Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10NIAMEY91
2010-02-02 19:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:
NIGER: FURTHER UPDATE ON RELATIONS WITH IRAN
how-toVZCZCXRO4535 PP RUEHPA DE RUEHNM #0091 0331914 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 021914Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5609 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L NIAMEY 000091
NOFORN
SIPDIS
AF/W, AF/RSA, S/CT, NEA/IR, AND INR/AA
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020
TAGS: PREL EMIN EAGR PINR EAID EFIN IR NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: FURTHER UPDATE ON RELATIONS WITH IRAN
REF: A. ) NIAMEY 0071
B. NIAMEY 0055
C. USDAO NIAMEY IIR 6 928 0028 10 DATED 19 JANUARY
2010
Classified By: CDA Eric P. Whitaker, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NIAMEY 000091
NOFORN
SIPDIS
AF/W, AF/RSA, S/CT, NEA/IR, AND INR/AA
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020
TAGS: PREL EMIN EAGR PINR EAID EFIN IR NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: FURTHER UPDATE ON RELATIONS WITH IRAN
REF: A. ) NIAMEY 0071
B. NIAMEY 0055
C. USDAO NIAMEY IIR 6 928 0028 10 DATED 19 JANUARY
2010
Classified By: CDA Eric P. Whitaker, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) On February 1, local independent weekly newspaper
"Le Canard Dechaine" claimed that President Tandja would
likely visit Iran to seek funds for the 2010 budget, rather
than Prime Minister Gamatie as discussed in reftels. The
account added that visits to Venezuela and Cuba, as well as
recent meetings with officials from China and Libya, had not
resulted in Niger obtaining critical financial resources.
The article went on to claim that Niger might agree to export
uranium to Iran to do so.
2. (SBU) Furthermore, on January 29, Tehran's "Mehr News
Agency" in English, as provided by Open Source Center (OSC),
stated that Iranian Minister of Industry and Mines Ali-Akbar
Mehrabian and Nigerien Minister of Agricultural Development
Mahaman Moussa signed a memorandum of understanding on
January 29 in Tehran to broaden bilateral cooperation in
mineral resource exploration and extraction. The account
noted that Iran would assist Niger in exploration,
establishment of a geological center, and education of
specialists in mineral exploration and extraction. Nigerien
Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Standardization Halidou
Badje stated that Niger also seeks cooperation with Iran in
the sectors of agriculture and education.
3. (SBU) According to a February 1 account of Tehran's
"Iranian Students News Agency" in English as provided by OSC
account, Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs Manouchehr
Mottaki met Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation Aichatou Mindaoudou in Addis Ababa on the
sidelines of the 14th African Union Summit.
4. (C/NF) Finally, Embassy Niamey Public Diplomacy locally
engaged staff (LES)(protect) advised CDA in an unprompted
manner on January 26 that Shia-oriented programming on local
radio and television had gradually increased over the past
two to three years, apparently from Iranian sources.
WHITAKER
NOFORN
SIPDIS
AF/W, AF/RSA, S/CT, NEA/IR, AND INR/AA
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020
TAGS: PREL EMIN EAGR PINR EAID EFIN IR NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: FURTHER UPDATE ON RELATIONS WITH IRAN
REF: A. ) NIAMEY 0071
B. NIAMEY 0055
C. USDAO NIAMEY IIR 6 928 0028 10 DATED 19 JANUARY
2010
Classified By: CDA Eric P. Whitaker, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) On February 1, local independent weekly newspaper
"Le Canard Dechaine" claimed that President Tandja would
likely visit Iran to seek funds for the 2010 budget, rather
than Prime Minister Gamatie as discussed in reftels. The
account added that visits to Venezuela and Cuba, as well as
recent meetings with officials from China and Libya, had not
resulted in Niger obtaining critical financial resources.
The article went on to claim that Niger might agree to export
uranium to Iran to do so.
2. (SBU) Furthermore, on January 29, Tehran's "Mehr News
Agency" in English, as provided by Open Source Center (OSC),
stated that Iranian Minister of Industry and Mines Ali-Akbar
Mehrabian and Nigerien Minister of Agricultural Development
Mahaman Moussa signed a memorandum of understanding on
January 29 in Tehran to broaden bilateral cooperation in
mineral resource exploration and extraction. The account
noted that Iran would assist Niger in exploration,
establishment of a geological center, and education of
specialists in mineral exploration and extraction. Nigerien
Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Standardization Halidou
Badje stated that Niger also seeks cooperation with Iran in
the sectors of agriculture and education.
3. (SBU) According to a February 1 account of Tehran's
"Iranian Students News Agency" in English as provided by OSC
account, Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs Manouchehr
Mottaki met Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation Aichatou Mindaoudou in Addis Ababa on the
sidelines of the 14th African Union Summit.
4. (C/NF) Finally, Embassy Niamey Public Diplomacy locally
engaged staff (LES)(protect) advised CDA in an unprompted
manner on January 26 that Shia-oriented programming on local
radio and television had gradually increased over the past
two to three years, apparently from Iranian sources.
WHITAKER