Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NOUAKCHOTT229
2009-03-30 14:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nouakchott
Cable title:
FNDD RESPONDS NEGATIVELY TO FRENCH AND SENEGALESE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000229
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV FR SG MR
SUBJECT: FNDD RESPONDS NEGATIVELY TO FRENCH AND SENEGALESE
GESTURES
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and
d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000229
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV FR SG MR
SUBJECT: FNDD RESPONDS NEGATIVELY TO FRENCH AND SENEGALESE
GESTURES
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and
d)
1. (C) Summary: President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff Ahmed
Kabed Ould Hammoudi called Charge evening of March 28 to
convey President Abdallahi's astonishment with statements
made by French President Sarkozy to the effect that there was
no opposition to the coup, and to advise that the President
and FNDD would rebuff an unwanted mediation initiative from
the Senegalese. The FNDD went public with the main points on
March 29.
2. (C) France: Ould Hammoudi noted President Abdallahi's
concern over statements made by President Sarkozy on March 27
that the coup in Mauritania, "had not resulted in protests
from parliamentarians or demonstrations in the streets of
Mauritania." Ould Hammoudi noted that the statement was, of
course, factually wrong as was a statement that Sarkozy had
spoken to President Abdallahi since the coup (no such call
ever took place). Following last week's statement by Foreign
Minister Kouchner in Jeune Afrique suggesting Abdallahi
should come back only long enough to oversee the elections
Aziz has planned for June 6, Ould Hammoudi stressed their
great concern over the direction of French policy. The
President had felt he had a certain amount of "principled"
support in the French Presidency, but feared the
"pragmatists" in the Foreign Ministry, military and security
services had convinced Sarkozy to accept the coup. On March
29, National Assembly President Messaoud Ould Boulkheir
released a statement noting the ongoing political and popular
opposition to the August 6 coup and accusing France of
reverting to an African policy of older times that supported
dictators over democracy for commercial and security
interests. Comment: We continue to meet many in the French
Mission here who tend to discount the importance of the FNDD
and allied opposition to the coup and who advocate making the
best of a bad situation by supporting the regime's electoral
plan however flawed that plan may be. End Comment.
3. (C) Senegal: Ould Hammoudi also briefed Charge on the
surprise visit of Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane
Gadio who went to Lemden on March 28. Ould Hammoudi said the
visit had been unannounced and that Gadio had conveyed a
"fraternal invitation" from President Wade for Abdallahi to
come visit in Senegal. Ould Hammoudi stressed that Gadio,
"did not propose a mediation nor offer any type of proposal."
The FNDD was therefore upset to hear statements that Senegal
was prepared to mediate a deal. Following the debacle of the
Qadhafi "mediation" and the overtly pro-coup leanings of
President Wade, Ould Hammoudi said the FNDD would respond
that "the time was not appropriate for a mediation effort at
this time." The FNDD declared March 29 that there would be
no basis for mediation until the military dropped its
unilateral electoral plan. Charge asked Ould Hammoudi if the
President was against ANY mediation or just a SENEGALESE
mediation. Ould Hammoudi responded that the problem was
obviously with the Senegalese but that the President wouldn't
say that publicly. Comment: In previous conversations the
FNDD leadership has shown some willingness to consider a
Francophonie mediation under Abdou Diouf or an African Union
mediation under either former AU Chairperson Alpha Oumar
Konare or under the Burkinabe presidency of the Peace and
Security Council of the AU.
HANKINS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV FR SG MR
SUBJECT: FNDD RESPONDS NEGATIVELY TO FRENCH AND SENEGALESE
GESTURES
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and
d)
1. (C) Summary: President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff Ahmed
Kabed Ould Hammoudi called Charge evening of March 28 to
convey President Abdallahi's astonishment with statements
made by French President Sarkozy to the effect that there was
no opposition to the coup, and to advise that the President
and FNDD would rebuff an unwanted mediation initiative from
the Senegalese. The FNDD went public with the main points on
March 29.
2. (C) France: Ould Hammoudi noted President Abdallahi's
concern over statements made by President Sarkozy on March 27
that the coup in Mauritania, "had not resulted in protests
from parliamentarians or demonstrations in the streets of
Mauritania." Ould Hammoudi noted that the statement was, of
course, factually wrong as was a statement that Sarkozy had
spoken to President Abdallahi since the coup (no such call
ever took place). Following last week's statement by Foreign
Minister Kouchner in Jeune Afrique suggesting Abdallahi
should come back only long enough to oversee the elections
Aziz has planned for June 6, Ould Hammoudi stressed their
great concern over the direction of French policy. The
President had felt he had a certain amount of "principled"
support in the French Presidency, but feared the
"pragmatists" in the Foreign Ministry, military and security
services had convinced Sarkozy to accept the coup. On March
29, National Assembly President Messaoud Ould Boulkheir
released a statement noting the ongoing political and popular
opposition to the August 6 coup and accusing France of
reverting to an African policy of older times that supported
dictators over democracy for commercial and security
interests. Comment: We continue to meet many in the French
Mission here who tend to discount the importance of the FNDD
and allied opposition to the coup and who advocate making the
best of a bad situation by supporting the regime's electoral
plan however flawed that plan may be. End Comment.
3. (C) Senegal: Ould Hammoudi also briefed Charge on the
surprise visit of Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane
Gadio who went to Lemden on March 28. Ould Hammoudi said the
visit had been unannounced and that Gadio had conveyed a
"fraternal invitation" from President Wade for Abdallahi to
come visit in Senegal. Ould Hammoudi stressed that Gadio,
"did not propose a mediation nor offer any type of proposal."
The FNDD was therefore upset to hear statements that Senegal
was prepared to mediate a deal. Following the debacle of the
Qadhafi "mediation" and the overtly pro-coup leanings of
President Wade, Ould Hammoudi said the FNDD would respond
that "the time was not appropriate for a mediation effort at
this time." The FNDD declared March 29 that there would be
no basis for mediation until the military dropped its
unilateral electoral plan. Charge asked Ould Hammoudi if the
President was against ANY mediation or just a SENEGALESE
mediation. Ould Hammoudi responded that the problem was
obviously with the Senegalese but that the President wouldn't
say that publicly. Comment: In previous conversations the
FNDD leadership has shown some willingness to consider a
Francophonie mediation under Abdou Diouf or an African Union
mediation under either former AU Chairperson Alpha Oumar
Konare or under the Burkinabe presidency of the Peace and
Security Council of the AU.
HANKINS