ICG MEETING FOCUSES ON ELECTIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 CONAKRY 000117 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC GV SUBJECT: ICG MEETING FOCUSES ON ELECTIONS REF: A. CONAKRY 000057 ¶B. 09 CONAKRY 000470 ¶C. 09 CONAKRY 000559 ¶D. CONAKRY 000088 ¶E. ADDIS ABABA 000128 ¶1. (U) The 11th International Contact Group (ICG-G) meeting was held in Conakry on February 22, 2010. The meeting, co-chaired by outgoing and incoming ECOWAS presidents Ibn Chambas and Ibrahima Fall, was the first ICG-G to be held in Conakry since September, 2009. The conference saw presentations by Prime Minister Jean Marie Dore, Transition President Sekouba Konate, and other key players. The ICG-G issued a final communique that reiterated its support for Security Sector Reform (SSR) programming and called for all interested parties to adhere to the Ouagadougou Accords by holding free and transparent elections by the end of June, ¶2010. END SUMMARY. -------------- DORE WAFFLES ON CANDIDACY -------------- ¶2. (U) Prime Minister Dore promised the ICG-G that his government will uphold the stipulations of the Ouagadougou Accords and lead the country to free and fair elections by the end of June, 2010. Dore emphasized that international support and aid for SSR and elections is imperative to the success of the transition. He also argued that Guinea could not hold transparent elections without also reforming the justice system - stating that CNDD member and Minister of Justice Siba Lohalemou will be key in strengthening the justice system before elections. ¶3. (U) Concerning elections, Dore said that the GOG has not yet decided in what order to hold legislative and presidential elections. However, he believes that political and civil society leaders are leaning toward holding presidential elections first. (NOTE: The Forces Vives will be meeting today to officially decide on this issue. END NOTE.) He pleaded with the ICG-G to lift all sanctions imposed after the coup d'etat and the September 28 violence, arguing that Guinea is now entering a phase that no longer warrants such sanctions. Finally, Dore recommended that the ICG-G open dialogue with the pro-Dadis political groups such as the pro-CNDD ANC and Patriotic Block, to which the ICG-G agreed. ¶4. (U) Dore also told the ICG-G that Guineans abroad should be registered and counted in the upcoming elections. Among other propositions, Dore said that his government would attempt to "reform the State" by removing CNDD appointed military officers from traditionally civilian offices such as Prefect and Governor. Dore did not answer pointed questions about his possible candidacy in upcoming presidential elections, replying coyly "I will respect the terms of the Ouagadougou Accords as long as all others respect them." Dore charged the international community with financially supporting elections in order to ensure that the stipulations of the Ouagadougou Accords are upheld. -------------- CNT WILL IMPLEMENT OUAGA ACCORDS -------------- ¶5. (U) In her capacity as National Transition Council (CNT) President, Rabiatou Diallo said that the Council would have a specific mandate to ensure the Ouagadougou Accords are implemented during the transition. Specifically, Rabiatou said that the CNT would examine Guinean law as well as advise and support CENI election preparations. While a CNT budget has not been approved, Rabiatou envisions that the Council will have sufficient funding to effectively complete their mandate. Rabiatou told the ICG-G that she hopes to appoint the required 101 CNT members by Friday, at the latest, allowing the CNT to finish its work by the end of June. -------------- -------------- CENI/MATAP DISCUSS GUINEANS ABROAD AND BUDGET GAP -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) In their presentation to the ICG-G, National Election CONAKRY 00000117 002 OF 003 Commission (CENI) President Ben Sekou Sylla and Minister of Territorial Administration and Political Affairs (MATAP) Nawa Damey agreed that elections will be technically possible by June (reftel A). However, they warned that the inclusion of Guineans abroad into the election registration process would add three additional months to the election timeline. Sylla and Damey also said that the CENI needs only $1.5 million in election funding from the international community in order to complete election preparations. (NOTE: Immediately after this announcement, to great acclaim by the group, Nigeria verbally pledged $1 million USD in contributions for elections within seven days. END NOTE.) -------------- FORCES VIVES OUTLINES HOPES FOR TRANSITION -------------- ¶7. (U) Francois Fall, Spokesperson of the Forces Vives, outlined the organization's vision for ICG-G participation during the transition including: 1) Encouraging Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore and Konate to sign the Forces Vives drafted "charter for transition," 2) financially and technically supporting the CENI, 3) supporting SSR efforts, 4) calling for the removal of restrictions on political activity, and 5) applying pressure on the GOG to annul the CNDD-China International Fund (CIF) agreement, claiming that its implementation would be "catastrophic for Guinea's economic future" (reftels B & C). (NOTE: The Ambassador to China subsequently announced that his government had nothing to do with the CIF deal and that Guinea, as a sovereign state, could cancel any contract they deemed necessary. END NOTE.) -------------- -------------- PATRIOTIC BLOCK AND ANC PRESENT TO ICG-G, GEN CISSE OUTLINES SSR PLAN -------------- -------------- ¶8. (U) The Patriotic Block and the National Alliance for Renewal (ANC),two pro-Dadis political and civil society groups formed as offshoots of the Forces Vives, asked to be included in all upcoming ICG-G meetings. The groups' representatives argued that while they may be pro-CNDD, their opinion can be helpful in democratically informing ICG-G decisions. ¶9. (U) General Cisse, the leader of the UN-ECOWAS SSR team, explained his plan for SSR to the ICG-G. Although he gave few additional details about the mission than EmbOffs received in a Feb 4 meeting with UN-ECOWAS SSR team representatives (reftel D),this was the first occasion in which Cisse explained the plan in a large group, projecting the completion of the assessment study by the end of April, 2010. -------------- KONATE PROMISES TO ALLOW POLITICAL ACTIVITY -------------- ¶10. (U) In a closed meeting with ICG-G Ambassadors, Konate reiterated his commitment to holding elections by the end of June, 2010. He also asked the Ambassadors to make tangible pledges of support to reforming Guinea's security sector. He assured the international community that the media, civil society, and political leaders would be permitted free speech during the transition. He specifically noted that political activity would not be hindered by the transition government. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (SBU) The ICG-G meeting focused on elections and SSR efforts in Guinea. Although presenters and ICG-G members cited several challenges to implementing the transition, the mood was over all congratulatory and optimistic. Unlike the 10th ICG-G meeting in Addis Ababa (reftel E),the group focused mainly on the prospect for elections at the end of June rather than potential security concerns. With the new government in place, the ICG-G is reorienting to push the government to implement important election measures and CONAKRY 00000117 003 OF 003 prepare for comprehensive SSR. 12.(SBU) Just as the ICG-G member countries were generally unified in their stance, representatives from the GOG, political groups, and civil society were all on point with pushing elections forward, disagreeing only over the order of the presidential and legislative elections and the registering of Guineans abroad. Worth noting, the number of Guinean soldiers in red berets and sunglasses, the typical uniform of the CNDD period, was almost nil. During the Konate meeting only two were present although some Presidential Guard will still in the background. ¶13. (U) The next ICG-G meeting is scheduled to take place in Conakry during the first week of April. The official communique will be transmitted to AF/W via email. Moller