MAURITANIA: INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUP MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000275

SIPDIS

ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM MR FR
SUBJECT: MAURITANIA: INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUP MEETING
IN PARIS ON FEBRUARY 20

REF: NOUAKCHOTT 161

Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Andrew Young, 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The International Contact Group on
Mauritania (ICG-M) met in Paris February 20. The European
Union, France, and the United Nations joined the United
States in expressing continued strong support for the African
Union's opposition to the August 6 coup, but the Arab
delegations noted their opposition to sanctions and took a
more conciliatory approach towards the coup leaders. The
group accepted a proposal by AU Peace and Security
Commissioner Lamamra to ask Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi to
hold negotiations between the two sides in Libya. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) On February 20, the International Contact Group on
Mauritania (ICG-M) met in Paris. The meeting was hosted by
the International Organization of Francophone States (OIF)
and the African Union (AU). AU Peace and Security
Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra chaired the meeting, which was
attended by representatives from the United Nations, the
European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC),the League of Arab States. Burkina Faso, France,
Libya, Russia, Uganda, and the United States attended in
their capacities as permanent or African members of the UN
Security Council. The U.S. delegation consisted of AF/RSA
Deputy Director Peter Henry Barlerin, Embassy Paris's Greg
D'Elia and Robert Kaneda, and USAU's Joel Maybury.

AU COMMISSION EFFORTS


3. (C) Lamamra noted the February 5 AU Peace and Security
Council communique which decided the entry into force of
targeted sanctions envisaged in the council's December 22
meeting. He noted also that during the recent AU Summit, the
heads of state had expressed their concern over the
resurgence of coups. He said he had attempted to explain to
incoming AU President and Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi what
the AU was trying to achieve, noting that the actions had
come with the blessings of outgoing AU President Jakaya
Kikwete. He referred to the delegation sent by Qadhafi to
Nouakchott and noted that there would be a meeting scheduled
in Tripoli to review the results. Lamamra noted the
importance of staying unified in opposition to the coup.


4. (C) The European Commission's Stefano Manservisi said
that the European Union is on the same wavelength as the AU.
He said the EU sees cracks in the armor on both sides and is
looking for a consensual return to constitutional order. He
described the process whereby EU restrictions on assistance
to Mauritania are made under the Article 96 Cotonou Accords
process, whose 120-day deadline had expired. The OIF's Hugo
Sada noted that Mauritania had been suspended from the
organization and that the Francophonie council will meet in
April to assess the situation. He said that the position of
both parties has evolved and there are some interesting
elements in the statements of both sides, but stated clearly
that any election organized by the junta was unacceptable.

OIC OPPOSES SANCTIONS


5. (C) The OIC, represented by their Ambassador in Geneva,
said the OIC shares the group's condemnation of the coup. He
said sanctions were not an effective tool, as these only hurt
the population. He noted that the junta has shown some
flexibility and said we need to find a consensual solution
which focuses on the two leaders -- President Abdallahi and
General Aziz. Lamamra interjected that sanctions are
designed specifically not to hurt the population but to put
pressure on individual junta leaders with travel restrictions
and asset freezes.


6. (C) UN Special Envoy for West Africa Said Djinnit
informed the group that the AU had formally notified the UN
of its February 5 decision on sanctions. The UN is also
expected to contemplate sanctions against the coup leaders,
but the modalities have still to be discussed. Djinnit said
the strategy was to advance negotiations between Mauritanian
parties, and never cut out the possibility of direct talks.
He noted that President Abdallahi's proposal was a
significant advance. French Foreign Ministry Director for
Africa Stephane Gompertz said we have to focus on the rule of

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law and a return to normalcy. Sanctions play an important
role, but dialogue is also important. The situation has
evolved somewhat, but we are still a long way from resolving
the crisis. If the election takes place as proposed by the
junta it will have no value. Burkina Faso's resident
Ambassador pointed to the positive step President Abdallahi
had taken by proposing early elections; the question now is
how to get to direct negotiations. Libya, as represented by
its resident Embassy staff, noted Qadhafi's efforts to
engineer a solution had not as yet resulted in a convergence,
but felt a positive movement. Libya is not seeking to impose
a solution and is opposed to any change of a system by force.

U.S. SUPPORT FOR AU POSITION


7. (C) The USDEL said we support the principled AU position
on Mauritania. The USG condemns the coup and supports the
immediate return to power of the President. The USG looks
favorably on Abdallahi's latest proposal to allow the
military leaders of the coup to return to their barracks with
honor, to hold early elections, and to form a unity
government. USDEL noted a lot of talk around the table of
the need for compromise, but the reality was that the
constitutionally elected President had already compromised a
lot, while the junta had sought every opportunity to
consolidate its grip on power. Furthermore, the President
was forbidden from entering the capital and the Prime
Minister and a number of other cabinet level officials were
still being held in prison, in deplorable conditions. (Note:
USDEL received four of Abdallahi's spokesmen at the Embassy
on February 19 to discuss expectations for the ICG meeting.
The FNDD representatives told us that the United States
continues to be the strongest advocate for a return to
constitutional order in Mauritania. End Note.)

LAMAMRA PROPOSES QADHAFI


8. (C) In response to a suggestion from the OIC that a
special envoy be appointed, Lamamra said he had already been
to Nouakchott three times and it is always a circus as the
various parties attempt to influence the visitor; moreover,
he said, going too many times dilutes the effect. He
proposed that it may work better to hold talks in Libya as
Qadhafi suggested. This proposal was accepted by the group,
eagerly by some, reluctantly by others, and was included in
the communique. USDEL made several attempts to inject
language reiterating the group's earlier condemnation of the
coup, but the Arab League, the OIC, and Libya made the case
that it was not constructive to continue condemning the coup,
and none of the other delegations supported the U.S.
position. France proposed compromise language recalling the
position the ICG had expressed in condemning the coup in
earlier ICG meetings and communiques. The United States and
France also succeeded in inserting language which deems
insufficient the proposals of the military authorities.

COMMENT


9. (C) The ICG is still on the side of the constitutionally
elected President Abdallahi, but the Arab League, the OIC,
and Libya are far less eager to put pressure on the coup
leaders. Nevertheless, a conference organized in Libya to
bring the two antagonists together may yield positive
results. The EU's Manservisi confirmed on the margins that
Spain, Portugal, and Germany are not in favor of sanctions,
the former two out of fear that further unrest would unleash
another wave of emigration. He nevertheless held out the
possibility that the EU could at some point announce the
threat of sanctions, which might have a salutary effect, and
offered to work with the United States. END COMMENT.



PEKALA