Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio told United States ambassador Marcia Bernicat that a carefully crafted text that was not critical could spur a resolution to the Zimbabwe crisis.
Bernicat was sounding Gadio on country specific resolutions that the United States wanted to push through the United Nations General Assembly.
Gadio claimed that Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai called every day and characterised President Robert Mugabe as being uncooperative.
The two met when Zimbabwe talks seemed to be at a stalemate with Mugabe and Tsvangirai failing to agree on who was going to have executive power.
Gadio also expressed frustration at the slow speed of South African President Thabo Mbeki’s mediation.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08DAKAR1036, UNGA DEMARCHE: SENEGALESE FOREIGN MINISTER OPEN TO
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO8455
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDK #1036/01 2531040
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 091040Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1087
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZJ/HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHIC/ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0410
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0888
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001036
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA AND INR/AA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2018
SUBJECT: UNGA DEMARCHE: SENEGALESE FOREIGN MINISTER OPEN TO
DISCUSS RESOLUTION LANGUAGE
REF: STATE 93981
DAKAR 00001036 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Amb Marcia Bernicat for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
¶1. (U) This is an action message. Please see para 6.
¶2. (C) Summary: Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to
Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio on August 4. He
responded enthusiastically that the United States and Senegal
could work together to find points of commonality to yield
mutually beneficial results at this year,s UN General
Assembly (UNGA). Referring to their votes at last year,s
UNGA, the Foreign Minister said that Senegal,s hosting of
the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) played a
major role in formulating their policies. He cautioned,
however, that President Wade has the final say on Senegal,s
UNGA votes. End Summary
¶3. (C) Concerning country specific resolutions Foreign
Minister Gadio was fairly candid about Senegal,s intentions:
–Iran: Senegal will not vote in favor of any resolution
condemning Iran. Gadio said that they had expended a lot of
effort to build a relationship of trust and that if Senegal
were to condemn Iran in the international fora, that
relationship would be wrecked. He contended that maintaining
an open channel with Iran was far more useful to the U.S.,
for whom Senegal can convey messages to Tehran.
–Burma and DPRK: Gadio said that Senegal could support
resolutions against both countries this year, especially
after the Burmese junta,s atrocious response in the
aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.
–Zimbabwe: Claiming that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
calls everyday and characterizing Mugabe as being
uncooperative, Gadio agreed that a carefully crafted text
that was not critical could spur a resolution to the crisis.
He also expressed frustration at the slow speed of South
African President Thabo Mbeki,s mediations.
–Sudan: Reminding us that Senegal had soldiers in Sudan,
Gadio said that they had to tread very carefully in dealing
with Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, who was already angry
with a recent decision by the International Criminal Court to
charge him with genocide. However, he thought that a
resolution calling attention to human rights violations in
Darfur, as well as condemning the atrocities committed by the
Janjaweed was something Senegal might/might be able to
support.
¶3. (C) In comparison to his statements concerning country
specific resolutions, Gadio used the abstract when discussing
Senegal,s possible support of thematic resolutions, saying
that different countries have very different interpretations
of concepts such as freedom of speech. He then suggested
that officers from the Embassy and the Foreign Ministry,s
Division of International Organizations meet to discuss
language for this and the other resolutions raised in the
demarche. In reply to a question about the Defamation of
Religion resolution, the Foreign Minister said that since
Senegal held the rotational Presidency of the OIC it would be
difficult to go against the collective. However, he
requested a copy of the European Union,s Religious
Intolerance resolution agreeing that perhaps a broader
approach respecting all religions and focusing on common
values might yield better results. Gadio agreed that a
follow up action to the June declaration on Prisoners of
Conscience would be useful.
¶5. (C) Comment: The Foreign Minister was in an expansive
mood and said the right things. However, it must be noted
that last year he also agreed that Senegal could coordinate
its positions more closely with the U.S. and then Senegal
voted in opposition or abstained on all the aforementioned
resolutions. It is our estimation that Senegal will not/not
support any anti-Iran resolutions, but might be persuaded to
vote in favor of condemning Human Rights abuses in Burma and
DPRK. President Wade prefers negotiation over direct
confrontation, therefore it would be collaborate, to the
extent possible, with the Senegalese to develop resolution
language on both Sudan and Zimbabwe that is constructive and
non-critical. While he left the door open on a possible
discussion concerning the Defamation of Religion resolution,
DAKAR 00001036 002.2 OF 002
we believe that it is unlikely that Senegal will vote against
the OIC.
¶6. (C) Action Request: Post requests that IO prepare or
issue guidelines as to the latest proposed language that the
United States plans to use in the various aforementioned
resolutions. Foreign Minister Gadio said that he and
President Wade had yet to crystallize Senegal,s positions
and were open to discussions with us.
BERNICAT
(21 VIEWS)
