AMBASSADOR RICE'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON BURKINA

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000092 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC UV XV XA SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON BURKINA FASO PERMREP KAFANDO Classified By: U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D ¶1. (SBU) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. PLEASE SEE PARAGRAPH 6. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY. Ambassador Rice shared U.S. priorities with Burkinabe PermRep Kafando in an initial call and asked for his views on Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Cote d'Ivoire. Rice pressed for support against deferring Sudanese President Bashir's likely ICC prosecution, and Kafando appeared open to Burkina Faso considering a break from the African Union support for deferral. On Zimbabwe, Kafando thought the latest report of success in implementing the power-sharing agreement, if substantiated, was a "very good solution." Rice expressed concern regarding Russian efforts in the Security Council on Georgia, and Kafando believed an informal meeting, not a UN meeting, could be held for the Abkhaz. Kafando expressed concern over al-Qaida's presence in West Africa, especially in Mali and Niger; Rice asked for any suggested Burkinabe initiatives to combat it. Kafando said Mauritania's coup against a democratically elected government was different from the coup in Guinea, where constitutionality had not been observed, and thus the countries should be treated differently. Cote d'Ivoire's election will be held in late 2009 at the earliest, according to Kafando. END SUMMARY. BURKINA FASO OPEN TO BREAK FROM AU POSITION ON BASHIR DEFERRAL 3.(C) During her introductory meeting with Burkinabe PermRep Michel Kafando February 2, Ambassador Rice urged Burkina Faso to consider not supporting the African Union (AU) position favoring an Article 16 deferral for ICC prosecution of Sudanese President Bashir. Ambassador Kafando responded that Burkina Faso had so far backed the AU position supporting a deferral. He noted the AU decision, reiterated during the AU heads of state meeting on February 2 in Addis Ababa, was due to concern over possible consequences in Darfur and Southern Sudan if the case went forward. He also warned that UNAMID deployment could be compromised if prosecution of Bashir continued. Rice emphasized that the Government of Sudan had had the opportunity to indicate a more conciliatory and measured approach, but has failed to do so. She warned of the risk if the international community sent mixed signals regarding impunity and protection of civilians. DARFUR �A;¶4. (C) Ambassador Rice informed Kafando that the Government of Sudan had asked the UN to evacuate UNAMID troops in Muhajeriya in obvious intensification of its bombing campaign against the JEM. The UN refused, she reported, because 30,000 civilians were seeking protection near UN facilities. Kafando agreed the situation in Southern Sudan and Darfur was very serious, and at the conclusion of the meeting asked if there were any messages he should deliver to Burkinabe President Campaore. Ambassador Rice returned to the Bashir deferment and outlined a need for African leaders to stand against impunity. She encouraged Burkina Faso to be a clear voice for accountability and the protection of civilians, and to be on the side of justice and non-violence. She recognized the challenging position faced by both Burkina Faso and Uganda as members of the Security Council, since both nations had obligations to the AU, but stressed that impunity could not be allowed. ¶5. (C) Ambassador Kafando appeared to soften his stance on deferment, saying "some positions are for Burkina Faso" (and not the AU) to make, and reminded Ambassador Rice of Burkina Faso's position on Zimbabwe, in which Ouagadougou broke from the AU stance in July 2008. (NOTE: In July 2008 Burkina Faso voted for a U.S.-sponsored resolution against Zimbabwe, which was vetoed by China and Russia. South Africa and Libya also voted against the resolution. END NOTE.) He asked that the U.S. ambassador in Ouagadougou also pressure the Burkinabe government on rejecting an Article 16 deferral, and promised to deliver Ambassador Rice's message to President Campaore. ¶6. (C) ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests the Department consider a demarche to the Government of Burkina Faso for its support against the Article 16 deferral of Sudanese President Bashir. ZIMBABWE-KAFANDO SAYS AGREEMENT SHOULD BE FINAL BY MID-FEBRUARY ¶7. (C) Ambassador Kafando said he had heard that MDC leader Tsvangirai had agreed to serve as Prime Minister, adding that, if true, "this was a very good solution." He understood the division of Zimbabwe ministries should be finalized by mid-February. Ambassador Rice expressed concern regarding 1) whether Tsvangirai had freely agreed to serve; 2) whether a true unity government could be formed; and 3) whether the security sector, under this power-sharing agreement, would be prevented from further attacks on civilians. She said Zimbabwe could not have two parallel governments, and without effective power-sharing the proposed coalition would crumble. Kafando responded that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) had pressured Mugabe during the February 2 AU meeting to form a unity government, but Kafando did not yet know the conditions of the power-sharing agreement. RICE ASKS FOR SUPPORT ON GEORGIA ¶8. (C) Ambassador Rice cautioned that the Russians were suggesting new text for the UNOMIG mandate renewal, which expires February 15. She said the Russian push to allow Abkhaz representatives to participate in the Council under Rule 39 was not acceptable to the U.S. and other nations. Ambassador Kafando said he understood that the Council had agreed to meet Abkhaz representatives only in an Arria-style meeting. (NOTE: The Council has yet to decide what, if any, type of meeting should be held. END NOTE.) AL-QAIDA IN WEST AFRICA CONCERNS BURKINA FASO ¶9. (C) Ambassador Kafando said the presence of al-Qaida in West Africa was a major concern, especially in Niger and Mali. Ambassador Rice asked what initiatives would be most useful to address this shared challenge. She underscored that the U.S. wanted to hear ideas from Burkina Faso and ECOWAS as soon as possible. COUPS IN GUINEA AND MAURITANIA "NOT THE SAME" TO OUAGADOUGOU ¶10. (C) Ambassador Rice asked for Ambassador Kafando's perspective on recent coups in Guinea and Mauritania. Kafando replied that the two situations were different. For Mauritania, he said an established democracy was overthrown, which was not acceptable. For Guinea, during President Conte's rule, the Guinean constitution was not "observed" so the coup following Conte's death did not amount to the overthrow of a constitutional order. Kafando did not support the coup in Guinea, but expressed the view that Guinea's situation should be dealt with more "tolerance." Rice reiterated the distressing nature of both coups, and stressed democracy, not violent overthrow, was the only acceptable path for political change. COTE D'IVOIRE ELECTIONS IN LATE 2009, POSSIBLE TIMELINE BY FEBRUARY 16 ¶11. (C) Ambassador Rice thanked Burkina Faso for President Campaore's facilitation efforts in Cote d'Ivoire. Ambassador Kafando reported elections should be held in the last part 2009, as voter identification and registration was expected to be completed. He was confident the fourth supplemental agreement to the Ouagadougou accords reached in December, which prioritized disarmament before the election, would solve the problem of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration. Kafando noted the February 16 meeting between the facilitation team and the committee evaluating the electoral process would offer new details for the election timeline. Rice