GUINEA: MAURITANIA SUPPORTS A UN INVESTIGATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000663 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV MR GV SUBJECT: GUINEA: MAURITANIA SUPPORTS A UN INVESTIGATION REF: A. STATE 107327 ¶B. NOUAKCHOTT 655 Classified By: DCM Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and d) (C) PolOff met October 18 with Ministry of Foreign Affairs African Affairs Director Ambassador Mohamed Habib Ball to inform him about ECOWAS President Chambas' initiative to call for a UN role in the investigation of the September 28 events in Guinea (Ref A). Mauritania has an affiliate relationship with ECOWAS but is not a member and did not attend the ECOWAS meeting. Ball stated Mauritania is still waiting for the African Union's reaction following its ultimatum to Camara and Burkinabe President Campaore's final report on mediation efforts but, in principle, it would support a UN investigation. Ball highlighted Mauritania's belief in non-intervention in other countries' internal affairs but stated Mauritania is open to initiatives to bring peace and stability to Guinea in the best interest of the region (Ref B). When asked by PolOff if Mauritania would support an international peacekeeping force, Ball declared it most likely would but he did not envision the possibility of Mauritanian participation. From a personal point of view, Ball welcomed the ECOWAS arms embargo but thinks the international community needs to be firmer. He thinks providing guarantees to senior officers in the Guinean military who do not support Dadis Camara could speed up an internal resolution to the crisis. BOULWARE