PRIME MINISTER OFFICIAL REQUEST TO MEET WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT LOUIS 000093 DEPT FOR S/ES-CR AND S/ES-O AF/E FOR MARIA BEYZEROV E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2019 TAGS: OPDC PREL OVIP MP SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER OFFICIAL REQUEST TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Virginia M. Blaser for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) On March 17, Post received a courtesy copy of a letter dated March 13 addressed to President Barack Obama from Mauritian Prime Minister, Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Post was informed by the Prime Minister's Private Secretary that the letter already had been provided to the Department by Kailash Ruhee, Mauritian Ambassador to the U.S. In the event the letter has not reached all appropriate offices in the Department, Post provides below the text of the letter. BEGIN TEXT: Dear Mr. President: I had the opportunity of meeting several members of your Cabinet as well as Senior Adviser, Valerie Jarrett, at the 57th Annual Prayer Breakfast held in Washington recently. I also had useful discussions with officials of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Trade Representative. In view of the increasing strategic importance of Africa, I have suggested that a Summit meeting between the USA and all countries in Africa be organized in 2010 to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. This could be an important milestone in U.S.-Africa relations. I would like to have an appointment with you to discuss this idea as well as some bilateral and regional issues including the issues of the Chagos Archipelago, which has been the subject of comments by the British Courts and the international press. I have raised the issue with the British Prime Minister, Rt Honorable Gordon Brown, as the lease of the islands is due for renewal in 2016 with two years prior notice and we have restarted discussions with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The meeting could take place at a time convenient to you. Our meeting will allow us to further an age-old relationship that dates back to 1794, when George Washington, first President of the United States appointed William McCarthy as Consul to Mauritius. My wife, Veena, joins me in conveying to you, Mrs. Michelle Obama and your lovely daughters our very best wishes and we pray that you succeed in your great mission. Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration. //s// Dr. the Hon Navinchandra Ramgoolam, G.C.S.K. Prime Minister END TEXT. ¶2. (C) In terms of venue, senior members of the GOM have indicated informally that they would prefer the exchange to be considered in the following priority order: a state visit of POTUS to Mauritius, a principals' meeting in Washington at the White House, or a pull aside at the UNGA in September. ¶3. (C) Comment: Ambassador Ruhee told CDA in confidence that the letter as originally written by him was changed significantly as it made its way through internal GOM clearing process. Post certainly hopes that is the case, as the hard play for discussions on Diego Garcia strike us as both counter-productive to a meeting request and an unusual stance for Ambassador Ruhee to advise be advocated in this manner. Nonetheless, Post strongly supports a POTUS/Prime Minister meeting, particularly if we could remove or minimize any discussions on Diego Garcia. We believe we could eliminate the discussion point of Chagos as a condition of the meeting if so desired by Washington. A Presidential meeting with Prime Minister Ramgoolam would be a big boost to the PM domestically, especially important with elections scheduled in 2010, and could aid Embassy efforts to forward or finalize a number of bilateral agreements, including a Bilateral Trade Agreement, Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, and even a Status of Forces Agreement. Such a A prospective meeting could encourage Mauritius to move ahead with Hague Adoption Convention implementation as well. End Comment. BLASER