FM BANGURA MEETING WITH A-S CARSON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 069720

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED CAPTION)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH GV IV LI NI PGOV PHUM PINS PREL PU SG SL UNSC
KPKO
SUBJECT: FM BANGURA MEETING WITH A-S CARSON

REF: A. FREETOWN 95 B. FREETOWN 99 C. STATE 64023

STATE 00069720 001.2 OF 002


Summary and Background
--------------

1. (SBU) On June 9, Zainab Bangura, the Foreign Minister
of Sierra Leone, met with A/S Johnnie Carson to discuss
problems in the West Africa region, the threat of
instability in Guinea to Sierra Leone and domestic
issues, particularly, narcotics and the need for both of
Sierra Leone's major political parties to begin a
dialogue. Bangura emphasized that Sierra Leone had stood
by the U.S. on such issues as Kosovo and Zimbabwe on
principle, and had turned over narcotics traffickers to
the DEA (despite some internal APC opposition). In
return, she said the government would like some concrete
signs of support from the Administration. A/S Carson
expressed his thanks to the GoSL and the Foreign Minister
for their friendship and collaboration with the U.S. on
many issues and told her that the USG will do as much as
we can to assist and support Sierra Leone.


2. (U) Background: The participants were Sierra Leonean
Foreign Minister Zainab Bangura; Ibrahim Conteh, DCM of
the Sierra Leone embassy; Sheku Mesali, Counselor at the
Sierra Leone embassy; A/S Johnnie Carson; Ambassador to
Sierra Leone June Carter Perry, INR/AF Analyst for West
Africa Bernadette Graves; and AF/W Acting Deputy
Director, Jim Hunter, as notetaker. FM Bangura was in
the U.S. to attend a regularly scheduled meeting in New
York of the UN Peace Building Commission (UN PBC). The
UN PBC is active in Sierra Leone.

End Summary and Background.

Africa is Falling Behind -- Ghana, Guinea-Bissau,
Nigeria, Senegal

--------------

3. (SBU) On June 9, Zainab Bangura, the Foreign Minister
of Sierra Leone, held an introductory meeting with A/S
Johnnie Carson to discuss Bangura's concerns that Africa,
including West Africa, seemed to be moving backward on
democracy. She gave A/S Carson a brief readout on some
of the salient issues in West African countries and noted
the completion of the voter registration process in Cote
d'Ivoire. She observed that in Nigeria no one seems to
be in charge and it is difficult to get the Nigerians to
make a decision while the Yar'Adua succession crisis
plays out; in Ghana former president Jerry Rawlings is
the de facto president due to President Mills' poor
health; President
Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal is becoming a problem, as he
does not want to leave office despite growing domestic
oppositio; and Guinea-Bissau is a collapsed state
dominated
by the military that requires extensive security sector
reform before it can democratize.

Guinea: Entice with Aid Better than Confrontation
-------------- --------------

4. (SBU) Bangura said that Guinea's instability is a big
problem for Sierra Leone, as Sierra Leone has a long
border with Guinea and more Guinean immigrants than any
other
West African state. The GoSL, President Ellen Sirleaf
Johnson of Liberia, and President of the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Dr. Mohamed Ibn
Chambas all very much doubt elections will be held on
schedule. She said that everyone is afraid of the
erratic Captain Dadis Camara, leader of Guinea's ruling
junta. Bangura warned that a cut off in aid to Guinea
could trigger a rampage by the large Guinean military.
Instead, the GoSL would prefer to offer aid in exchange
for political progress.

Sierra Leone: Narcotics a Growing Threat, Pol Parties
Must Begin Dialogue
--------------

5. (SBU) Turning to domestic issues, Bangura expressed
alarmed at the rapid growth of marijuana cultivation in
Liberia and Sierra Leone. She said that the GoSL has
enacted good anti-drug laws but needs more information
sharing with the U.S. Sierra Leone's youth unemployment

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problem exacerbates Sierra Leone's drug trafficking
problem and raises the risk of serious instability.
Unemployed young people joined in the rioting between
supporters of the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and
the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) on
March 13 and 16 (reftels A and B). Bangura opined that
the riots were a wakeup call that the hardliners in both
parties are growing more influential and feeding off of
each other's actions. She noted that the parties need to
start a dialogue, rather than viewing each other as
enemies. She also said that it was GoSL policy that
those convicted of war crimes by the Special Court for
Sierra Leone (SCSL) serve their sentences outside of
Sierra Leone, as their presence in Sierra Leone would be
destabilizing.

Sierra Leone-U.S.: Show Us the Love
--------------

6. (SBU) Bangura emphasized that Sierra Leone had stood
by the U.S. on such issues as Kosovo and Zimbabwe on
principle, turned over narcotics traffickers to the DEA
(despite some internal APC opposition). In return, she
said the government would like some concrete signs of
support from the Administration, such as high-level
visits, more aid money, etc. Such deliverables would
reinforce the position of the progressive, pro-U.S.
faction within the GoSL.

A/S Carson: We Will Assist As Much As We Can
--------------

7. (SBU) A/S Carson expressed his thanks to the GoSL and
the Foreign Minister for their friendship and
collaboration with the U.S. on many issues, especially
countering
narcotics trafficking and Sierra Leone's recognition of
Kosovo. He stated that the USG will do as much as we can
to assist and support Sierra Leone and its democratic
progress, and acknowledged GoSL desire for a visible
demonstration of that support, such as a high-level
visit. He added that our shared ideals, principles and
values are the basis for our collaboration. He said the
United States is concerned about democracy, economic
growth, governance and stability in West Africa. In
particular, he noted concern about political violence and
erratic leadership in Guinea-Bissau and Guinea. He
expressed hope that ECOWAS can assist with Guinea's
democratic transition and that the tensions between
Sierra Leone's two major parties can be resolved
peacefully.

Comment
--------------

8. (SBU) Bangura's statement that it is GoSL policy to
have the convicted defendants of the SCSL serve their
terms outside of Sierra Leone was welcome, as the USG
shares
that goal. While Sierra Leone shares our goal of a
democratic Guinea, the GoSL's first priority is a stable
Guinea, leading the GoSL to take a softer line on Guinea
than we would like. Other Guinean neighbors, including
Liberia, are taking a similarly restrained approach.
CLINTON