Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NOUAKCHOTT32
2009-01-12 17:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nouakchott
Cable title:
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI TO TRAVEL ABROAD, NAME SPECIAL
how-toVZCZCXRO4926 PP RUEHPA RUEHTRO DE RUEHNK #0032/01 0121721 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121721Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8015 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0424 RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0349 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0404 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 1947 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0741 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 0036 RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0471 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0850
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000032
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP MR
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI TO TRAVEL ABROAD, NAME SPECIAL
ENVOYS
REF: NOUAKCHOTT 11
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 SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000032
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP MR
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI TO TRAVEL ABROAD, NAME SPECIAL
ENVOYS
REF: NOUAKCHOTT 11
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Dennis Hankins for Reasons 1.4 (b and
d)
1. (C) President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff, Mohamed Kaber
Ould Hammoudi, told Charge that President Abdallahi would be
returning to Nouakchott "in a few days" and plans to take a
trip abroad after a few days of political and diplomatic
consultations in the capital. The President has asked the
U.N. to grant him a U.N. travel document rather than travel
with his Mauritanian diplomatic passport (which he does not
currently have in his possession) that the regime says will
be annotated to say "former president." (Comment: UNDP
ResRep Maria Ribeiro told Charge January 12 that she had been
advised by New York that the U.N. could not assist. The
U.N., she understood, only issues U.N. laissez-passes to U.N.
staff or refugee travel documents -- neither of which would
apply to President Abdallahi. End Comment) Abdallahi will
likely travel first to Spain to follow up on unspecified
medical checks he had started there before the coup. He
plans to travel to the African Union Summit but is still
working through Jean Ping to determine whether he will
participate as the Mauritanian "Head of State" or as a
"guest." His staff is trying to arrange meetings in Paris
and in Brussels with the E.U. Recognizing the timing issues
related to the U.S. transition, Ould Hammoudi asked that the
U.S. consider inviting President Abdallahi for meetings in
Washington. If a U.S. trip takes place, he would also likely
go to the U.N.
2. (C) Ould Hammoudi said the President and the FNDD are
finalizing their strategy for the next several months. Their
expectation is that General Aziz is in an increasingly tough
spot and will be more vulnerable by March. Ould Hammoudi
said that the net result of the regime's "National Dialogue
on Democracy" was to generate more opposition rather than
support. Despite personal tensions between the President and
opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah, Ould Hammoudi thought
the FNDD would be able to forge an alliance with Ould
Daddah's RFD. The Mauritanian Bar Association is, according
to Ould Hammoudi, trying to form an umbrella pro-democracy
structure that could serve as a common platform for both the
FNDD and RFD. He added that several small parties previously
allied with the regime are prepared to jump to the FNDD.
Aside from political isolation, Ould Hammoudi noted that the
financial situation for the regime is increasingly tight in
view of shrinking export revenues, the lack of foreign
financial assistance, and heavy spending to maintain support
for the coup (Comment: Post is also starting to see signs of
this. Mauritanian insiders suggest the regime may be
bankrupt before the end of February just as food shortages
begin to appear. End Comment). Ould Hammoudi hoped that the
AU and EU will take some action against the regime in
February to further isolate Aziz. Finally, he hoped the AU
PSC would refer Mauritania to the Security Council and that
the UNSC would take quick action (Comment: Charge, who
worked previously in IO/PSC, cautioned Ould Hammoudi that the
Security Council rarely rushes to action on sanctions.
President Abdallahi may gain marginally from the political
effect of having the Council "seized" of Mauritania -- but
concrete actions,if they ever come, could lbe 18 months away
or more. End Comment).
3. (C) Ould Hammoudi said the President was moving forward
with naming special envoys to regional groups/regions. The
former Mauritanian ambassador to the AU is back in place
representing Abdallahi. The President plans to name Sidi
Mohamed Ould Amajar to represent him at the U.N. and Yahya
Ould Kebd to work France and the Francophonie. With relation
to the U.N., Ould Hammoudi asked for U.S. assistance with the
Secretariat to have Amajar eventually accepted as the
Mauritanian PermRep. Charge indicated that in the politics
of the U.N. it might not be best to have the U.S. take the
lead. It might prove more effective if African members were
to call for Abdallahi to be recognized. If there have been
similar situations to this in the past, Post would appreciate
NOUAKCHOTT 00000032 002 OF 002
any procedural advice from IO or US/UN.
HANKINS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP MR
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI TO TRAVEL ABROAD, NAME SPECIAL
ENVOYS
REF: NOUAKCHOTT 11
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Dennis Hankins for Reasons 1.4 (b and
d)
1. (C) President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff, Mohamed Kaber
Ould Hammoudi, told Charge that President Abdallahi would be
returning to Nouakchott "in a few days" and plans to take a
trip abroad after a few days of political and diplomatic
consultations in the capital. The President has asked the
U.N. to grant him a U.N. travel document rather than travel
with his Mauritanian diplomatic passport (which he does not
currently have in his possession) that the regime says will
be annotated to say "former president." (Comment: UNDP
ResRep Maria Ribeiro told Charge January 12 that she had been
advised by New York that the U.N. could not assist. The
U.N., she understood, only issues U.N. laissez-passes to U.N.
staff or refugee travel documents -- neither of which would
apply to President Abdallahi. End Comment) Abdallahi will
likely travel first to Spain to follow up on unspecified
medical checks he had started there before the coup. He
plans to travel to the African Union Summit but is still
working through Jean Ping to determine whether he will
participate as the Mauritanian "Head of State" or as a
"guest." His staff is trying to arrange meetings in Paris
and in Brussels with the E.U. Recognizing the timing issues
related to the U.S. transition, Ould Hammoudi asked that the
U.S. consider inviting President Abdallahi for meetings in
Washington. If a U.S. trip takes place, he would also likely
go to the U.N.
2. (C) Ould Hammoudi said the President and the FNDD are
finalizing their strategy for the next several months. Their
expectation is that General Aziz is in an increasingly tough
spot and will be more vulnerable by March. Ould Hammoudi
said that the net result of the regime's "National Dialogue
on Democracy" was to generate more opposition rather than
support. Despite personal tensions between the President and
opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah, Ould Hammoudi thought
the FNDD would be able to forge an alliance with Ould
Daddah's RFD. The Mauritanian Bar Association is, according
to Ould Hammoudi, trying to form an umbrella pro-democracy
structure that could serve as a common platform for both the
FNDD and RFD. He added that several small parties previously
allied with the regime are prepared to jump to the FNDD.
Aside from political isolation, Ould Hammoudi noted that the
financial situation for the regime is increasingly tight in
view of shrinking export revenues, the lack of foreign
financial assistance, and heavy spending to maintain support
for the coup (Comment: Post is also starting to see signs of
this. Mauritanian insiders suggest the regime may be
bankrupt before the end of February just as food shortages
begin to appear. End Comment). Ould Hammoudi hoped that the
AU and EU will take some action against the regime in
February to further isolate Aziz. Finally, he hoped the AU
PSC would refer Mauritania to the Security Council and that
the UNSC would take quick action (Comment: Charge, who
worked previously in IO/PSC, cautioned Ould Hammoudi that the
Security Council rarely rushes to action on sanctions.
President Abdallahi may gain marginally from the political
effect of having the Council "seized" of Mauritania -- but
concrete actions,if they ever come, could lbe 18 months away
or more. End Comment).
3. (C) Ould Hammoudi said the President was moving forward
with naming special envoys to regional groups/regions. The
former Mauritanian ambassador to the AU is back in place
representing Abdallahi. The President plans to name Sidi
Mohamed Ould Amajar to represent him at the U.N. and Yahya
Ould Kebd to work France and the Francophonie. With relation
to the U.N., Ould Hammoudi asked for U.S. assistance with the
Secretariat to have Amajar eventually accepted as the
Mauritanian PermRep. Charge indicated that in the politics
of the U.N. it might not be best to have the U.S. take the
lead. It might prove more effective if African members were
to call for Abdallahi to be recognized. If there have been
similar situations to this in the past, Post would appreciate
NOUAKCHOTT 00000032 002 OF 002
any procedural advice from IO or US/UN.
HANKINS