Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ADDISABABA201
2010-02-04 09:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:
USAU: TANZANIAN PRESIDENT KIKWETE'S THOUGHTS ON
how-toVZCZCXRO6145 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHDS #0201 0350913 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 040913Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7615 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEPADJ/CJTF HOA PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 8044
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000201
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AF/E, AF/C, IO/UNP
NSC FOR MGAVIN
LONDON FOR PLORD
PARIS FOR WBAIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL AU
SUBJECT: USAU: TANZANIAN PRESIDENT KIKWETE'S THOUGHTS ON
BURUNDI'S UPCOMING ELECTIONS
Classified By: S/A HOWARD WOLPE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
This message is from USAU Ambassador Michael A. Battle.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000201
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AF/E, AF/C, IO/UNP
NSC FOR MGAVIN
LONDON FOR PLORD
PARIS FOR WBAIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL AU
SUBJECT: USAU: TANZANIAN PRESIDENT KIKWETE'S THOUGHTS ON
BURUNDI'S UPCOMING ELECTIONS
Classified By: S/A HOWARD WOLPE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
This message is from USAU Ambassador Michael A. Battle.
1. (SBU) In a February 2 meeting with Tanzanian President
Kikwete on the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit, U.S.
Special Advisor for the Great Lakes Region Howard Wolpe
raised concerns about the lack of international oversight of
the peace process in the wake of the dismissal of Head of
United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) Youssef
Mahmoud and the withdrawal of the South African protection
mission. Wolpe also discussed the recent East African
Community (EAC) electoral support mission to Burundi and the
fact that its draft report is awaiting Burundian government
endorsement before it can deploy observers.
2. (C) Kikwete shared Wolpe's concerns about the lack of
international facilitation and promised to talk to United
Nations Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs
Haile Menkerios about a replacement for Mahmoud. Wolpe said
Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza should send an official
letter of request for election observation support to the
EAC. Kikwete agreed. (Note: Wolpe subsequently met with
Nkurunziza who assured him that he would make the request.)
3. (C) Wolpe suggested that the EAC might want to appoint an
elder statesman such as former Tanzanian President Benjamin
Mkapa to coordinate international facilitation of the
electoral process. Kikwete suggested that a group of elder
statesmen from the region might be the best formula, similar
to what had been done in the run-up to 2006 elections in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Wolpe agreed.
4. (C) On recent arrests for suspected coup plotting in
Burundi, Kikwete reported that he had spoken to Nkurunziza
who said the plotters were planning the assassination of
Burundian general officers, and not a coup d'etat.
Nonetheless, Kikwete wondered as to the ultimate end of the
conspiracy. The silver lining, said Kikwete, is that the
conspiracy was not ethnically based and that there were
reportedly both Hutu and Tutsi soldiers involved.
5. (C) U.S. Deputy Special Advisor Yellin noted that elements
of the CNDD-FDD were fomenting violence against political
opponents and appeared determined to try to fix the
elections. Yellin suggested that it would be useful for
Kikwete to raise this issue with Nkurunziza. Kikwete said it
was true that party cadre were engaged in inappropriate
behavior and promised to discuss the issue with Nkurunziza.
Wolpe stated that the inappropriate behavior did not seem to
emanate from Nkurunziza but from hard-liners within the
party. Kikwete agreed.
6. (U) Also in attendance at the meeting were U.S. Deputy
Special Advisor Yellin and USAU Military Advisor Ellington.
7. (U) S/A Wolpe has cleared this cable.
YATES
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AF/E, AF/C, IO/UNP
NSC FOR MGAVIN
LONDON FOR PLORD
PARIS FOR WBAIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL AU
SUBJECT: USAU: TANZANIAN PRESIDENT KIKWETE'S THOUGHTS ON
BURUNDI'S UPCOMING ELECTIONS
Classified By: S/A HOWARD WOLPE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
This message is from USAU Ambassador Michael A. Battle.
1. (SBU) In a February 2 meeting with Tanzanian President
Kikwete on the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit, U.S.
Special Advisor for the Great Lakes Region Howard Wolpe
raised concerns about the lack of international oversight of
the peace process in the wake of the dismissal of Head of
United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) Youssef
Mahmoud and the withdrawal of the South African protection
mission. Wolpe also discussed the recent East African
Community (EAC) electoral support mission to Burundi and the
fact that its draft report is awaiting Burundian government
endorsement before it can deploy observers.
2. (C) Kikwete shared Wolpe's concerns about the lack of
international facilitation and promised to talk to United
Nations Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs
Haile Menkerios about a replacement for Mahmoud. Wolpe said
Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza should send an official
letter of request for election observation support to the
EAC. Kikwete agreed. (Note: Wolpe subsequently met with
Nkurunziza who assured him that he would make the request.)
3. (C) Wolpe suggested that the EAC might want to appoint an
elder statesman such as former Tanzanian President Benjamin
Mkapa to coordinate international facilitation of the
electoral process. Kikwete suggested that a group of elder
statesmen from the region might be the best formula, similar
to what had been done in the run-up to 2006 elections in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Wolpe agreed.
4. (C) On recent arrests for suspected coup plotting in
Burundi, Kikwete reported that he had spoken to Nkurunziza
who said the plotters were planning the assassination of
Burundian general officers, and not a coup d'etat.
Nonetheless, Kikwete wondered as to the ultimate end of the
conspiracy. The silver lining, said Kikwete, is that the
conspiracy was not ethnically based and that there were
reportedly both Hutu and Tutsi soldiers involved.
5. (C) U.S. Deputy Special Advisor Yellin noted that elements
of the CNDD-FDD were fomenting violence against political
opponents and appeared determined to try to fix the
elections. Yellin suggested that it would be useful for
Kikwete to raise this issue with Nkurunziza. Kikwete said it
was true that party cadre were engaged in inappropriate
behavior and promised to discuss the issue with Nkurunziza.
Wolpe stated that the inappropriate behavior did not seem to
emanate from Nkurunziza but from hard-liners within the
party. Kikwete agreed.
6. (U) Also in attendance at the meeting were U.S. Deputy
Special Advisor Yellin and USAU Military Advisor Ellington.
7. (U) S/A Wolpe has cleared this cable.
YATES