Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USUNNEWYORK282
2009-03-19 11:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR RICE'S INITIAL MEETING WITH LIBYAN PR
how-toP 191130Z MAR 09 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6118 INFO AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000282
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2019
TAGS: PREL AU LY PREF PREL UNSC
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S INITIAL MEETING WITH LIBYAN PR
ABDURRAHMAN MOHAMED SHALGHAM
Classified By: U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENATIVE AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE
FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000282
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2019
TAGS: PREL AU LY PREF PREL UNSC
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S INITIAL MEETING WITH LIBYAN PR
ABDURRAHMAN MOHAMED SHALGHAM
Classified By: U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENATIVE AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE
FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D
1. (C) Ambassador Rice met March 18 with Abdurrahman
Mohamed Shalgham, the Permanent Representative of Libya to
the United Nations and President of the United Nations
Security Council for the month of March. Shalgham informed
Ambassador Rice that Colonel Qadafi plans to visit New York
the week of March 23 to address the Security Council on the
topic of development and Security in Africa. Qadafi also
plans to visit Washington to meet with President Obama for
one to two hours. Shalgham indicated that he had already
informed the State Department of these plans.
2. (C) Ambassador Rice said she had no formal feedback on
Qadafi's planned visit because this was the first official
notification of the trip she had received. However, she
stated that, in her personal opinion, Tripoli should
carefully consider these plans. She noted that this would be
Qadafi's first visit to the US, which may require more
planning and preparation than is possible in one week. She
mentioned that, typically, the President would issue an
invitation to a head of state, requesting a visit to
Washington. Careful coordination and sequencing would
typically follow such an invitation. She also said that
Qadafi's visit could attract significant protests from
members of the NGO community concerned over Libya's
relationship with Sudan as well as those who lost loved ones
in the Lockerbie bombing. Shalgham agreed that a trip to
Washington should be in response to an invitation from
President Obama, but noted that the trip to New York is
different He stressed that he wants Qadafi's trip to be
successful.
3. (C) Regarding Shalgham's expressed desire to enhance
bilateral relations with the US, Ambassador Rice said that
the spirit of improved relations between Washington and
Tripoli had not yet reached the Security Council. Shalgham
said that Gaddafi has spoken to Bashir about Darfur, and that
Tripoli has been trying to convince Sudan to rethink.
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED
Rice
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2019
TAGS: PREL AU LY PREF PREL UNSC
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S INITIAL MEETING WITH LIBYAN PR
ABDURRAHMAN MOHAMED SHALGHAM
Classified By: U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENATIVE AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE
FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D
1. (C) Ambassador Rice met March 18 with Abdurrahman
Mohamed Shalgham, the Permanent Representative of Libya to
the United Nations and President of the United Nations
Security Council for the month of March. Shalgham informed
Ambassador Rice that Colonel Qadafi plans to visit New York
the week of March 23 to address the Security Council on the
topic of development and Security in Africa. Qadafi also
plans to visit Washington to meet with President Obama for
one to two hours. Shalgham indicated that he had already
informed the State Department of these plans.
2. (C) Ambassador Rice said she had no formal feedback on
Qadafi's planned visit because this was the first official
notification of the trip she had received. However, she
stated that, in her personal opinion, Tripoli should
carefully consider these plans. She noted that this would be
Qadafi's first visit to the US, which may require more
planning and preparation than is possible in one week. She
mentioned that, typically, the President would issue an
invitation to a head of state, requesting a visit to
Washington. Careful coordination and sequencing would
typically follow such an invitation. She also said that
Qadafi's visit could attract significant protests from
members of the NGO community concerned over Libya's
relationship with Sudan as well as those who lost loved ones
in the Lockerbie bombing. Shalgham agreed that a trip to
Washington should be in response to an invitation from
President Obama, but noted that the trip to New York is
different He stressed that he wants Qadafi's trip to be
successful.
3. (C) Regarding Shalgham's expressed desire to enhance
bilateral relations with the US, Ambassador Rice said that
the spirit of improved relations between Washington and
Tripoli had not yet reached the Security Council. Shalgham
said that Gaddafi has spoken to Bashir about Darfur, and that
Tripoli has been trying to convince Sudan to rethink.
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED
Rice