Senegalese Foreign Minister said Tsvangirai called every day

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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TAGS: PGOV PREL UN SG

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

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