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


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