VZCZCXRO9002
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #1025/01 3651413
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 311413Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5553
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1718
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 001025 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF, AF/W, AF/RSA, AND INR/AA 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU- J MAYBURY 
PARIS FOR AF WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2019 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL SOCIA PHUM US NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: OPPOSITION LEADERS BRIEF AMBASSADOR ON 
PROPOSAL FOR A POLITICAL TRANSITION 
 
REF: A. NIAMEY 1013 
     ¶B. NIAMEY 1011 
     ¶C. NIAMEY 1009 
     ¶D. NIAMEY 935 
     ¶E. NIAMEY 633 
 
Classified By: DCM Eric P. Whitaker, Reason: 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  On December 30, Opposition leaders briefed 
Ambassador Allen of their proposal for a way out from Niger's 
political standoff.  The proposal calls for a return to the 
1999 Constitution; the formation of a transitional political 
body; the consensual drafting of a new constitution, 
electoral code, and electoral calendar; the setting aside of 
political actions subsequent to the August 4, 2009 referendum 
(the post-December 22, 2009 presidency, the National Assembly 
elections of October 20, 2009, and the local elections of 
December 27, 2009); and the formation of a Government of 
National Unity.  The Opposition leaders thanked the 
Ambassador for USG support for democracy in Niger, stating it 
had helped "galvanize public opinion."  End summary. 
 
¶2. (C) On December 30, Coordination des Forces pour la 
Democratie et la Republique (CFDR) President Amadou Boubacar 
Cisse and opposition Nigerien Party for Democracy and 
Socialism (PNDS) Vice President Bazoum Mohamed provided 
Ambassador Allen and DCM with an update on the ongoing 
political negotiations between the political Opposition and 
the Government of Niger (GON) (refs B and C) and the 
Opposition's proposal to resolve the nation's political 
dilemma.  Although negotiations were postponed until January 
7 due to ECOWAS Mediator retired General and former Nigerian 
head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar's travel to Nigeria for 
former Nigerian First Lady Babangida,s funeral rites, the 
CFDR continues to prepare itself for the resumption of talks 
in Niamey.  It has drawn up a detailed proposal and submitted 
it to Mediator Abdulsalami, per his request (ref A). 
 
CFDR's Proposals to End Political Impasse 
----------------------------------------- 
¶3. (C) Cisse provided Amb. Allen with the Opposition's 
six-page proposal for resolving the political crisis.  In the 
document, the CFDR proposes the following steps to resolve 
the ongoing political standoff, which it refers to as a "coup 
of institutional force": 
 
¶A. Returning to the normal constitutional order; that is, of 
the 5th Republic; 
 
¶B. Putting into place a consensual transitional body that 
gives the nation and its people a final chance to retake its 
place among the community of nations; 
 
¶C. Working together in the framework of ECOWAS mediation to 
draft a new constitution, as was done in 1992, 1996, and 1999; 
 
¶D. Setting aside the constitution of the 6th Republic and its 
political and institutional consequences, including 
recognizing the end of the presidential mandate following 
December 22, 2009, annulling the mandate of the National 
Assembly resulting from the October 20, 2009 elections; and 
annulling the local elections of December 27, 2009; 
 
¶E. Elaborating and submitting for vote a referendum by the 
transitional body on a consensual constitution, electoral 
code, and electoral calendar by which to conduct elections at 
the presidential, legislative, and local levels; 
 
¶F. Formulating transitional institutions to be filled by 
individuals selected in a consensual manner, to include: 
 
(1) A Head of State with representational powers; 
 
(2) A Government of National Unity that regroups the various 
parties within the political landscape and civil society and 
led by a Prime Minister who serves as both Head of Government 
and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces; 
 
(3) A Transitional Council that regroups political and civil 
society representatives with legislative powers; 
 
(4) A new Constitutional Court composed of individuals 
 
NIAMEY 00001025  002 OF 002 
 
 
recognized for their impartiality; 
 
(5) A Commission of Fundamental Texts charged with drafting 
the future Constitution, as well as a new Electoral Code; 
 
(6) A new Independent National Electoral Commission; and 
 
(7) A new High Council of Communication composed by 
individuals recognized for their impartiality. 
 
¶G. Accepting that the heads of the various transitional 
institutions cannot present themselves as candidates for the 
subsequent presidential elections. 
 
USG Position Important, CFDR to Take Case to Media 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
¶4. (C) Bazoum thanked Amb. Allen for the "strong position" of 
both President Obama and the Department of State on Niger's 
political standoff.  Cisse noted that the USG position on the 
political situation is "extremely important, and that it 
served to "galvanize public opinion."  Between now and 
January 7 the CFDR plans neither to organize strikes nor 
demonstrations, respecting the request of the ECOWAS 
Mediator, but rather plans to state its position and 
proposals to the media.  While he remarked that the presence 
of Opposition leaders Hama Amadou, Mahamadou Issoufou, and 
Mahamane Ousmane would strengthen the CFDR's hand, he felt 
that "personality-driven8 negotiations, could prove a 
distraction.  He added that &personality conflicts" made it 
unlikely that the GON would welcome their presence in the 
negotiations.  Regarding complaints of some in the civil 
society community that they had been excluded from what was 
to have been an "inclusive" process, Bazoum noted that 11 of 
the 25-member negotiating team were either civil society 
members, including from the Front for the Defense of 
Democracy (FDD), or union representatives in what he termed a 
broad "palette" of society. 
 
ECOWAS to Report to AU; A Possible Role for Pres. Wade 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶5. (C) In closing, Cisse said that ECOWAS intended to 
continue its evaluation and render a report to the African 
Union (AU) in January.  He opined that AU Chair Qadhafy might 
request Senegalese President Wade's assistance in mediating a 
solution to Niger's political conundrum; the support of the 
USG and the EU might be helpful in this regard.  Finally, he 
noted that states such as Sierra Leone and Ghana might play 
helpful roles within the ECOWAS mediation process. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶6. (C) Both Cisse and Bazoum seemed optimistic that the GON 
would have to negotiate the terms under which the current 
political equation would be solved.  They clearly see the 
Opposition as playing a necessary and vital role in Niger's 
political near-term future and the eventual restoration of 
its side-tracked democracy.  Bazoum, who called on Ambassador 
Allen in both September and November of 2009 (refs D and E), 
remains an insightful and open interlocutor regarding 
Opposition views and intentions. 
ALLEN