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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05NOUAKCHOTT762 |
WHY DID MAHMOUD ABBAS VISIT MAURITANIA? [...] (U) On July 2, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made his first official visit to Mauritania. Spending roughly 24 hours, he met with President Taya and toured Nouakchott,s port. The two men reportedly discussed Abbas' recent trip to the US, including discussions he had had with President B [...] |
2005-07-07 10:34:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM MR IS |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1000 |
THE GREATEST THREATS TO THE DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION [...] (C) The current democratic transition was set into motion following the coup of August 2005, and ironically, a new coup presents the largest threat to the ultimate success of the transition. As the transition to democracy will not end with the presidential elections in March, but will take yea [...] |
2006-08-16 18:04:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID ASEC KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1003 |
MAURITANIA WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE TROOPS TO UNIFIL, [...] (U) On August 17, Ambassador paid a farewell call on Col. Fal, at which the two discussed Mauritanian policy on the situation in Lebanon and the transition to democracy (septel). Also present were FM Ahmed Ould Sid'Ahmed and DCM (notetaker). 2. (C) Ambassador asked Col. Fal his views on th [...] |
2006-08-18 11:38:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KPKO PTER MOPS UN UNSC IS LE MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1004 |
JUNTA LEADER FAL WELCOMES ELECTION OBSERVER [...] (U) On August 17, Ambassador paid a farewell call on Col. Fal, at which the two discussed the democratic transition and Mauritanian policy on the situation in Lebanon (reftel). Also present were FM Ahmed Ould Sid'Ahmed and DCM (notetaker). 2. (C) Ambassador stressed the importance to the USG [...] |
2006-08-18 12:05:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAO EAID EFIN PINR MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1027 |
GOVERNMENT TO REOPEN VOTER LISTS IN SEPTEMBER [...] (U) The transitional government has announced a series of procedural steps in preparation for the coming municipal and legislative elections. The announcements, made through military council decree and Ministry of Interior authority, formalize much of what the transitional government has alre [...] |
2006-08-22 15:54:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1036 |
(C) DEMARCHE ON U.S. CONCERNS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-24 13:51:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM UNHRC MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1039 |
MAURITANIA: VISAS VIPER FOR JULY AND AUGUST 2006 [...] (C) Post's Visas Viper Committee met on August 22, 2006 and based on a review of available information concurred on submitting the following: Name: Mohamed Salem, Abderrahmane Ould Mohamed El-Houcein Ould Aliases: Abdel Ghader, El-Hadj Ould, Youssouf Al-Mauritani Nationality: Mauritanian L [...] |
2006-08-25 10:22:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC CMGT CVIS KVPR PINR PTER MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1060 |
VENEZUELA TRIES TO WOO MAURITANIA [...] (U) Junta leader Col. Vall received Venezuelan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum Director of International Relations Ivan Orellana-Alcala on August 16 in Nouakchott. Described in the press as "Special Envoy" of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Orellana was reportedly welcomed on his arrival in [...] |
2006-09-01 08:04:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC UNGA GT VE MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1073 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL IN [...] (U) MFA Secretary General Mohamed Lemine Ould Moulaye Zeine told Charge September 4 that Mauritania would be represented in Cairo by Secretary of State for Maghreb Affairs Bismillahi Ali Ould Ahmed and not by the foreign minister. 2. (C) Moulaye Zeine said that given that Mauritania presen [...] |
2006-09-05 09:31:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC UNGA GT VE IS LE MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1081 |
PRDR: RE-BRANDED, BUT STILL AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE [...] (C) Following the August 2005 coup, former president Taya's political party (The Democratic and Social Republican Party - PRDS) lost a significant amount of members, power, and influence (ref A). Parliament, which PRDS dominated, was dissolved, and the new transitional government took several [...] |
2006-09-06 12:19:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT111 |
OIL DISPUTE PROCESS BEGINS; FIRST OIL STARTS FEB. [...] (U) On February 3, Woodside published a "Notification of Dispute" to the Australian stock market stating that Woodside is continuing discussions to resolve the dispute. Post understands that the PSCs allow for a 90-day "cooling off" period before the dispute goes to arbitration. 2. (U) I [...] |
2006-02-06 17:22:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | BBSR EINV EPET ECON EFIN MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1122 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: ATTENDEES FOR NAM SUMMIT [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-11 13:47:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL UNGA PTER PHUM MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1144 |
LEADING POLITICAL PARTY COALITION FALLS APART [...] (U) On August 31, the AJD (Alliance for Justice and Democracy) announced that it had split from the BPC (Bloc For Change) political party coalition. The BPC was Mauritania's first political party coalition, and the only coalition with a clearly defined platform, namely, supporting the rights o [...] |
2006-09-13 17:31:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1149 |
GOVERNOR OF CENTRAL BANK REPLACED [...] (U) On September 13 the governor of the Mauritanian Central Bank (BCM) Zeine Ould Zeidane was replaced by Ousmane Kane. While rumors of such a change had been circulating for months, the timing was surprising, coming on the heels of the highly successful IMF visit which concluded the previous [...] |
2006-09-15 07:27:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV EAID ECON BEXP EFIN ETRD EINV |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1193 |
POLITICAL PARTIES ACCUSE GOVERNMENT OF MEDDLING IN [...] (C) Over the past 10 days, a majority of Mauritania's influential political parties and party coalitions have accused the government of interfering in the electoral process. The alleged interference comes at a key moment in the political transition. Registration of candidate lists for Novemb [...] |
2006-09-27 11:27:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1197 |
ISLAMISTS PLANNING TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS [...] (C) Jemil Ould Mansour, a key figure in Mauritania's Islamist movement, met with Charge September 27 to discuss Islamists' plans for the coming elections. Mansour began the meeting by explaining that Mauritanian Islamists, represented by his unrecognized political party The Centrist Reformist [...] |
2006-09-28 17:06:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1208 |
ELECTORAL COMMISSION BRIEFS EMBASSIES ON ELECTORAL [...] (U) The National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) met with chiefs of the U.S., French, Spanish, German, EU and UN missions September 28 to discuss preparations for the municipal and legislative elections set for November 19. ----------- CENI UPDATE ----------- 2. (C) CENI preside [...] |
2006-10-03 16:27:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1235 |
BALLOT PRINTING PITS UN AND ELECTORAL COMMISSION [...] (U) An October 12 UN Steering Committee meeting, including representatives from the EU, UN, the Ministry of the Interior, the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) and the embassies of Spain, France, Germany, and the U.S., focused on the government's ballot printing plan for Novembe [...] |
2006-10-13 11:43:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1244 |
MAURITANIA BACKS GUATEMALA FOR UNSC SEAT [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-17 14:47:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC GT VE MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1259 |
UNDP DECLINES TO PRINT BALLOTS [...] (U) Basket fund steering committee members sent a letter October 20 to the Minister, Secretary General of the Presidency Habib Ould Hemet declining the government's last-minute request to have the UN fund and contract the printing of the ballots for the legislative and municipal elections to b [...] |
2006-10-20 13:53:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1275 |
BALLOT PRINTING PROBLEM RESOLVED, BUT PARTNERS [...] (U) The government has selected the London company Smith and Ouzman LTD to print the ballots for the upcoming municipal and legislative elections. The company will deliver the four million ballots by November 10 at a cost of $700,000. 2. (C) According to UN ResRep Cecile Molinier, the Secr [...] |
2006-10-26 16:09:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1363 |
CHARGE INTRODUCTORY CAL ON COL. VALL [...] (U) CHARGE MADE AN INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MILITARY COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY (CMJD) PRESIDENT COL. ELY OULD MOHAMED VALL ON NOVEMBER 23, ACCOMPANIED BY DCM. NO ONE ELSE WAS PRESENT ON THE MAURITANIAN SIDE, AND THE MEETING WAS HELD IN VALL'S PRIVATE OFFICE. --------------------------- [...] |
2006-11-28 12:20:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAID EFIN KDEM MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1386 |
MEPI SENIOR ADVISOR BRIEFS COL. VALL ON ELECTION [...] (U) Visiting NEA Office of Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Senior Advisor Kent A. Patton paid a courtesy call on Military Council for Justice and Democracy President Col. Ely Ould Mohamed Vall on December 5, accompanied by Charge and DCM (Notetaker). Joining Col. Vall were Foreign M [...] |
2006-12-05 18:58:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAID EFIN KDEM MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1388 |
MAURITANIAN RUN-OFF: OBSERVERS SEE CONTINUED [...] (U) Mauritania completed a second round of legislative elections December 3 to decide the remaining 52 National Assembly seats not won during the November 19 first round polls (ref B). Post sent out nine observation teams of U.S. and Mauritanian personnel to track the process and compare find [...] |
2006-12-06 11:56:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV EAID KDEM MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT140 |
MAURITANIA: VISAS VIPER FOR JANUARY 2006 [...] Post's Visas Viper Committee met on February 9, 2006. Post's Visas Viper Coordinator is CONS/ECON/COMM Officer Anita Ghildyal. 2. Post has no names to submit for the month of January 2006. LeBaron [...] |
2006-02-14 18:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC CMGT CVIS KVPR PINR PTER MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1411 |
MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER: DARFUR, [...] (C) Darfur. In a December 12 meeting with Foreign Minister Ahmed Ould Sid'Ahmed to discuss several foreign policy matters, Charge raised the issue of last week's recent meeting in Khartoum of ACP countries, at which President Vall spoke on behalf of all West African members. Sid'Ahmed said h [...] |
2006-12-12 11:42:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IS KPAL MR SU SY UNSC |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT1431 |
MAURITANIA: VISAS VIPER FOR DECEMBER 2006 [...] (C) Post's Visas Viper Committee met on December 19, 2006 and based on a review of available information concurred on submitting the following: Name: Ould Al-Hassan, Bouh Nationality: Moroccan (Western Saharan) Location: Mali Ref: TDX-315/64300-06 Name: Sall, Mohamed Beshir Nationality [...] |
2006-12-22 12:40:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC CMGT CVIS KVPR PINR PTER MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT151 |
HIGH-LEVEL US DELEGATION DISCUSSES DEMOCRACY AND [...] (U) During a three-day visit to Mauritania February 7 - 9, an eight-member interagency delegation headed by AF PDAS Bobby Pittman and including members from S/CT, DRL, AF, NSC, OSD and USAID met with transitional government and election's officials to assess Mauritania's transition to democracy [...] |
2006-02-15 18:32:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT152 |
HIGH-LEVEL US DELEGATION DISCUSSES DEMOCRACY AND [...] (U) During a three-day visit to Mauritania February 7-9, an eight-member interagency delegation headed by AF PDAS Bobby Pittman and including members from S/CT, DRL, AF, NSC, OSD and USAID met with political party and civil society representatives to assess Mauritania's transition to democracy [...] |
2006-02-15 18:40:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT154 |
THE HIGH-LEVEL US DELEGATION'S VISIT TO MAURITANIA [...] (C) The high level mission to Nouakchott headed by AF PDAS Bobby Pittman contributed significantly to the advancement of our policy in Mauritania. The delegation met with government officials (septel) and members of political parties and civil society (septel). 2. (C) The Embassy's assessm [...] |
2006-02-15 18:47:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT170 |
WOODSIDE DISPUTE CONTINUES AS CEO SET TO ARRIVE [...] (C) Woodside Director of Corporate Affairs Gary Gray called on Ambassador twice during his February 7-10 visit to Mauritania. Gray said his role is to "create a space for dialogue" but maintained that Woodside did nothing wrong in negotiating the amendments and that they are consistent with c [...] |
2006-02-17 12:51:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | BBSR EINV EPET ECON EFIN ASEC MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT200 |
SUBJECT: CENSUS BEGINS, MARKING SIGNIFICANT STEP [...] (U) During two days of observations in Nouakchott and Rosso areas February 21-22 organized by the local UN Secretariat for Electoral Assistance, EmbOffs followed census SIPDIS takers, witnessed voter registrations and met with representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, the National [...] |
2006-02-23 16:27:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT279 |
AFRO-MAURITANIAN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION ON THE [...] (U) A breakaway wing of the exiled Afro-Mauritanian opposition group, African Liberation Forces of Mauritania (FLAM), has called on the Mauritanian transitional government to address the plight of the estimated 20,000 Afro-Mauritanians refugees living in Senegal and Mali. The refugees fled so [...] |
2006-03-08 11:19:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT285 |
Mauritania: Input for the Annual AGOA Report [...] Mauritania was one of the first 34 countries to be found eligible in 2000 for the trade benefits of AGOA. On December 22, 2005, however, President Bush terminated Mauritania's designation as of January 1, 2006, because Mauritania is not meeting the required criteria of making continual progre [...] |
2006-03-09 14:20:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD ECON PHUM MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT287 |
SEVERE CENSUS PROBLEMS BUT SUCCESSFUL VOTER LIST [...] (U) Emboffs met with members of the UN's Electoral Assistance Team, an NDI representative and a member of the National Independent Electoral Commission March eighth and ninth to discuss the status of the census/voter registration drive currently scheduled to end March 16. ------------------- [...] |
2006-03-10 09:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT289 |
DEFEATING VENEZUELA IN THE 2006 ELECTION FOR [...] (C) On March 9, DCM called on MFA Director for International Organizations Amb. Telmidi Ould Mohamed Amar to follow up on Embassy's February 14 dipnote (Ref B) encouraging Mauritania to vote for Guatemala in the 2006 election for the non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. 2. (C) Te [...] |
2006-03-10 13:22:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UN UNSC GT VE MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT291 |
YOUTH EVENT REVEALS A PASSIONATE BUT ILL-INFORMED [...] (U) Local National Democratic Institute (NI) Political Party Prrogram Director Eric Duhaimeb"riefed Ambassador on NDI's highly successful "Yuuth Day" which the Ambassador opened with remarks in classical Arabic. The ten-hour program held a rch 8 and attended by over 700 students, youth rroups [...] |
2006-03-13 09:09:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT313 |
AFRO-MAURITANIAN COALITION PESSIMISTIC ABOUT [...] (U) On March 13 PollOff met with Mohamed Ould Sidi Ould Dellahi, President of the "Group of Parties for Change," the leading Afro-Mauritanian political party coalition, to discuss the outlook for Afro-Mauritanians in the coming elections. -------------------------------- "ELECTIONS WON'T CH [...] |
2006-03-17 11:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT317 |
NATIONAL CENSUS AND VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE [...] (U) Ambassador met with four census teams during a four-day swing through northern Mauritania March 13-16, visiting provincial capitals and several major towns and large villages. Concurrently, PolOff participated in two days of observations in the Nouakchott and Brakna regions March 13-14 or [...] |
2006-03-20 13:41:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT321 |
MAURITANIAN - BURKINABE RELATIONS WARMING [...] (U) Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore arrived in Nouakchott March 16 for a two day "friendship and working" visit. Compaore, who had been invited to Mauritania by Colonel Fal, became the third West African head of state to visit the country since the August 3 coup. -------------------- [...] |
2006-03-21 15:50:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT322 |
UPCOMING IMF BOARD MEETING--USG SUPPORT FOR [...] (C) Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar called in Ambassador on March 20 to seek USG support for Mauritania's efforts to convince the IMF Board to waive or delay any reimbursement of non-complying payments because of Mauritanian misreporting in 2002. The Board is scheduled to take up th [...] |
2006-03-21 17:34:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BBSR EINV EPET ECON EFIN EAID MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT326 |
AFRO-MAURITANIAN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT; CLAIMS [...] (U) In a meeting with Ambassador March 20, political party president Ba Alassane discussed Afro-Mauritanian concerns regarding the census and coming elections. Alassane's party, the Party for Liberty, Equality and Justice (PLEJ) is one of only three recognized Afro-Mauritanian political partie [...] |
2006-03-23 11:22:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT330 |
COMPROMISE NEAR ON WOODSIDE OIL DISPUTE? [...] (C) Both publicly and privately, the Embassy is seeing signs that the two sides are moving toward resolution of the dispute that has marred the otherwise positive development of first oil and first cargo from Mauritania. However, what is more telling is what we are not seeing, in that the gove [...] |
2006-03-23 18:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | BBSR ECON EFIN EINV EPET MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT336 |
SPAIN TEAMS WITH MAURITANIA TO STOP MIGRANT FLOW [...] (C) The flow of sub-Saharan migrants from Mauritania's northern port city of Nouadhibou to the Canary Islands has developed into a crisis for the Spanish Government. According to the Spanish Consul Alvaro Diaz Duque, their response to the crisis has taken two paths, "first we are working with [...] |
2006-03-24 12:23:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT365 |
DISPUTE ENDS BETWEEN MAURITANIA AND WOODSIDE [...] No summary [...] |
2006-03-31 15:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | BBSR EINV EPET ECON EFIN MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT377 |
MAURITANIA'S PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER RELEASE [...] No summary [...] |
2006-04-04 19:05:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | BBSR ECON EFIN EINV EPET MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT409 |
DISCRIMINATION PREVENTING AFRO-MAURITANIANS IN THE [...] (C) As the census to register voters finishes its first phase of door-to-door canvassing and enters into April's "fixed post" phase, there are indications that Afro-Mauritanians have been undercounted in relation to the general population. But hard statistics are impossible to get. The popul [...] |
2006-04-06 17:53:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT435 |
UN AGREES THAT SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS EXIST IN [...] (C) Representatives of partners for the UN Basket Fund Steering Committee met April 7 to discuss preparations for the first official Steering Committee meeting scheduled for April 20. The group, which included UN, EU, French, Spanish, German, and US representatives, discussed the addition of [...] |
2006-04-13 10:21:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT438 |
REPORT OF JOURNALIST ARREST ERRONEOUS [...] (U) On April 9 the local online Arabic newspaper Al-Akhbar reported the arrest of Abdallah Mimine, a Mauritanian news correspondent who covers West Africa for the Iranian Arabic-language satellite news channel, Al-Alam. Al-Alam is a popular satellite channel here. 2. (U) According to the A [...] |
2006-04-13 11:00:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT440 |
MAURITANIA: VISAS VIPER FOR MARCH 2006 [...] (C) Post's Visas Viper Committee met on April 12, 2006 and based on a review of available information concurred on submitting the following: Name: Mohamed ETOURAH Alias: Mohamed al-Turath, Tourath Citizenship: Mauritanian Residence: Bassiknou, Mauritania Profession: Trader REF: TD-314/25 [...] |
2006-04-13 13:12:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC CMGT CVIS KVPR PINR PTER MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT457 |
MILITARY COUNCIL RESHUFFLES DIPLOMATIC CORPS [...] (U) In late March the Military Council for Justice and Democracy replaced several of Mauritania's Ambassadors and Consuls to key African and Middle East countries. The shuffle, which had been expected since the August 3 coup d'etat, surprised many observers in that it drew largely from the fo [...] |
2006-04-19 16:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT468 |
UNPUBLISHED OFFICIAL REPORT CONFIRMS PROBLEMS WITH [...] (C) In an unpublished report from the National Independent Electoral Commission's regional commission in Trarza (one of Mauritania's southern, predominately Afro-Mauritanian regions) the commission has found that significant problems persist in the process of applying for National ID cards (re [...] |
2006-04-20 17:27:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT469 |
NEW OIL AGREEMENT MAINTAINS WOODSIDE'S EXPLORATION [...] (C) Woodside's Country Manager John Ozturgut told Ambassador April 12 that the terms of agreement that Prime Minister Boubacar described in his March 30 speech (Ref A) were essentially accurate, but that Woodside as well gained significant concessions. Most significantly, Woodside retained it [...] |
2006-04-20 18:07:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | BBSR ECON EFIN EINV EPET MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT471 |
MAURITANIA: EMEGERNCY ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING [...] (S/NF) On April 20, 2006 at 1100 hours the Embassy's Emergency Action Committee (EAC) met to discuss recently obtained threat information which added specificity to previously acquired ambiguous information (reftels A and B). The threat suggested that GSPC teams have conducted surveillance op [...] |
2006-04-21 12:42:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET | ASEC PREL PTER ABLD CASC MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT479 |
FAL SPEAKS OUT ON CORRUPTION, FOLLOWING UP ON [...] (U) In a speech April 20, Colonel Fal called on government officials and businessmen to bring an end to Mauritania's long-standing problem of corruption. The speech, attended by numerous governmental officials, political leaders, businessmen and the press first focused on Mauritania's legacy [...] |
2006-04-24 16:07:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT480 |
EXTRAORDINARY SLAVE CASE DEMONSTRATES PERSISTENCE [...] (U) On March 28, the local human rights NGO SOS Esclaves (SOS Slaves) publicized the case of Sidi Ould El Mijriya, a Black Moor living in the small village of Daber II in the central Mauritanian province of Tagant. According to SOS Esclaves, Mijriya recently had to buy his freedom from his fo [...] |
2006-04-24 17:08:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT487 |
MAURITANIA STILL SHORT $4-$5 MILLION FOR ELECTIONS [...] (U) An African Union (AU) sponsored Donors' Roundtable met in Nouakchott April 25 to solicit funds for Mauritania's electoral transition. Attendees included the AU, EU, UN, International Organization of Francophone Countries (OIF), and various Ambassadors and representatives from European, Af [...] |
2006-04-26 09:55:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT494 |
EUROPEAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDS STEP TO ENABLE [...] (C) According to EU Counselor Bruno Gatta, his mission recently informed the Mauritanians that the European Commission has recommended to the EU Council of Ministers to close the consultation phase of the Article 96 process under the Cotonou agreement, and the council will make its decision a [...] |
2006-04-27 10:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT495 |
MAURITANIA: VISAS VIPER FOR APRIL 2006 [...] (C) Post's Visas Viper Committee met on April 26, 2006 and based on a review of available information concurred on submitting the following: Name: Hadramy OULD HAMMA Alias: Abdellah MOHAMED DOB: 1970 Father: Ahmed Salem OULD HAMMA Mother: Salla MINT EL BAUBADIU Comment: Emotionally distu [...] |
2006-04-27 10:53:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC CMGT CVIS KVPR PINR PTER MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT557 |
CHINA GETTING ALL FIRST OIL; WOODSIDE AND [...] (SBU) Woodside Country Manager Jon Ozturgut told DCM that the Australian oil company and the transitional government are just days away from completing a new PSC. The draft must then be approved by the other partners in the group before it is signed. The transitional government will receive $ [...] |
2006-05-11 17:32:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT561 |
CHINESE FM TO STOP BRIEFLY IN MAURITANIA [...] (U) The Peoples Daily Online, China's official online news source, has reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will make a "technical stopover" in Mauritania as part of his visit to six Latin America and Middle East countries between May 17 and 25. 2. (U) According to local sourc [...] |
2006-05-12 12:33:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT562 |
IN POSSIBLY HISTORIC TURN, MAURITANIANS START [...] (U) At a ceremony commemorating the 17th anniversary of the outbreak of ethnic violence in Mauritania, key political parties and NGO's called on the transitional government to address the plight of the estimated 20,000 Afro-Mauritanian refugees living in Senegal and Mali. 2. (U) In a separa [...] |
2006-05-12 12:37:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT568 |
SUMMARY OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND COALITIONS IN MAURITANIA, MAY [...] AJD: Alliance pour la Justice et la Democratie (Alliance for Justice and Democracy) -- Small Pular party making the issue of Black African deportees and refugees the centerpiece of its agenda. -- One of four political parties in the coalition "Bloc of Parties for Change," that has committe [...] |
2006-05-15 15:35:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT569 |
MORE VOTERS TO BE ABLE TO REGISTER BEFORE PRESIDENTIAL [...] (C) Representatives from the Ministry of Interior, National Office of Statistics, National Independent Electoral Commission, UN Electoral Assistance team, NDI, and various international partners met May 5 to discuss the census and voter registration drive which ended April 30 after two and a ha [...] |
2006-05-15 19:08:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT578 |
MORE VOTERS TO BE ABLE TO REGISTER BEFORE [...] (C) Representatives from the Ministry of Interior, National Office of Statistics, National Independent Electoral Commission, UN Electoral Assistance team, NDI, and various international partners met May 5 to discuss the census and voter registration drive which ended April 30 after two and a h [...] |
2006-05-16 07:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT583 |
MAURITANIAN-EU FISHING NEGOTIATIONS STALLED [...] (U) No agreement has yet been reached in negotiations between Mauritania and the European Union for renewing its fish agreement. The two parties have been in negotiations since the beginning of this year in both Brussels and Nouakchott. The last meeting, held last week, ended without neither [...] |
2006-05-16 07:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EINV MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT584 |
MORE VOTERS TO BE ABLE TO REGISTER BEFORE [...] (C) Representatives from the Ministry of Interior, National Office of Statistics, National Independent Electoral Commission, UN Electoral Assistance team, NDI, and various international partners met May 5 to discuss the census and voter registration drive which ended April 30 after two and a h [...] |
2006-05-16 08:24:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT585 |
MORE VOTERS TO BE ABLE TO REGISTER BEFORE [...] (C) Representatives from the Ministry of Interior, National Office of Statistics, National Independent Electoral Commission, UN Electoral Assistance team, NDI, and various international partners met May 5 to discuss the census and voter registration drive which ended April 30 after two and a h [...] |
2006-05-16 08:40:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT590 |
MAURITANIAN-EU FISHING NEGOTIATIONS STALLED [...] (U) No agreement has yet been reached in negotiations between Mauritania and the European Union for renewing its fish agreement. The two parties have been in negotiations since the beginning of this year in both Brussels and Nouakchott. The last meeting, held last week, ended without neither [...] |
2006-05-16 08:41:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EINV MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT599 |
SUBJECT: IMF STAFF TO GIVE GREEN LIGHT TO DEBT CANCELLATION [...] (U) IMF Deputy Division Chief of Middle East and Central Asia Department Jean Le Dem told heads of missions May 8 that after a two week mission here to assess Mauritania's progress on macro-economics and budgetary reform, the staff will recommend to the board to cancel Mauritania's IMF debt dur [...] |
2006-05-17 16:19:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON BBSR EFIN EPET MR EINV |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT605 |
IN A SIGNIFICANT MOVE, FAL ACKNOWLEDGES PAST HUMAN [...] (U) Colonel Fal visited three of Mauritania's southeastern regions May 12-14 as part of a national presidential tour that began April 28. Fal's speeches focused on the democratic transition and the National Constitutional Referendum scheduled for June 25, but also addressed other national top [...] |
2006-05-18 17:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT606 |
MAURITANIAN OIL PRODUCTION FALLS DUE TO POSSIBLE [...] (U) The Mauritanian oil production in the Chinguetti Field suddenly fell last week and this trend is likely to continue in the coming weeks. After a boom in March and April, production dropped during the first week of May from 70,000 barrels a day to 45,000 barrels. This decline is attribut [...] |
2006-05-19 09:20:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | BBSR EINV EPET ECON EFIN MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT621 |
THREE WEST AFRICAN PROTESTANT PASTORS ARRESTED [...] (C) Three West African Protestant pastors were arrested in Nouakchott on May 18. According to an American elder in the local Protestant church who meets with the three regularly, authorities arrested the men, searched and seized religious materials from each of their churches, then padlocked t [...] |
2006-05-23 11:40:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT632 |
GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHES HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION [...] (U) The transitional government's cabinet adopted a bill establishing a National Human Rights Commission May 17. The idea for the commission was first proposed in "National Consultations" that took place in October between political parties, NGO's and transitional government authorities (ref [...] |
2006-05-24 15:45:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT648 |
UNHCR REPRESENTATIVES PROPOSE WAY FORWARD ON [...] (SBU) UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Erika Feller, accompanied by Mr. Radhouane Nouicer of UNHCR Geneva and Head of Mission for UNHCR Didier Laye called on the Ambassador May 19 to discuss the situation regarding illegal migration from Mauritania to Spain. ----------------- [...] |
2006-05-26 14:01:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PREL PHUM MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT658 |
EMBASSY VISITS TO TWO SMALL PRISONS SUGGEST [...] (C) On May 18 Poloff visited two small prisons in the remote southeastern towns of Ayoun and Nema as part of an ongoing effort to investigate reports we have received alleging torture and dreadful confinement conditions. This was the Embassy,s first visit to these two prisons. Poloff spoke [...] |
2006-05-31 14:32:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT664 |
FAL ADDRESSES SLAVERY ISSUE [...] (U) Fal spoke to a crowd of several thousand in the northern city of Akjoujt May 27 as part of a national presidential tour that began April 28. Fal's speech focused on getting-out-the-vote for the National Constitutional Referendum scheduled for June 25. At the end of his speech, Fal commen [...] |
2006-06-01 18:36:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT665 |
LIBYA LOOKING TO FINANCE MAURITANIAN POLITICAL [...] (C) On May 30, National Democratic Institute (NDI) North African Regional Director Gerard Latulippe briefed Ambassador on the status of NDI's efforts to help Mauritania prepare for elections (septel). During the meeting, Latulippe said that while in a hotel in Tripoli three weeks earlier, he h [...] |
2006-06-01 18:41:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT686 |
2006 TIP REPORT DEMARCHE: GOVERNMENT DISAPPOINTED [...] (U) ADCM met June 1 with MOFA Secretary General Mohamed Lemine Ould Moulaye Zeine to deliver ref A demarche and English version of the 2006 TIP report. Later that day, Poloff delivered the same information to the Director of Human Rights Mohamedou Ould Tijani of the Commission for Human Right [...] |
2006-06-06 08:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT695 |
NDI'S ACTIVITIES AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS [...] (U) On May 30, National Democratic Institute (NDI) North African Regional Director Gerard Latulippe and recently arrived Resident Director Jacques Veilleux briefed Ambassador on the status of NDI's efforts to help Mauritania prepare for elections. ----------------- NDI'S PROGRAMMING ------ [...] |
2006-06-07 15:41:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT699 |
FAL CLARIFIES HIS POSITION ON SLAVERY; EMBASSY [...] (U) Fal spoke to a crowd of several thousand in the southern city of Rosso June 3 as part of a national presidential tour that began April 28. While the speech was originally planned to get-out-the-vote for the National Constitutional Referendum scheduled for June 25, Fal used more than half [...] |
2006-06-08 08:53:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT701 |
WOODSIDE AND MAURITANIA SIGN REVISED PRODUCTION [...] No summary [...] |
2006-06-08 11:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | BBSR EINV EPET ECON EFIN MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT739 |
DEMARCHE: FIRST MEETING OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS [...] On June 12, Poloff delivered reftel demarche to the Director of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Telmidi Ould Mohamed Amar. Ambassador Amar agreed in principle with the idea of using the first UNHRC meeting to &set the procedures for the organization8 [...] |
2006-06-12 17:23:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT745 |
NDI NEEDS HELP AS ELECTION CLOCK TICKS DOWN [...] (U) On June 9, National Democratic Institute (NDI) Senior Program Officer for the Middle East and North Africa Jeffrey England briefed Ambassador on the status of NDI's efforts to help Mauritania transition to democracy. ------------------- WAITING FOR FUNDING ------------------- 2. (C) [...] |
2006-06-14 16:18:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT764 |
SEVERAL ARRESTED FOR COUP PLOTTING [...] (C) The Military Council for Justice and Democracy (MCJD) last night arrested several high-ranking military officers. The motivation for the arrests is unclear at this time, but is believed to be related either to a coup attempt, coup plotting, or to an effort to disrupt the coming June 25 Nat [...] |
2006-06-20 11:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT770 |
ARREST UPDATE [...] (C) The Embassy has continued meeting with civilian and military officials in an effort to get more information regarding last nights arrests of high ranking military officers and civilians associated with former President Taya (reftel), and to encourage Mauritanians to continue their commitme [...] |
2006-06-20 17:42:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO CASC MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT774 |
FOREIGN MINISTER BRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON ARRESTS [...] (C) Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ahmed Ould Sid'Ahmed briefed Ambassador June 21 on the government's recent arrests of high ranking military officers and civilians associated with former President Taya, going over much of the material already covered in reftels. -------------- [...] |
2006-06-22 14:39:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO CASC MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT778 |
SUBJECT: STRONG "YES" VOTE LIMITING POWER OF [...] (U) Colonel Fal opened the official campaign period for the Constitutional Referendum with a speech, in the Capital city of Nouakchott, June 10. In the speech, Fal focused on the important role of women and youth, and urged all Mauritanians to unite in support of the June 25 Referendum and ab [...] |
2006-06-23 12:08:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT784 |
THE REFERENDUM -- 97% VOTE "YES" TO [...] (C) The extraordinarily high percentage of yes votes notwithstanding, the evidence available to us suggests the referendum met international standards for a free and fair election. There could, of course, have been fraud that we have not yet uncovered, and we explore that possibility below in [...] |
2006-06-27 19:18:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT791 |
PUBLIC STRONGLY SUPPORTS REFERENDUM RESULTS -- [...] (C) Following the landslide victory of the June 25 national referendum (reftel), public reaction has been highly supportive for both the referendum and the Military Council for Justice and Democracy (MCJD). While nearly all political actors have expressed their support for the election results [...] |
2006-06-28 16:18:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT812 |
BROAD AGREEMENT -- REFERENDUM "FREE AND [...] (C) Embassy staff, including the Ambassador, DCM and PolOff, have met repeatedly with representatives from the UN, EU, Western Embassies and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to exchange views on last Sunday's referendum vote. All partners agree that while there were several procedural l [...] |
2006-06-30 12:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT814 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: BUILDING SUPPORT FOR GUATEMALA [...] (C) On June 30, MFA Secretary General Mohamed Lemine Ould Moulaye Zeine confirmed to DCM that Mauritania will not be sending a delegation to the July 1 and 2 AU Assembly of Heads of State in Banjul. Mauritania's membership to the AU was suspended following the August 3, 2005 coup. Moulay Zein [...] |
2006-06-30 14:01:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC UNGA GT VE MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT842 |
SUBJECT: LARGE PROTEST CALLS FOR BREAK WITH ISRAEL [...] (U) Several thousand Mauritanians participated in a pro-Palestinian rally in the streets of the capital city Nouakchott on July 4. The peaceful rally, organized by a newly-formed political party coalition, ended with speeches calling for Mauritanian unity with the Palestinian people, an end t [...] |
2006-07-05 17:52:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR ASEC CASC MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT847 |
POWERFUL POLITICAL PARTY COALITION FORMS -- MAKES [...] (U) On June 28 ten political parties formed the "Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change" (CFDC). The coalition, which includes some of Mauritania's most powerful political parties, has committed to working collectively to prevent any candidates from the former regime from being elected, and [...] |
2006-07-07 11:57:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR ASEC CASC MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT872 |
HELPING MAURITANIA TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY -- FREE [...] (C) Eleven months after the bloodless military coup here, Mauritania is still on schedule to hold important parliamentary elections in November and a crucial presidential election next March. Those elections must be free and fair, if Mauritania is to have any chance of transitioning to democr [...] |
2006-07-12 17:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT876 |
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNSC MIDDLE EAST [...] (C) DCM called on MFA Secretary General Mohamed Lemine Ould Moulaye Zeine in the morning of July 13 to deliver reftel points, stressing USG request that Arab League members urge Qatar to delay seeking a vote on the resolution until at least after the AL ministerial meeting on Saturday. Moulay [...] |
2006-07-13 12:26:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IS KPAL KWBG MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT885 |
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON SAUDI STATEMENT ON EVENTS IN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-14 12:51:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IS KPAL KWBG MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT894 |
UN CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR ELECTORAL PROCESS [...] (C) UN Under Secretary General of Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari formally announced the UN's continued support for the democratic transition process in a letter to Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Ould Sid'Ahmed on July 18. The letter, which UN Resident Representative provided [...] |
2006-07-19 08:58:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT898 |
SUBJECT: GAZ DE FRANCE INCREASES PRESENCE IN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-19 15:53:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | BBSR EINV EPET ECON EFIN MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT901 |
NDI OPTIMISTIC ABOUT DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION [...] (U) On July 18, National Democratic Institute (NDI) Senior Program Officer Gregory Houel and Resident Director Jacques Veilleux briefed Ambassador on the status of NDI's efforts to help Mauritania prepare for elections. ------------------------------------------ NDI OPTIMISTIC ABOUT DEMOCRAT [...] |
2006-07-20 09:01:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT968 |
GOVERNMENT APPROVES $65 MILLION SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET [...] In meetings on July 27 and 28, the Military Council for Justice and Democracy (MCJD) approved a supplemental budget for CY2006 to account for significantly increased revenues from renegotiated oil and fishing contracts, and IMF debt relief. In all, the MCJD increased the 2006 budget by 15.8 b [...] |
2006-08-03 09:17:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP BTIO EFIS ETRD EINV PGOV MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT979 |
SUMMARY OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND COALITIONS IN [...] AJD: Alliance pour la Justice et la Democratie (Alliance for Justice and Democracy) -- Small Pular party making the issue of Black African deportees and refugees the centerpiece of its agenda. -- One of four political parties in the coalition "Bloc for Change," that has committed to presen [...] |
2006-08-08 08:30:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT993 |
POLITICAL POWER IN THE RUN-UP TO ELECTIONS [...] (C) The political environment in Mauritania is constantly changing, with political parties and coalitions regularly forming and dissolving, and new presidential hopefuls declaring their candidacy every week. Few political actors have strong platforms, and little separates one party from the n [...] |
2006-08-14 14:20:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR |
| 06NOUAKCHOTT994 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNSC RESOLUTION ON LEBANON [...] (C) MFA Secretary General Mohamed Lemine Ould Moulaye Zeine told DCM it was his personal view that Mauritania would support the UNSC resolution on Lebanon as Mauritania has previously publicly stated it would join Arab League consensus on the issue. However, the government would unlikely make [...] |
2006-08-14 16:27:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER MOPS UN UNSC IS LE MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT1010 |
Mauritania Exceeds Development Funding Target at Paris [...] The Government of Mauritania, with support from the World Bank, the European Commission and the UN Development Program, convened the fifth Consultative Group (CG) meeting in Paris December 4 and 5. Some three dozen bilateral and multilateral partners reviewed Mauritania's national development [...] |
2007-12-11 15:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PREL PHUM KMCA MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT139 |
STEPS TOWARD DIALOGUE [...] (U) Post reported reftel on a January 31 meeting of the principal candidates for President, one intended to exchange views, work for success of the transition, and put together a code of conduct. A subsequent statement indicated they also agreed to ask the transitional authorities to abstain f [...] |
2007-02-06 18:37:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT140 |
MEETING WITH NATIONAL SECURITY CHIEF [...] (C) Charge and EmbOff called on Director General of National Security Colonel Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed, aka Colonel Ghazwany, February 7. Joined by the Director General of State Security, Commissioner Taleb Abeidi Mohamed Abdelahi, Colonel Ghazwany said he understood the principled r [...] |
2007-02-07 17:50:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM MASS PGOV PINR PINS MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT177 |
TFGV01: DEMARCHE ON THE CRISIS IN GUINEA: [...] (C) Charge called on Foreign Minister Ahmed Ould Sid'Ahmed February 19 to present demarche (ref A) and to deliver a copy of Embassy Conakry's public statement (ref B). Sid'Ahmed took careful note of our position and objectives. His eyes widened, however, when we asked that President Vall cons [...] |
2007-02-19 14:21:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GV MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT207 |
MEETING WITH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HANANA [...] (C) Summary. Presidential candidate Saleh Ould Hanana said the August 2005 coup d'etat was a "vindication" of his bloody 2003 coup attempt. While pleased with the transition, he believes that the new government will need to go further in several areas. He was a "witness" to the 1989 Events, w [...] |
2007-02-23 16:07:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR EAID KDEM MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT32 |
PEACEKEEPING IN SOMALIA: POSSIBLE MAURITANIAN [...] (C) During the course of a January 9 discussion with Armed Forces Chief of Staff Colonel Abderrahmane Ould Boubacar on the role of the military in a democratic Mauritania, we asked about interest in peacekeeping. The country's current role is limited to fielding twenty observers in the AU forc [...] |
2007-01-10 10:45:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | AU KPKO MR PREL SO |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT33 |
MILITARY VIEWS ON ELECTIONS AND AFTERMATH [...] (C) Summary. Two high-level military officials express concerns about civilian abilities to govern while listening to our urging non-interference of the military in the presidential elections just ahead. The armed forces intend to focus on their own role and needs in the post-transition peri [...] |
2007-01-10 16:52:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM MARR MASS PGOV PHUM MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT334 |
MAURITANIA SCENESETTER FOR PRESIDENTIAL DELEGATION [...] (C) After almost 30 years of military rule, Mauritania's first credibly elected president since independence will be sworn in on April 19. The U.S., in cooperation with its international partners and the Mauritanian transitional government, worked actively to bring about this historic transit [...] |
2007-04-05 18:55:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP PGOV ECON EAID PREL KMCA MARR MASS ASEC |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT357 |
PRESIDENT-ELECT: THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE THE FUTURE [...] (U) President-elect Sidi Mohamed Cheikh Ould Abdallahi, in an interview with the Algerian newspaper "Al-Khabar Al-Jazaaaeri published April 8, is quoted as saying "the last word on (Mauritanian-Israeli) relations belongs to the Mauritanian people." He added, "the reality is that there is an I [...] |
2007-04-10 14:57:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IS MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT400 |
PARLIAMENT CONVENES, ELECTS ITS LEADERSHIP [...] (U) The new parliament met for the first time April 26, in the final step to the return to constitutional order. The Military Council for Justice and Democracy following the August 3, 2005 coup dissolved parliament and suspended the part of the constitution requiring parliamentary decision, a [...] |
2007-04-27 13:46:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAID KDEM PHUM PINR MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT407 |
NEW WAY FORWARD ON IRAQ -- MAURITANIA [...] (C) Mauritania lacks the capability to provide military contribution to the Coalition at this time. Mauritania has a small contingent n the AMIS peacekeeping forces in Sudan (a 20-memer liaison unit). We have proposed that Mauritani join the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISM), but have [...] |
2007-04-30 18:39:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MASS MOPS PTER IZ MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT43 |
VALL SEES EVENTS IN SOMALIA AS POSITIVE [...] (C) Former AF A/S Herman J. Cohen briefed Charge January 10 on his meeting with CMJD President Vall earlier that day. Vall spoke positively of the recent events in Somalia, noting that the Islamist movement is more a threat to Muslims than to anyone else. He appeared supportive of Ethiopia's e [...] |
2007-01-11 18:30:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | AU KPKO PREL SO MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT464 |
AVIATION FEES WITH REGARD TO ASECNA MEMBER STATES [...] Responses are keyed to Paragraph 6, reftel for the airports of ATAR (GQPA) and NOUAKCHOTT (GQNN) in Mauritania: - IS THE AIRPORT OPERATED BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT OR A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY? (IF THE AIRPORT IS PREDOMINANTLY OR EXCLUSIVELY OPERATED BY ASECNA, PLEASE NOTE THAT SUCH IS [...] |
2007-05-23 07:29:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR KREC MARR MOPS MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT487 |
CHARGE,S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) SUMMARY: THE CHARGE PAID AN INTRODUCTORY CALL MAY 22 TO THE NEWLY APPOINTED MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND COOPERATION MOHAMED SALECK OULD MOHAMED LEMINE. THE MINISTER SAID U.S.-MAURITANIAN RELATIONS WERE "IMBALANCED" TOWARD POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT AND HOPED THAT THE USG COULD PROVIDE COMMEN [...] |
2007-05-29 12:04:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET | IS MARR MR PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT566 |
FOREIGN MINISTRY REFUTES ALLEGATIONS OF SECRET CIA [...] (U) This an action request. Please see paragraph 6. 2. (U) A spokesman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has categorically denied what he called "baseless" allegations, published in the New Yorker, that the government of Colonel Ely Vall had allowed the creation of secre [...] |
2007-06-21 17:36:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET//NOFORN | MR PGOV PHUM PREL PTER |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT584 |
CHARGE MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER ZEINE OULD [...] (C) Summary: In a tour d'horizon meeting June 21, Prime Minister Zeine Ould Zeidane assured Charge that Mauritania would continue to work closely with the United States on counter-terrorism despite the recent release of suspects thought to pose a threat to United States interests. He indicated [...] |
2007-06-26 14:56:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ETRD MR PGOV PHUM PREL PTER |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT683 |
EMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT CONCURRENCE ON FY08 REQUEST FOR [...] (C/rel NACT) The US European Command J2, in conjunction with the Defense Attache Office at U.S. Embassy Nouakchott, has developed a request for funding under section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act entitled &Improve Partner Nation Intelligence.8 The Chief of Mission strongly s [...] |
2007-08-01 11:09:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS PINR MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT700 |
COURT SENTENCES FIVE FOR TERROR RELATED CRIMES [...] (U) The trial of the remaining 14 detainees accused of belonging to "Al Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb," formerly the Groupe Salafist pour la Predication et le Combat(GSPC) (reftel), concluded on July 31 with five convictions and nine acquittals. 2. (U) The Criminal Court condemn [...] |
2007-08-02 17:08:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CASC MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT701 |
DETAINEE TRANSFER FRAMEWORK WITH MAURITANIA [...] (C) The Mauritanian government has agreed via dipnote to the transfer of GTMO detainee Mohammad Lameen Sidi Mohammad (partial ISN 706) to Mauritania. The dipnote (informal translation para. 6) agrees to accept Detainee 706 "under its jurisdiction" without acknowledging that Detainee 706 is in [...] |
2007-08-02 18:03:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PINR PREL MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT710 |
EXPANSION OF OEF-TS ACTIVITIES IN MAURITANIA [...] (C) With the successful deployment August 1 of the first JCET in Mauritania since 2005, we have re-established our military-to-military re-engagement, suspended following the August 2005 coup d'etat. The new government welcomes this engagement and encourages our continued military training and [...] |
2007-08-07 18:05:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS PREL AMGT MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT711 |
U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE FOR REFUGEE REPATRIATION [...] As seen reftel, Mauritanian government has begun to act on President Abdallahi's courageous decision to put an end to the issue of Mauritanian refugees. The refugee issue has had lasting effects on the human rights of refugees and other victims of the 1989 Events, has impeded national reconci [...] |
2007-08-07 19:25:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PHUM EAID PGOV PREL MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT712 |
ABDALLAHI PROMISES CONTINUED CT AND CN COOPERATION [...] Summary: President Abdallahi stressed his government's determination to continue close cooperation with the United States on Counter Terrorism and Counter Narcotics. He expressed his disappointment in the outcome of the recent terrorist trials, and explained his government's decision to reco [...] |
2007-08-08 07:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MASS ECON PHUM MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT78 |
MEETING WITH KEY MILITARY OFFICIAL ABDEL AZIZ [...] (C) Summary. The Presidential election will be held as scheduled, without interference and in a transparent manner, according to one of the country's key military officers. Colonel Abdel Aziz said that the ruling Military Council will maintain its neutrality, while an individual, such as he, m [...] |
2007-01-29 10:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM MASS PGOV MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT88 |
MAURITANIAN DETAINEES AT GUANTANAMO [...] The issue of the Mauritanians currently detained at Guantanamo receives a relatively low key, but fairly steady, drumbeat of attention in this country. The three, all claimed to be of Mauritanian nationality, are listed in the press as Mohamedou Ould Salahi, described as having been turned ov [...] |
2007-01-29 13:48:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | KAWC KISL KJUS PREL MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT912 |
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN MAURITANIA'S [...] (U) Summary: Mission personnel have made several trips in September and October to Mauritania's second city of Nouadhibou. The city offers unique opportunities and challenges for U.S. engagement as both the center of economic activity in Mauritania and as the cross-roads for drugs and alien [...] |
2007-10-31 18:06:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ECON PREF SNAR MR |
| 07NOUAKCHOTT98 |
MEETING WITH ISLAMIST LEADERS [...] (C) Charge and DCM called on newly elected National Assembly member Jemil Mansour, coordinator of the RC (Reformistes Centristes) group and head of the political wing of the Islamist movement in Mauritania, January 30, as part of our occasional contact with that group. Our last meeting was re [...] |
2007-01-30 18:57:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PINR MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT113 |
MAURITANIAN AUTHORITIES IDENTIFY A SUSPECT IN [...] (SBU) On February 25 the Public Prosecutor officially accused one Al Khadim Ould Semane of participating in the February 1 attack on the Israeli embassy. Semane is a known activist for Al Qaeda who escaped from Nouakchott central prison in 2005 and fled the country immediately afterward. The [...] |
2008-02-26 16:26:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET | PTER PREL ASEC CASC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT135 |
MAURITANIAN MEDIA REACTION (MARCH 1-10), GAZA CRISIS: RICE [...] SUMMARY: Throughout the past two weeks the Mauritanian media has been closely following events in Gaza and Israel. Almost all coverage has followed mid east wires and other sources from the region with a generally condemnatory tone towards Israel. Comment has been limited. However, a number [...] |
2008-03-11 17:55:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KMDR KWBG KPAO IS |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT232 |
KOSOVO RECOGNITION LOBBYING: TARGET COUNTRIES IN [...] No summary [...] |
2008-05-12 07:51:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL UNMIK PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT252 |
MAURITANIAN GOVERNMENT CABINET RESHUFFLE -- RETURN [...] (C) One year into his administration, President Abdallahi is changing his team. The change was long anticipated -- a change from a government that reflected the necessary political compromises of the immediate post-election to a government that takes greater account of political, ethnic and [...] |
2008-05-28 13:57:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR KMCA MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT256 |
MAURITANIA: GENERAL AZIZ GOES TO WASHINGTON [...] (C) Summary: The visit of Personal Military Chief of Staff to the Presidency General Mohamed Abdel Aziz provides the opportunity for Washington policymakers key to sustaining Mauritania's democratic transition and helping face the challenge of terrorism. 2. (S - N/F) The Trip: GRPO will be [...] |
2008-05-29 13:01:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PINR PGOV PTER MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT294 |
MAURITANIA: GLOBAL MARITIME PARTNERSHIPS DEMARCHE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-06-12 12:07:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | EWWT EAID ECIN ECON EFIS MARR MASS MCAP MOPS |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT323 |
POLITICAL STORM SEASON IN MAURITANIA [...] (C) Over the past several weeks, Mauritanian media has been rife with political intrigue. President Abdallahi is said to have had a falling out with his security head General Aziz leading to rumors of impending coups. The opposition is trying to pull together the one-third majority of the Na [...] |
2008-06-25 18:38:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KMCA MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT332 |
MAURITANIAN DEPUTIES VOTE TO INTRODUCE MOTION OF [...] (U) On 30 June 2008, 39 deputies in the Mauritanian Parliament signed a bill to introduce a motion of censure against the government of Prime Minister Waghef. 29 signatories to the bill were from the majority National Pact for Democracy and Development (PNDD-ADIL) party. According to artic [...] |
2008-06-30 17:45:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL KMCA MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT365 |
EMERGING MAURITANIAN "SOFT" COUNTERTERRORISM [...] (SBU) Both the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (GIRM) and the U.S. have chosen similar paths to fight the root causes of terrorism in Mauritania. In April 2008, the GIRM developed an draft Action Plan addressing &Social and Economic Aspects of the National Strategy Against T [...] |
2008-07-13 14:42:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PTER EAID MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT400 |
DISCONTENT IN THE RANKS: PARLIAMENTARIANS [...] (SBU) Tension continues to mount between President Abdallahi and the Parliament following the installation of a new Government on 15 July 2008. The new Government was the President's attempt to placate Parliamentarians from his PNDD-ADIL party who introduced a motion of censure against Prime [...] |
2008-07-31 14:35:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR KMCA MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT403 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL [...] No summary [...] |
2008-08-03 16:18:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP EFIN PARM IR MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT405 |
ISLAMIC TRADE FINANCE CORPORATION GIVES $40 [...] Summary. The Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) signed a $40 million agreement with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (GIRM) to improve food security, agricultural productivity, and land management. Of the $40 million package, $14 million will be for increasing food [...] |
2008-08-03 16:18:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR EAID ECIN PREL |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT408 |
EAC MEETS IN RESPONSE TO REPORTED COUP [...] (SBU) The EAC met at 1015hrs to discuss reports of a coup and Mission security posture. Reports indicate that at approximately 0900hrs today, the President and Prime Minister were removed from their physical offices at the direction of General Mohamed Abdel Aziz. General Aziz has been Persona [...] |
2008-08-06 13:21:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ASEC CASC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT413 |
SIT REP 3: COUP IN MAURITANIA [...] (C) UNDP Res Rep Maria Ribeiro invited COMs from the US, French, Spanish and German embassies as well as the EU Commission to discuss today's developments. Ambassador Boulware discussed his conversation earlier in the day with General Aziz. Counterparts reported similar discussions with vari [...] |
2008-08-06 20:10:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC CASC PGOV PREL PINR MOPS MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT414 |
SIT REP 4: COUP IN MAURITANIA [...] (C) Nouakchott was calm overnight and activity was reduced in town but relatively normal. Post has received reports are that General Aziz moved from BASEP headquarters to the Presidency yesterday evening. He has not been seen in public since the coup took place. The perimeter established by [...] |
2008-08-07 14:19:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET | ASEC CASC PGOV PREL PINR MOPS MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT421 |
SITREP 6: COUP IN MAURITANIA [...] (C) Ambassador received a message from Presidential protocol the afternoon of August 9, inviting him to meet with individually with General Aziz. Once US and EU Ambassadors determined that General Aziz preferred meeting with us individually rather than to receive the joint demarche, the ambas [...] |
2008-08-11 09:47:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL ASEC CASC EAID MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT431 |
SITREP 7: COUP IN MAURITANIA [...] (SBU) The National Front for the Defense of Democracy (FNDD), a coalition of six political parties opposed to the military coup, held a two-hour rally at the old stadium in Nouakchott. FSNs report a peaceful gathering of 3000-3500 attendees, with police present only to direct traffic. FNDD bus [...] |
2008-08-12 20:46:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ASEC CASC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT439 |
SITREP 10 - VISIT OF U.S. ENVOYS TO MAURITANIA [...] (C) General Aziz, accompanied by his Director of Cabinet, Cheyakh Ould Ely, and Presidential Diplomatic and Security Advisor, Ould Michel, received visiting AF DAS Todd Moss and DoD Principal Director for African Affairs, Michael Dumont as well as Ambassador and DATT. DAS Moss underscored that [...] |
2008-08-17 16:41:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT449 |
MFA SAYS RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL WILL REMAIN [...] No summary [...] |
2008-08-21 15:10:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PGOV MR IS |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT478 |
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH JUNTA'S "FOREIGN [...] (C) Ambassador met on September 2 with the junta's "Foreign Minister," Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou at the latter's request. Noting the historically good relations between the United States and Mauritania, Ould Mohamedou hoped that these could continue even under the current "difficult circu [...] |
2008-09-04 12:45:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CPAS MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT480 |
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FORMER PRESIDENT ELY [...] (C) Ambassador met with former President Ely Ould Mohamed Vall at the latter's residence on September 7. Vall, recently returned from Ireland where he has been studying English, indicated that he would be remaining in Nouakchott at least through Ramadan. Vall wanted to discuss the current p [...] |
2008-09-07 16:10:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT488 |
INSPECTOR GENERAL SEES MILITARY CORRUPTION AS [...] (C) DCM met September 8 with Mauritanian National Inspector General Mohamed Abba Ould Sidi Ould Jeilany at the IG's request. A clearly disgusted Jeilany (strictly protect) told DCM that he was convinced the generals had gone after President Abdallahi because they were afraid they would be pro [...] |
2008-09-09 16:04:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT503 |
PARLIAMENT ENDORSES CALL FOR NEW ELECTIONS [...] (U) Parliamentary Resolution: On September 14 the Emergency Session of the National Assembly, with 56 of its 95 members present, adopted a resolution supporting the report of a Special Commission established to review the causes of the political crisis and laying out recommendations for an e [...] |
2008-09-15 16:11:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT505 |
AEP 15 MEETING WITH AU PEACE AND SECURITY [...] (C) AU Peace and Security Commissioner Lamamra asked UN Resident Coordinator Maria Ribeiro to invite repesentatives of the international community to meet with him on September 15 prior to his meeting with various Mauritanian figures. Commissioner Lamamra noted that he had asked to meet to d [...] |
2008-09-15 17:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT514 |
FRENCH AND ALGERIAN TAKES ON AU COMMISSIONER [...] (C) The African Union's Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra made his third visit to Nouakchott September 14 and 15. Following his meeting with representatives of the international community (Ref A), Lamamra met with General Aziz. Ambassador met on September 16 with French Ambass [...] |
2008-09-17 13:09:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT515 |
MAURITANIAN COUP: IFI'S FIRM, SPANISH IFFY [...] (C) During a regular meeting on September 16 of the ad hoc local coordinating group composed of representatives of the EU, UN, US, World Bank and IMF, attendees had a readout on the just concluded visit of AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra (Ref). UN Resident Coordinator Mar [...] |
2008-09-17 14:21:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT558 |
EAC MEETS TO DISCUSS PLANNED OCTOBER 5 PROTESTS [...] (U) On October 5, 2008, the Charge convened an Emergency Action Committee (EAC) meeting to discuss protests in Nouakchott planned for the afternoon (4:00 pm) of the 5th by the anti-coup National Front for the Preservation of Democracy (FNDD). 2. (C) Charge Meetings with Opposition: Charge [...] |
2008-10-05 13:42:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ASEC CASC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT578 |
A BIT OF JUNTA BLOVIATING ON HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (C) What was supposed to be a simple technical-level working October 6 meeting for 2008 Human Rights Report preparation between the AID Rep and a mid-level government civil servant, turned into an unanticipated meeting with the minister-level Commissioner of Human Rights, Humanitarian Action [...] |
2008-10-08 14:00:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PINR MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT582 |
MORE POLITICAL MOMENTUM [...] (C) Summary: The French share Mission view that slow movement towards a political resolution is underway. General Aziz, while ever stubborn on key points, has shown most flexibility to date in meeting with the French Ambassador. The EU Article 96 process is key leverage while the Mauritania [...] |
2008-10-09 19:41:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT590 |
OTHER MAURITANIAN VOICES [...] (C) Charge met October 14 with President of the Senate Ba Mamadou who would constitutionally be designated interim president under the proposal put forward by President of the National Assembly Messaoud Ould Boulkheir whereby President Abdallahi would return to office only to resign. Ba said [...] |
2008-10-14 18:54:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT598 |
PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FORMALLY [...] (SBU) Action Request: See paragraph 7. 2. (SBU) The President of the National Assembly, Messaoud Ould Boulkheir, has sent all diplomatic and international organization missions a diplomatic note outlining an exit strategy he hopes "can serve as a basis for responsible discussion acceptabl [...] |
2008-10-19 12:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT603 |
AZIZ LETS NGO CONTACT GROUP MEETS WITH PRESIDENT [...] (C) Summary: The NGO "Contact Group" met with General Aziz on October 19 and received permission to meet with President Abdallahi that same evening. The Contact Group, seeking to facilitate a political resolution to the crisis, saw Aziz as anxious to find an exit. They found President Abda [...] |
2008-10-20 17:42:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT616 |
REMINISCING WITH ABDALLAHI'S MINISTERS [...] (C) Summary: Charge met with two Abdallahi Ministers, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock through all three Addallahi governments Correa Issagha and Minister of Economy and Finance during the first two governments Abderrahmane Ould Hama Vezzaz, for their political assessment. Both were co [...] |
2008-10-22 18:55:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT620 |
REMINISCING WITH ABDALLAHI'S MINISTERS [...] (C) Summary: Charge met with two Abdallahi Ministers, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock through all three Addallahi governments Correa Issagha and Minister of Economy and Finance during the first two governments Abderrahmane Ould Hama Vezzaz, for their political assessment. Both were co [...] |
2008-10-22 18:55:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT624 |
FOLLOW-UP MEDIA REVIEW: 3 MONTHS POST-COUP [...] (C) SUMMARY: Three months into what initially appeared a quickly consummated coup, Mauritanian media leaders see the country either no closer to finding a solution to the August 6th coup d'etat or on the brink of another one, depending upon who you talk to. The PAO sat down with media who in [...] |
2008-10-23 13:36:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT627 |
DIPLOMATIC DISCORD ON NEXT STEPS [...] (C) Summary: The first "UNDP Group" meeting following the failure of the October 20 Paris talks highlighted substantial difference between Western missions on the way forward -- centered primarily on the definition of what a "return to constitutional order" means in practical terms. European [...] |
2008-10-26 19:30:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EU MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT628 |
UPDATE WITH FNDD FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) Aziz Tells Lies: Charge met October 26 with FNDD co-leader and effective Abdallahi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ould Maouloud to follow-up on press reports that General Aziz had been on the verge of releasing President Abdallahi as a gesture to the European Union when he had learned the FNDD [...] |
2008-10-26 19:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT629 |
THE MAYOR OF TIDJIKJA [...] (C) Summary: The anti-coup mayor of Tidjikja, the isolated capital of Tagant Province, says his city council increasingly against the coup despite a "culture of submission." He notes continued pressure on him as an anti-coup mayor. He doubts the seriousness of the recent arrest of "AQIM el [...] |
2008-10-27 17:50:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT633 |
MAURITANIAN - ISRAELI RELATIONSHIP SAFE -- FOR NOW [...] (SBU) Articles in the Mauritanian Arab press on October 28 suggested that General Aziz was on the verge of severing relations with Israel in response to "the will of the people." Rumors within the diplomatic community suggested that the Israeli Ambassador had been convoked by Aziz to get the [...] |
2008-10-30 12:20:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IS MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT634 |
MEDIA REACTION: MAURITANIAN JUNTA VISIT TO TANZANIA [...] (SBU) Summary: On Sunday October 26th, 2008 the President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, acting in his capacity as Chairman of the African Union, received a delegation from Mauritania's military junta. The Mauritania delegation was led by Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamendou, who serves as the junt [...] |
2008-10-30 15:22:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT636 |
MEETING WITH AHMED OULD DADDAH'S VICE-PRESIDENT [...] (C) Summary. On October 29, AID Rep met with opposition parliamentarian and RFD Vice-President Dr. Hamidou Kane to discuss Mauritania's current political situation. The meeting was at Kane's request. Immediately after the August 6 coup, Kane expressed his ardent support for the junta's "rec [...] |
2008-10-31 12:25:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT637 |
QATARI MEDIATION EFFORTS IN MAURITANIA [...] (C) The Qatari royal family, specifically Princess Chiekha Maouze, is beginning to increase its diplomatic profile in Mauritania with the possibility of the first serious mediation talks being held in Doha by mid-month. The Qatari Embassy, and by implication, Foreign Ministry are not central [...] |
2008-11-02 17:28:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV QA MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT639 |
EXPANDING MINING OPERATIONS THREATENED BY THE COUP [...] (C) Summary: EconOff recently visited SNIM's iron ore mining operations in northern Mauritania. After many years of low prices for iron ore, higher prices in recent years have led SNIM to develop new projects to increase production. SNIM has two projects that it is developing on its own as w [...] |
2008-11-03 10:27:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET | ECON EFIN PGOV PTER EMIN MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT640 |
"WE NEVER TALK ANYMORE" MAURITANIA JUNTA WANTS TO [...] (C) The USUN Demarche: The recent Mauritanian demarche on US PermRep Ambassador Khalilzad reflects the junta's frustration that the U.S., while maintaining an active dialogue on security matters, has not engaged in direct political talks with the regime as have some of our European partners. [...] |
2008-11-04 16:37:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT654 |
MEETING WITH FORMER ECON MINISTER VEZZAZ -- [...] (C) MCC Scorecard A Validation Of Abdallahi Policies: Charge met November 5 with former Minister of Economy and Finance (and current FNDD economic director) Abderrahmane Ould Hama Vezzaz who had been the Mission's principal ministerial counterpart in the development of Mauritania's MCC Thres [...] |
2008-11-06 13:34:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON KMCA MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT659 |
MEETING WITH THE REGIME'S "FOREIGN MINISTER" [...] (C) Summary: Regime "Foreign Minister" Ould Mohamedou claims the High State Council wants to find a solution that will restore constitutionality and maintain stability. The Regime will "put something concrete on the table" at the November 10 African Union meeting in Addis Ababa. The regime [...] |
2008-11-09 18:59:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT666 |
THE POST-COUP AL QAEDA THREAT IN MAURITANIA [...] (C) SUMMARY: The military regime has highlighted an increased terrorist threat as one argument the international community should accept their coup -- raising some questions whether the terrorist threat has substantially changed or whether it is being played up by the regime for political pu [...] |
2008-11-13 14:47:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET//NOFORN | PGOV PTER MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT668 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI TRANSFERRED TO NATIVE VILLAGE [...] (C) Local media outlets have reported that President Abdallahi was transferred from Nouakchott during the night of November 12-13 to his native village of Lemden and placed under house arrest. LES contacts have independently confirmed the reports through indirect communication with Abdallahi's [...] |
2008-11-13 14:47:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT671 |
REGIME STILL HAWKING SAME PLAN POST-ADDIS ABABA [...] (SBU) Charge was convoked November 12 by regime "Foreign Minister" Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou who, along with Secretary General of the Government Ba Ousmane and several ministry division heads, presented a brief on the regime's plan to convene a national dialogue on democracy. The plan t [...] |
2008-11-13 14:48:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT673 |
ANTI-COUP PARLIAMENTARY STRATEGY [...] (C) Summary: The President's of the two houses of parliament are taking different tactics in defying the regime based on the political balance of power in their chambers. Both are under pressure from the regime and both greatly appreciate U.S. solidarity against the coup. End Summary Senat [...] |
2008-11-13 15:56:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT676 |
ISRAELIS TAKING SOFTER LINE ON MAURITANIAN COUP [...] (C) Israeli Ambassador Michael Arbel briefed Charge November 16 on a senior-level Israeli delegation that had met with the regime the week earlier. Arbel said the Israeli delegation included a senior diplomat for the peace process, the MFA Maghreb Director, and the Israeli head of Diplomatic [...] |
2008-11-16 19:09:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IS MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT677 |
FNDD STRATEGY FOLLOWING PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI'S [...] (C) Summary: The FNDD sees President Abdallahi's transfer as "20% good news." The President's increased access to political leaders and the media are a plus, but his physical and communications isolation and an apparent regime effort to combat the FNDD directly off-set the benefits. The Pr [...] |
2008-11-16 19:29:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT681 |
A DAY WITH PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-17 21:45:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT682 |
THE DEEP SOUTH POST-COUP: THE MORE THINGS CHANGE... [...] (C) Summary: Since the August 6 military-led overthrow of President Abdallahi, political and economic conditions in the south of Mauritania have remained largely unchanged, according to numerous community leaders. Politically, most community leaders showed tacit approval for the coup, with o [...] |
2008-11-18 19:01:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM EAGR ECON ELTN MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT683 |
A BARREN HOMECOMING: THE REFUGEE SITUATION IN THE [...] (C) Summary: Living conditions of the approximately 5,000 Mauritanians who returned to their homeland in 2008 after ethnic-based fighting in the country,s 1989-1992 "Passif Humanitaire" remains sub-standard with little hope for improvement. Despite claims of the opposite by junta leaders -- [...] |
2008-11-18 19:04:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF EAID ECON MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT684 |
ETHNIC RELATIONS IN THE SOUTH: A DEPUTY MAYOR [...] (C) Summary: On the surface, ethnic issues in Southern Mauritania appear to be better than ever -- both happy and peaceful. However, one deputy mayor was willing to describe the lack of national unity and the lack of a true feeling of citizenship, especially among youth. This situation, accor [...] |
2008-11-19 15:06:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT686 |
MAKING IT PERSONAL [...] (U) Anticipating the Millennium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) November 1Oth 2008 release of country indicators, Nouakchott issued a release noting that Mauritanian advances outlined in the report had been made during the democratic Abdallahi administration. Mission wished to forestall attempts [...] |
2008-11-20 08:00:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO KMCA MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT688 |
NEIGHBORING VIEWS [...] (C) Summary: Following the November 10 Addis Ababa Communique and the transfer of President Abdallahi to Lemden, Charge checked with embassies of Mauritanias neighbors Algeria, Mali, Morocco and Senegal to discuss their views on the situation. As could be predicted, Algeria and Mali line up [...] |
2008-11-20 14:22:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AG ML MO SG MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT693 |
MAURITANIA AIRWAYS: IF IT CAN SUCCEED IN [...] (C) Summary: Mauritania Airways recently celebrated its first anniversary, marking the end of a difficult year for the company. Its first year of operations has been extremely difficult and the company is struggling to stay afloat. It continues to be hampered by the reputation of the now defu [...] |
2008-11-24 09:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAIR EINV ELTN PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT696 |
PRESIDENT BQALAHI ADDRESSES THE NATION FOO [...] (SBU) On November 21, President Abdallahi delivered his first address to the nation since the August 6 coup. Because the official state-run news outlets are tightly controlled by the military junta, the address was broadcast on the pan-Arab Al Arabiyasatellite channel which reaches most of M [...] |
2008-11-24 13:26:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KPAO MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT699 |
GENERAL AZIZ SETS HIS SIGHTS ON FORMER PRESIDENT [...] (SBU) General Aziz, President of the High State Council (military junta), visited Rosso November 23. As expected, the trip was carefully staged theater full of praise for Aziz and his "rectification," while state-run TV Mauritania showed endless clips of enthusiastic crowds greeting him. Bey [...] |
2008-11-26 10:53:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT702 |
EUROPEANS HOPE AU TRIP WILL PRESSURE ABDALLAHI TO [...] (C) Summary: Strong divisions remain between U.S. and European views of the way forward following the November 21 Addis Ababa meeting. The Europeans believe the high level AU/UN/EU/Arab League/OIC/Francophonie visit of December 5-7 needs to seek negotiation and encourage realism by President [...] |
2008-11-26 19:10:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT706 |
ABDALLAHI UNIMPRESSED WITH FRENCH SPECIAL ENVOY [...] (C) Summary: President Abdallahi's advisors claim the special French delegation headed by Elysee Africa Director Romain Serman offered no concrete proposals but suggested the need for a concession by President Abdallahi. Abdallahi held firm to his position of no negations while the military [...] |
2008-11-30 17:19:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT707 |
GENERAL AZIZ ADDRESSES THE NATION, PRESIDENT [...] (C) Summary: General Aziz made a televised speech to the nation on Mauritanian National Day (November 28), but he offered no new proposals or changes in the High State Council's policy. Meanwhile, President Abdallahi was reportedly forbidden from meeting with journalists in his native villag [...] |
2008-11-30 17:21:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAO PTER MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT710 |
NATIONAL DAY MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT BUSH GARNERS [...] (U) Charge hand-delivered message from President Bush to President Abdallahi (Reftel) on November 30 to FNDD co-leader in charge of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ould Maouloud. Local media picked up the story December 1, resulting in several calls to the PAO section asking for confirmation that the [...] |
2008-12-03 14:43:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KPAO KDEM MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT711 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI'S UNDELIVERED MAURITANIAN NATIONAL DAY [...] (U) President Abdallahi was supposed to deliver an address to the nation on Mauritanian National Day (November 28). However, he was prevented from doing so by security forces that arrived and banned journalists from entering his village (Ref A). A text of the speech was released by the FNDD [...] |
2008-12-04 09:08:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KPAO KDEM MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT715 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI'S UNDELIVERED MAURITANIAN NATIONAL DAY [...] (U) President Abdallahi was supposed to deliver an address to the nation on Mauritanian National Day (November 28). However, he was prevented from doing so by security forces that arrived and banned journalists from entering his village (Ref A). A text of the speech was released by the FNDD [...] |
2008-12-04 12:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KPAO KDEM MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT716 |
SPEAKER VISIT FURTHERS QUIET DIPLOMACY [...] IIP Speaker Mohammed Bashar Arafat visited Nouakchott from November 23 until November 26 2008. During this time, he gave presentations on Islam In America to two universities in Nouakchott, the University of Nouakchott (11/24) and the Islamic Institute, ISERI (11/25) reaching over 600 students [...] |
2008-12-04 12:16:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL KMDR PREL MR PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO NG |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT717 |
MEETING WITH COL. VALL - "BETTER OFF WITH [...] (C) Summary -- While still looking for a quick transition to new elections, Vall is taking a tougher line on Aziz seeing the current efforts to attack political enemies leading inevitably to a counter-coup with all its inherent risks for civil war. Vall believes serious targeted sanctions mi [...] |
2008-12-04 13:24:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT718 |
MEDIA FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION TAKES A STEP BACKWARD [...] (SBU) Summary: After a "honeymoon" period of press freedom during the democratic transition of 2005-2007 and President Abdallahi's time in office, a marked decline has occurred since the August 6 coup led by General Aziz. State-run media is as tightly controlled as ever, and online web sites [...] |
2008-12-04 14:22:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KPAO KDEM PROP MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT721 |
AU-LED INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS DELEGATION SETS [...] (C) Summary: The mid-level AU and other organizations delegation visiting Mauritania has set the bar low for the regime -- asking for full liberation of President Abdallahi, Abdallahi's participation in the discussions for an exit to the crisis, and early Presidential elections to re-establis [...] |
2008-12-07 15:58:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT722 |
THE FNDD'S TAWASSOUL PARTY: STILL CONFIDENT OF [...] (C) Summary: Members of the moderate Islamist party Tawassoul expressed strong anti-coup sentiments and faith that their efforts to fight the military regime would eventually lead to its downfall. They rejected accusations by the High State Council (military junta) that they are "extremists [...] |
2008-12-07 17:18:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT723 |
MEETING WITH PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI -- A VERY LONG [...] (C) Summary: President Abdallahi has restated his absolute rejection of negotiations with the Mauritanian military but expressed a realistic view of American capacity to bring others around to the U.S. policy approach -- a "standard" for others to compare themselves to. Abdallahi also recog [...] |
2008-12-10 19:16:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT730 |
ABDALLAHI'S CHIEF OF STAFF DOUBTS RELEASE [...] (C) Charge met December 13 with President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff Mohamed Kaber Ould Hammoudi at Ould Hammoudi's request. Ould Hammoudi said the President had asked him to pass on his disappointment with the AU-led Brussels meeting on the 12th even though he was not surprised by the result [...] |
2008-12-14 11:24:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT732 |
JUNTA FINALLY ANNOUNCES START DATE FOR "NATIONAL [...] (U) The junta-designated "Prime Minister" Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf delivered a long-winded speech December 13 in which he outlined a long list of supposed accomplishments by the High State Council. He stressed the improvements in the daily lives of citizens and actions undertaken "with th [...] |
2008-12-15 12:45:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT733 |
MAURITANIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM [...] (U) Post's submission for the "2008 Country Reports on Terrorism" (Refs A and B) follows in paragraph 2. Post's primary point of contact is PolAsst Christopher Coffey (coffeycm@state.gov). Post's secondary point of contact is Charge Dennis Hankins (hankinsdb@state.gov). 2. (U) AQIM cont [...] |
2008-12-16 17:38:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER ASEC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT737 |
JAPANESE REPRESENTATION IN MAURITANIA [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-17 15:14:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV JA MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT739 |
RISK OF ETHNIC-BASED ARMED RESISTANCE? [...] (C) Charge met December 15 with the pro-Abdallahi senator of Mbout in Gorgol Province, Youssouf Tijani Sylla, who renewed his October warning (REFTEL) that Afro-Mauritanians were prepared to take up arms against the coup. Sylla, who is half White Moor and half Sonnike who presents himself as [...] |
2008-12-17 15:14:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | SECRET | PREL PGOV ASEC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT740 |
AHMED OULD DADDAH SEES POLITICAL LETHARGY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Leader of the Opposition Ahmed Ould Daddah continues to try to stake out a middle option between the military and President Abdallahi. Ould Daddah sees little chance of political movement in the near future but sees the economic cards stacked against General Aziz. While disag [...] |
2008-12-17 15:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT741 |
AHMED OULD DADDAH SEES POLITICAL LETHARGY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Leader of the Opposition Ahmed Ould Daddah continues to try to stake out a middle option between the military and President Abdallahi. Ould Daddah sees little chance of political movement in the near future but sees the economic cards stacked against General Aziz. While disag [...] |
2008-12-17 15:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT744 |
"COUP D'ETAT" IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AVERTED -- [...] (C) Summary: Pro-coup parliamentarians submitted a motion December 4 to amend the internal procedures of the National Assembly. The motion was a clear attempt to force the dismissal of National Assembly President (and fierce coup opponent) Messaoud Ould Boulkheir and four other FNDD anti-co [...] |
2008-12-17 16:54:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT745 |
FRENCH AMBASSADOR ON CURRENT STATE OF PLAY [...] (C) Summary: The French Ambassador sees no movement towards a resolution with General Aziz proceeding with a transparently manipulated "democratic transition" and President Abdallahi offering no political alternative. With no prospects for an early resolution, the French are re-engaging on [...] |
2008-12-18 13:24:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV FR MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT746 |
CONGRATULATORY LETTER ON BEHALF OF PRIME MINISTER [...] (SBU) Mission received December 18 a letter signed by President Abdallahi's Minister of Education on behalf of Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed El Waghef who is being held in prison by the post-August 6 coup authorities. An informal translation of the letter (being forwarded in the original F [...] |
2008-12-18 13:44:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OPDC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT757 |
FNDD: EMPTY PROMISES FROM AZIZ AND CONCERN FOR [...] (C) Summary: Anti-coup FNDD coalition leaders see General Aziz's supposed promise to release President Abdallahi "without conditions" as empty, and the upcoming "National Dialogue on Democracy" equally devoid of substance. They are also concerned for Abdallahi's personal safety, and see int [...] |
2008-12-21 11:42:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT758 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI RELEASED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE [...] (C) According to President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff Mohamed Kaber Ould Hammoudi, eight military vehicles arrived at President Abdallahi's house in Lemden at 01:00 local on December 21 with troops demanding that President Abdallahi be woken immediately. While still in his bedclothes, the P [...] |
2008-12-21 11:43:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AU |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT759 |
SPIES LIKE US: THE MEDIA'S TENDENCY TO SEE U.S. [...] (C) Summary: A December 14th allegation of spying on the part of the US Embassy brought to light an increasing tendency in the local media towards personal attacks, sensationalism and an erosian in journalistic integrity. Since the August 6th coup it has become commonplace to use bold titles [...] |
2008-12-21 16:17:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KPAO PROP MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT760 |
CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL STICKS TO ITS LIMITED GUNS [...] (C) Summary: The High Constitutional Council exercised its limited oversight role in rejecting some of the National Assembly changes designed to kick out Assembly President Messaoud Ould Boulkheir. The Council exercises "pragmatic legalism" under the "exceptional" constitutional circumstanc [...] |
2008-12-22 07:56:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT762 |
UPDATE FROM LEMDEN -- PRESIDENT'S PASSPORT TO BE [...] (C) President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff Mohamed Kaber Ould Hammoudi called Charge December 22 to advise that a delegation from the Mauritanian passport office and internal intelligence service has arrived in Lemden yesterday afternoon demanding the diplomatic passports of the President and [...] |
2008-12-22 18:04:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT765 |
REASON FOR SENEGALESE VISIT STILL UNCLEAR [...] (C) Charge met December 22 with Senegalese Ambassador Mahmoudou Cheikh Kane to follow up on the December 15-16 visit to Mauritania of Senegalese Foreign Minister Gadio (REFTEL). Kane said President Wade had sent his Foreign Minister to assess the political situation on the eve of President A [...] |
2008-12-22 18:12:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SG MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT770 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI RECONFIRMS HIS AMBASSADOR TO [...] (SBU) Charge received December 28 a letter from Mauritanian President Abdallahi to President Bush reconfirming Ambassador Dia Ibrahima as his representative in the U.S. Informal translation of the letter follows (copy of French original will be forwarded to AF/W). 2. (SBU) Begin Text: [...] |
2008-12-28 12:06:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OPDC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT775 |
REGIME'S "NATIONAL DIALOGUE" BEGINS [...] (C) Summary: The long-awaited National Dialogue on Democracy (Etats Generaux de la Democratie) started December 27 to a full house. President Abdallahi's FNDD party has boycotted the meeting as have several key elements of civil society. Official opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah's RFD pa [...] |
2008-12-30 18:35:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT776 |
SITUATION IN GAZA - A/DCM DELIVERS ARAB LEAGUE [...] (C) A/DCM Cornelius Walsh, met with Americas and Asia Director Ambassador Ahmed Deya Ould Mohammed Vall to review contents of reftel and outline American position regarding December 31 Arab League Ministerial. This is one of the very few demarches the Mission has delivered since the coup as w [...] |
2008-12-31 12:33:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KPAL MOPS PHUM MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT777 |
AZIZ CONSOLIDATING SUPPORT IN SECURITY SERVICES -- [...] (C) In the past ten days we have seen signs of continued efforts by General Aziz to reposition his supporters in lower levels of the administration. Four governors were reassigned a week ago. Over the weekend senior police officials were reassigned and it is understood changes in the militar [...] |
2008-12-31 14:25:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC MR |
| 08NOUAKCHOTT779 |
A PENSIVE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY [...] (C) Summary: The President of the National Assembly Messaoud Ould Boulkheir is pleased with the results of his extensive round of African contacts leading to a tough policy line by the Peace and Security Council. He praises the U.S. position while he worries about the Europeans. Ould Boulk [...] |
2008-12-31 17:10:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT1 |
WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS, JUNTA STYLE [...] (C) Summary. Since the August 6 military coup, little has filled the state-run media besides promises that the self-proclaimed Chief of State Ould Abdel Aziz will make life better for all Mauritanians and public declarations of support for the junta. In an effort to sway public support, Mau [...] |
2009-01-02 11:24:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON MR PREF |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT101 |
BEATING FEET: THE FREEZE DEEPENS [...] (U) Charge spoke with Israeli Ambassador Arbel over week-end and on February 1st and 2nd. 2. (C) Ambassador states that Israeli MFA contacted Mauritanian Embassy in Tel Aviv on February 1st. Embassy staffer, non-Mauritanian, discussed situation in English without realizing contact was wit [...] |
2009-02-02 14:23:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT102 |
"TIME TO TALK TO AL QAEDA?" ARTICLE [...] (U) Summary: Local English language monthly, Peace, ran an item on January 18 entitled "Time to Talk to Al Qaeda?" by Junta Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou. The article posits that Al Qaeda grievances are legitimate and invites the US to acknowledge them: "Septemb [...] |
2009-02-03 16:31:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO MR PGOV PREL |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT103 |
MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT OBAMAQS INTERVIEW WITH AL ARABIYA [...] (U) The Obama Al Arabiya interview of January 26th garnered limited press coverage in Mauritania. One major daily, Nouakchott Info, ran a repeat of the interviewQs transcript while local websites and other papers, Arab and French, to our knowledge, did not carry or gave extremely limited co [...] |
2009-02-03 19:34:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | OPRC KAPO KMDR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT105 |
MORE AMBIGUITY ON MAURATANIAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS [...] No summary [...] |
2009-02-04 14:20:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAO MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT108 |
TARGETED SANCTIONS: THE MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON [...] (C) National Front for the Defense of Democracy director, Mohammed Ould Maouloud, tells us the very thought of targeted sanctions is taking a toll on the Junta. Anxiety is growing among businessmen and Junta financiers. As the February 5 AU/PSC and the February 20 EU/AU consultative meetings [...] |
2009-02-05 11:56:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PREL MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT11 |
REFINING THE FNDD POLITICAL STRATEGY [...] (C) Summary: The FNDD will hold back until February or March to launch a political counter-offensive believing General Aziz will see himself further isolated both internationally and domestically. The "National Dialogue on Democracy" brought nothing substantive to the negotiation table and w [...] |
2009-01-06 18:32:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT111 |
TAWASSOUL, APP, AND SAWAB POLITICAL PARTIES OFFER [...] (C) Summary: Two anti-coup parties and one pro-coup party gave their reactions to recent events. From the anti-coup Tawassoul and APP parties, the main themes were categorical rejection of the "National Dialogue on Democracy" and upcoming presidential elections, concern about civil war, and [...] |
2009-02-08 13:26:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT114 |
JUNTA GIVES FIRST REACTION TO AU-IMPOSED SANCTIONS ON [...] (U) Colonel Ahmedou Bemba Ould Baye, Secretary General of the High State Council posted a statement on the HSC web site in the junta's first official reaction to the sanctions imposed by the African Union on February 5 (Reftel). In his statement, Baye offered mild criticism of the AU, arguing [...] |
2009-02-09 17:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL KPAO MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT116 |
POLITICAL AND DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE RUMINATIONS [...] (C) Summary: On January 28, AID Rep met with United Nations Systems Mauritania Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Maria do Valle Ribeiro (protect) to discuss the current political and assistance environment in Mauritania. While Ms. Ribeiro is a sociologist and technical program spe [...] |
2009-02-09 17:39:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT117 |
MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTIES REACT TO AU-IMPOSED SANCTIONS [...] (U) Reactions among the Mauritanian media and political class to sanctions imposed by the African Union on February 5 (Reftel) fell predictably along existing fault lines. Pro-coup media and political parties condemned the sanctions, while anti-coup forces largely welcomed the targeted sancti [...] |
2009-02-09 17:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL KPAO MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT118 |
MAURITANIAN JUNTA PRESSURES ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO [...] (C) Summary: Mauritanian Junta Foreign Minister has called Israeli Ambassador and strongly suggested it is time for the Ambassador to leave. After consultations with the Israeli MFA, the Israeli Ambassador has informed us that if further pressure applied, he will indeed depart but he "won't [...] |
2009-02-09 18:06:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IS MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT124 |
ROSSO MAYOR: "I AM THE MOST SANCTIONED PERSON IN [...] (C) Summary: Six months after the coup, the southwestern city of Rosso (Trarza region) is feeling the pressure. The World Bank has suspended two key projects -- a marketplace reconstruction and an advanced rain water canal. The canal, 70 percent complete, has filled with stagnant water and [...] |
2009-02-11 09:01:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM MR PGOV PREL |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT126 |
IN LEMDEN, ABDALLAHI SEES THE TIDE TURNING [...] Summary: President Abdallahi is more determined than ever to oppose the coup and sees political and economic trends going in his favor. He has been approached by Aziz' own Ouled Bisbaa tribe business leaders about resigning but rejects any negotiations with the military and hopes to return [...] |
2009-02-11 19:26:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT127 |
MAURITANIA: NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT [...] (SBU) Post Coup Caveats: This is a response to REFTEL request for information. Our response reflects activities we believe would be useful if political conditions -- i.e. the return of democratic governance -- will allow. In the Post-Coup environment, our engagement must be very limited a [...] |
2009-02-12 13:10:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV SOCI KCRM ASEC XW XY XI |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT128 |
MAURITANIA: SIX MONTHS AFTER THE COUP [...] (C) Summary: Six months after the coup, the Country Team, senior LES, and external contacts are virtually unanimous in their opinion that Mauritania is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. Political uncertainty and deadlock continue and the economy steadily worsens. The economic and so [...] |
2009-02-12 14:12:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM ECON EAID MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT130 |
FOLLOWING THE MONEY PART 2 [...] (C) Summary: This cable is a follow-on to post's first following the money cable (REF A). Six months after the coup, the economic situation in Mauritania has deteriorated precipitously. There are increasing signs that the junta is running out of money and hard currency is becoming increasing [...] |
2009-02-12 14:30:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAID EFIN PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT131 |
MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF [...] (C) Summary: For the week of February 8-12, the junta, political parties, and media voiced their first responses to AU-imposed sanctions. General Aziz visited the University of Nouakchott, leading to a tale of two visits, and he remained coy about his presidential intentions. Amidst rumors [...] |
2009-02-12 14:31:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAO MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT134 |
MAURITANIA: LETTER FROM PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI TO [...] (SBU) On Sunday, February 15, the Charge was asked to meet with the Chief of Staff of the Abdahllahi administration. The Chief of Staff, Ahmed Kaber Ould Hammoudi, passed the letter translated below from President Abdahllahi to President Obama. A scanned copy of the letter will be sent to [...] |
2009-02-16 16:03:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OPDC MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT137 |
LIBYAN DELEGATION ACCOMPLISHES LITTLE [...] (SBU) A Libyan delegation led by Ravi Al-Madani, a special envoy of Muammar Qadhafi, arrived in Mauritania February 11. The ostensible purpose of the visit was to encourage all sides to find a consensual solution to the crisis and spare the country from further international sanctions and is [...] |
2009-02-17 11:43:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT138 |
MAURITANIAN RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL [...] (C/NF) Summary: Having watched the evolution of the Israeli relations issue in the context of the Mauritanian political crisis, we believe that the junta, particularly Foreign Minister Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou, is deeply concerned about the repercussions of a formal break in the Maurit [...] |
2009-02-17 13:34:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL USAU PGOV MR IS |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT139 |
MAURITANIA: CHANGE OF LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT'S [...] (SBU) On February 15, 2009 the Charge received two letters, both dated February 10, 2009 from President Abdallahi addressed to Under Secretary General of the Office of Legal Affairs UN, Hon. Patricia O'Brien, indicating a change of Mauritania's representation to the United Nations. Scanned cop [...] |
2009-02-17 14:25:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OPDC MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT140 |
JUNTA LETTER TO AU PSC PRESIDENT PING - ANOTHER [...] (U) Summary: Embassy has received copy of letter written and sent February 12 from Junta Foreign Minister Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou to AU Peace and Security Commission President Jean Ping. In the letter, Mohamedou promises that the HCE will limit itself to national security only as o [...] |
2009-02-17 20:38:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT142 |
MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTY REACTIONS TO JUNTA LETTER [...] (U) Foreign Minister Mohammedou's letter to the AU offering a transition of the Presidency to the President of the Senate 45 days before the presidential elections June 6 (Reftel) elicited a sharp response from coup opponents, while practically all sides assessed the measure as a last-ditch at [...] |
2009-02-18 13:41:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KPAO KDEM MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT143 |
CORRECTED COPY: MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTY REACTIONS TO [...] (U) Foreign Minister Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou's letter to the AU offering a transition of the Presidency to the President of elicited a sharp response from coup opponents, while practically all sides assessed the measure as a last-ditch attempt to avoid EU sanctions. The following is a [...] |
2009-02-18 14:28:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KPAO KDEM MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT155 |
SLIPPERY AS EVER, OULD DAHDAH STILL IN TOUCH WITH [...] (C) Summary: RFD President Ahmed Ould Daddah informed Poloff he asked the National Assembly to postpone a February 19 vote to February 22 on key election-related issues and threatened an RFD boycott if he were denied. For the regime sponsored June 6 elections, Ould Dahdah demanded suffrage [...] |
2009-02-20 15:29:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT156 |
MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF [...] (SBU) Summary: For the week of February 15-19, a Libyan delegation visited Mauritania, with little tangible results. The junta sent a letter to the AU proposing a way out of the crisis, a move widely regarded as a bid to avoid further EU condemnation. A proxy of Colonel Vall put forth a new [...] |
2009-02-21 09:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAO MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT158 |
MAURITANIA 2009 TRAFFICKING IN PERONS (TIP) REPORT [...] (SBU) Per reftel instructins, post submits the following information on Mauitania for the Ninth Annual Trafficking in Persos (TIP) Report. POC for this report is Political fficer Nitza Sola-Rotger, phone: (222) 525-2660 xt 4404, sola-rotgern@state.gov. 2. (SBU) MURITANIA'S TIP SITUATION [...] |
2009-02-22 10:27:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB KCM KTIP KFRD KWMN PGOV PHUM PREF SMIG ASEC |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT159 |
POST-PARIS: TWO REQUESTS FROM FNDD [...] (C) Charge met with National Front for the Defense of Democracy President (FNDD), Abdelkoudouss Abeidna, February 20 as Abeidna received word from Paris regarding the outcome of the OIF Consultative Committee meeting regarding Mauritania. (Note: FNDD is national coalition of 14 political par [...] |
2009-02-22 13:05:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT16 |
REGIME'S "NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON DEMOCRACY' HARDENS [...] (C) Summary -- The two week "National Dialogue on Democracy" developed more a menu of options than a political roadmap out of Mauritania's political crisis. Detractors see what they expected from the process, a charade designed to legitimize General Aziz' coup. Insiders hope Aziz will not u [...] |
2009-01-08 08:43:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT161 |
MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTY REACTIONS TO PARIS [...] (SBU) Reactions among the Mauritanian media and political class to the results of the February 20 OIF-led Consultative Committee Meeting in Paris were mixed, though most saw a small victory for the High State Council. The following is a sample of the reactions. 2. (U) Junta response: No [...] |
2009-02-23 12:19:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAO MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT164 |
MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF [...] (SBU) Summary: For the week of February 22-26, first reactions to the Paris Consultative Committee meeting emerged. Libya began a mediation blitz, sending a delegation to Mauritania, and receiving a visit by General Aziz in Tripoli. Muammar Qadhafi may also visit Mauritania for the Prophet [...] |
2009-02-27 14:23:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAO PROP MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT165 |
EDUCATING THE LIBYANS; FNDD OUTLINES FIRST STEPS [...] (U) SUMMARY: National Front for the Defense of Democracy (FNDD) Director of External Relations, Mohamed Ould Maouloud, met with Charge, Thursday, February 26, to outline policies regarding the mediation efforts of African Union President Qadhafi, relationships within the Mauritanian opposition, [...] |
2009-03-01 07:56:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT167 |
MAURITANIAN JUNTA ASKS ISRAELIS TO LEAVE [...] (C) Israeli Ambassador Miki Arbel called Charge evening of March 1 advising that he had been convoked that afternoon by the MFA Secretary General and asked to reciprocate actions taken by the Mauritanian authorities by closing his embassy and leaving. The Secretary General said Mauritania had [...] |
2009-03-02 11:39:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV USAU IS MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT168 |
SOMETHING FISHY: JUNTA ANNOUNCES NEW "INVESTMENTS" [...] (C) Summary: The junta announced three new fisheries investments during January and February. These include a 20 million euro loan from Spain to expand Nouadhibou port, $120 million FDI by a South African company to build a fish processing factory, and a new fishing agreement with the Govern [...] |
2009-03-02 15:00:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON EFIS EINV PROP MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT169 |
WHAT ARE THEY SMOKING? REGIME SEES U.S. POSITION [...] (C) During a March 2 meeting with MFA Secretary General Mohameden Ould Sidi dit Bedena on issues related to Israel (SEPTEL), the Secretary General told Charge that the "government" saw the U.S. was finally coming to better understand the Mauritanian problem as seen in the State Department's F [...] |
2009-03-02 15:04:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT170 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI MAY GO TO LIBYA [...] (C) President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff, Ahmed Kaber Ould Hammoudi, told Charge March 2 that President Abdallahi had accepted in principle a request from Muammar Qadhafi to meet with him in Libya on Friday, March 6. Hammoudi said the President had accepted the request from the Libyan Special [...] |
2009-03-03 07:49:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV USAU LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT172 |
IN ARAFAT, POVERTY AND HOPELESSNESS BREED [...] (SBU) Summary: Arafat is the largest and poorest district in the capital Nouakchott. Rapid urbanization, a large disenfranchised youth population, grinding poverty, and imported Islamist extremist ideas are a potentially volatile combination. EmbOffs met with a variety of people living and [...] |
2009-03-03 13:54:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINS PTER KDEM EAID MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT175 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI'S CAMP INCREASINGLY WORRIED [...] (C) Multiple FNDD contacts are markedly discouraged following the February 20 meeting if in International Consultative Group on Mauritania and Muammar Qadhafi's entry into the political mix. Qadhafi is not trusted to hold the AU's hard line against the coup but the FNDD recognizes rejecting [...] |
2009-03-04 15:26:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV USAU LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT176 |
ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO LEAVE "ON EXTENDED VACATION" [...] No summary [...] |
2009-03-05 10:12:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IS MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT177 |
FNDD SEES LIBYA RUSHING FOR A DEAL [...] (C) The FNDD's rotating President Abdel Koudouss Abeidna confirmed to Charge March 5 that President Abdallahi will probably go forward with the Friday trip to Libya to meet with Muammar Qadhafi. Abeidna said he had already received a partial readout from the FNDD delegation in Triploi that is [...] |
2009-03-05 10:12:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV USAU LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT182 |
MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF [...] (C) Summary: For the week of March 1-5, the Israelis were asked to leave Mauritania by the MFA. Muammar Qadhafi's planned visit to Mauritania continues to generate excitement in the press, but more tempered reactions among the political class. The government continues planning for June 6 p [...] |
2009-03-05 14:45:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAO PROP MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT183 |
MAURITANIANS PULL BACK SECURITY FROM ISRAELI [...] (C) The Israeli Ambassador and his Security Officer notified Mission morning of March 6 that host government embassy security forces have been withdrawn from the Israeli chancery leaving it open to attack or pillaging. The Israeli's are moving what they can to the Ambassador's residence whi [...] |
2009-03-06 12:30:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC IS MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT187 |
ISRAELI AMBASSADOR LEAVES TOWN AS JUNTA CITES U.S. [...] (C) Status of Israeli Presence: Israeli Ambassador Miki Arbel and his wife departed Mauritania the evening of March 7. The Israeli Chancery is now officially "closed" with all security barriers and Mauritanian protective services removed. The Israeli management/security officer and two TDY [...] |
2009-03-08 13:52:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IS MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT188 |
HEDGING THEIR BETS: PRO-COUP PARLIAMENTARIANS TAKE [...] (C) Summary: Consensus is not the word of the day among pro-coup parliamentarians. General Aziz's decision to rally his supporters under one party has found detractors. While stating their support to the High State Council (HSC), independent parliamentarians are distancing themselves from [...] |
2009-03-08 14:05:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT189 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI RETURNS TO NOUAKCHOTT AND [...] (SBU) At around noon local time on March 6, President Abdallahi and his vehicle convoy arrived in Nouakchott from his native village of Lemden. PolAsst and EconOff observed at least 200 cars (most of them packed with people) in the procession, lights flashing and horns blaring. Pictures of [...] |
2009-03-08 16:12:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT190 |
EL BASHIR'S ARREST WARRANT ELICITS MIXED REACTIONS [...] (SBU) Summary: The March 4 International Criminal Court's (ICC) decision to issue an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar El Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur has elicited strong reactions in Mauritania. While the majority of the political class condemns [...] |
2009-03-08 16:47:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV ICC SU MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT191 |
FNDD READOUT ON QADHAFI'S MEDIATION [...] (C) Summary: On the day of President Abdallahi's return from Libya and the eve of Qadhafi's visit to Mauritania, rotating FNDD President Abdel Koudouss Abeidna remains skeptical about the success of a Libyan mediation and believes only targeted sanctions will precipitate a solution to the c [...] |
2009-03-09 12:18:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM USAU LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT195 |
QADHAFI WILL SETTLE FOR A JOINT DECLARATION ON [...] (C) Negative review of Libya meeting: Charge met evening of March 9 with President Abdallahi's Chief of Staff Ahmed Kaber Ould Hammoudi at Hammoudi's request. Hammoudi provided much the same readout on the Libya visit as provided by FNDD rotating President Abeidna in REFTEL (Hammoudi seemed [...] |
2009-03-10 11:45:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV USAU LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT199 |
GLOBAL FUND ALLEGES FRAUD AND MISMANAGEMENT IN MAURITANIA [...] (SBU) Summary: The Geneva-based Global Fund issued a formal complaint letter to its Mauritania Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) February 13 alleging fraud and mismanagement of the country's $32 million Global Fund aid package for malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. All funding has been fro [...] |
2009-03-12 11:16:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PGOV UNDP KHIV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT2 |
THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON DEMOCRACY - AN INSIDER'S [...] (C) Summary: The respected moderator of the National Dialogue on Democracy (Etats Generaux de la Democratie) sees the process as the best chance to get out of an untenable situation. The 'pragmatists" in the process are looking to establish a framework that will get democracy back on track [...] |
2009-01-02 13:15:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT202 |
QADHAFI LEAVES MAURITANIA WORSE THAN HE FOUND IT [...] (C) Summary: Libyan leader Qadhafi's visit to Mauritania saw the President of the African Union pursue a mediation policy in direct opposition to the pro-democracy position of the international community he was ostensibly recommending. Qadhafi embraced the junta's plan for return to civilian [...] |
2009-03-12 18:18:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV USAU LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT203 |
MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF [...] (SBU) Summary: For the week of March 8-12, Muammar Qadhafi's visit to Mauritania dominated events. Qadhafi pressed hard for a joint declaration between the parties to the crisis, without success. Adding insult to injury, FNDD leaders walked out on his speech at the Palais des Congres when [...] |
2009-03-15 08:13:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PROP KPAO MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT204 |
OULD DADDAH AND THE FNDD: UNITED AGAINST QADHAFI, [...] (C) Summary: In the wake of Qadhafi's "mediation," Ahmed Ould Daddah and President Abdallahi's FNDD have again been pushed towards cooperation in denouncing Qadhafi and renouncing the military strategy for June 6 elections. Ould Daddah remains fixed in opposition to President Abdallahi's re [...] |
2009-03-15 17:05:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV USAU LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT210 |
MAURITANIA: OPPOSITION LETTER TO THE INTERNATIONAL [...] No summary [...] |
2009-03-17 16:35:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV USAU LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT211 |
PRESS CRACKDOWN: JOURNALIST ARRESTED, WEBSITE [...] (C) Summary: On the night of March 15th, Mauritanian police arrested Abbass Ould Braham, University English Teacher and editor of the tri-lingual on-line newspaper Taquadoumy while he sat in a restaurant among friends. On March 16th, General Prosecutor Seyid Ould Ghaliani ordered Mauritania's [...] |
2009-03-18 13:03:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT215 |
MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF [...] (SBU) Summary: For the week of March 15-19, the effects of Qadhafi's visit reverberated throughout the political scene. Aziz began a series of trips around the country that were widely viewed as campaign stops, and launched direct verbal attacks on President Abdallahi and former presidents [...] |
2009-03-20 11:38:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAO KDEM LY MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT220 |
PRESIDENT ABDALLAHI REACTS TO RECENT EVENTS; FEARS [...] (C) Summary: In the Charge's fourth visit to Lemden, President Abdallahi expressed concern for Mauritania's economy, and the lack of international reaction to Qadhafi's failed "mediation" efforts. He offered his side of the story with his meeting with Qadhafi, and reiterated his belief that [...] |
2009-03-23 14:25:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT221 |
DELAYS OBTAINING MAURITANIAN VISAS [...] (C) Summary: The military junta is delaying issuance of visas to American and European citizens. There have been no reports of visa applications actually being denied, but in many cases the delays have lasted well over a month. All visa applications made at Mauritanian embassies in the Unite [...] |
2009-03-25 15:23:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | OTRA PGOV PREL CVIS MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT222 |
DADDAH MAKES LEGAL CASE FOR JUNTA MEMBERS' [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 7. 2. (C) Charge received a letter March 25 from RFD President Ahmed Ould Daddah. The letter outlines the RFD's argument (which was also made publicly in the press) that members of the military junta (High State Council) cannot legally [...] |
2009-03-25 15:31:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT226 |
MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF [...] (C) Summary: For the week of March 22-26, Charge visited President Abdallahi in Lemden, and met with FNDD Tawassoul members in Nouakchott. The AU reaffirmed sanctions against Mauritania in the wake of Qadhafi's "mediation" visit. The Iranian Foreign Minister visited Mauritania, while the RF [...] |
2009-03-30 07:58:00 | Embassy Nouakchott | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM KPAO MR |
| 09NOUAKCHOTT227 |
CONSOLIDATING POWER: THE JUNTA'S NEW CLIENTELISM [...] (SBU) Summary: While Qadhafi's mediation efforts | ||||