start
of the apocalypse for Mauritania," the author stated "the
internationalization of the crisis that the FNDD so much
wanted, did not take place." Continuing the international
theme, he went on to say "in the eyes of the international
community, the National Dialogue on Democracy was considered
a gesture of openness, as the ambassadors of France and
Germany in Nouakchott have emphasized."


8. (U) The French-language "Nouakchott Info" newspaper led
with the headline "Another reprieve!" The story
characterized the Consultative Meeting results as "a reprieve
by the international community that, while not a sign of best
wishes towards the High State Council, at least waters down
the international community's wine (i.e., is a concession)"
by calling on all parties in Mauritania to dialogue.


9. (U) The Arabic-language "Al Akhbar" newspaper led with
the headline "Another respite: Return to the Domestic
Front." The front-page article stated: "The Mauritanian
crisis has finally taken a path towards settlement, the

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outlines of which began to take shape after the international
community unveiled a new roadmap as the framework for
negotiating between the parties in the crisis... It is clear
that the Consultative Committee statement outlined a new plan
bringing together all the national initiatives announced thus
far by the three sides: the ruling Council, the deposed
President, and the opposition (RFD)."


10. (U) The anti-coup Arabic-language "Assirage" newspaper
took a moderate position, characterizing the Consultative
Committee's results as "a partial defeat for coup supporters,
and a partial victory for the anti-coup front."


11. (U) The Arabic-language "El Emel El Jedid," "El Watan,"
and "El Vejr" newspapers all prominently featured a picture
of Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi on the front page and
emphasized the transfer of the Mauritanian crisis to
mediation efforts to be led by Qadhafi.


12. (C) Comment: The prevailing consensus is that the High
State Council obtained a small victory and bought yet more
time to consolidate their position. The FNDD, while
privately disappointed (Reftel),tried to put a good public
face on the results. Most newspapers, however, were not
convinced. In the Arabic press, the return of Qadhafi to the
fore was a major theme, while the pro-coup partisans did not
hesitate to use the French and German ambassadors' feeble
condemnations (and sometimes even tacit support) of the coup
to their advantage. End comment.
WALSH