VZCZCXRO4936
OO RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0093/01 0271258
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 271258Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8492
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUFGNOA/HQ USECOM VAIHINGEN GE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000093 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (ADDRESSE CORRECTED) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MASS KDEM PINS GV
SUBJECT: DASD WHELAN SCORES RARE ENCOUNTER WITH GUINEAN 
PRESIDENT CONTE 
 
 
CONAKRY 00000093  001.6 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Julie Winn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (S) SUMMARY.  In a surprise development, Guinean 
President Lansana Conte received Deputy Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for African Affairs Theresa Whelan at the 
Presidential Palace on January 25.  Plagued by poor health, 
Conte has not to our knowledge held any meetings with 
persons outside his government since a brief spurt of 
activity just before the New Year.  Thus, the fact of the 
meeting was as important as its content.  Conte (or his 
entourage) may have wished to assure us that he is still 
president, even as succession talk grows more open. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) Guinean Chief of Defense Staff General Kerfalla 
Camara informed the Ambassador on the margins of a 
reception given in DASD Whelan's honor the evening of 
January 24 that President Conte would like to meet with 
her.  The Ambassador, COL Vic Nelson (OSD), DCM and DATT 
accompanied DASD Whelan.  General Kerfalla, Ministry of 
Defense Cabinet Director (de facto Minister of Defense) COL 
Kande Toure, and Presidential Secretary General (chief of 
staff) Fode Bangoura also attended. 
 
¶3.  (S) In their 20-minute encounter, DASD Whelan 
highlighted the years of fruitful U.S.-Guinea military 
cooperation, citing her visit to Guinea in 1993 in 
connection with navy projects we were then undertaking. 
She welcomed her discussions the previous day with Conte's 
staff on where our cooperation might go from here, noting 
DoD assistance in the fight against HIV/AIDS and our 
willingness to look for ways to respond to Guinea's request 
for help in improving its capacity. 
 
¶4.  (S) DASD Whelan remarked on the USG's work with Liberia 
to further stability there.  She hoped that a more 
professional Liberian military would cooperate more 
effectively and positively with neighboring forces in the 
Mano River Union to contain conflict.  Her visit to Guinea, 
she said, aimed to emphasize cooperation here as well. 
Guinea's restraint in the face of border provocations over 
the years, as well as its concrete contributions to 
peacekeeping (e.g., ECOMOG,) have been important in 
preventing further spread of conflict in the region. 
Thanking President Conte for Guinea's contribution, DASD 
Whelan added that the Guinean military has demonstrated 
that it has much to offer in promoting stability and 
democracy in the region. 
 
¶5.  (S) President Conte expressed several times his 
appreciation for ongoing U.S.-Guinean relations.  He said 
that Guinea relies on cooperation with the U.S., welcomed 
the DASD's visit and hoped it would not be the last. 
Guinea is not jealous of USG assistance to its neighbors, 
he stressed, since the populations are related across 
borders, and anything that helps Liberia and Sierra Leone 
is good for Guinea as well.  He hoped that the U.S., which 
he observed is in the forefront if helping to calm the 
region, would continue its work until the region is at 
complete peace. 
 
¶6.  (S) To the Ambassador's question on Cote d'Ivoire, President Conte 
averred that the conflict there could be resolved quickly if the 
international community acted uniformly in supporting the elected 
government and denied support to its opponents.  Backing both sides 
simultaneously or attempting to impose a leader from the 
outside only escalated the conflict, although the Ivoirian 
government should certainly be encouraged to represent all 
the people. 
 
¶7.  (S) COMMENT: The fact of this meeting was as important 
as its content, given the rarity of President Conte's 
receiving visitors.  His state of health remains variable 
day-by-day: Conte was seated when the delegation arrived, 
but stood up without assistance to say good-bye.  He 
appeared reasonably alert, tracked the discussion without 
losing its thread, and was appropriately responsive 
throughout.  His feet appeared somewhat swollen, and his 
right foot had a small sore.  Since Conte had kicked off 
his sandals, it was clear that all toes were intact (i.e., 
no amputation yet despite his advanced diabetes).  Always 
a heavy smoker, he had three cigarettes during the 
conversation.  Although the topic was not raised with 
President Conte, his staff may or may not have briefed him 
on the discussion between DASD and senior military officers 
(septel) regarding the military's role in any succession 
scenario.  As transition talk grows louder in Guinea, Conte 
and his entourage may have wished to assure the highest-level 
Washington visitor in some time that he has not yet fallen 
out of the saddle. 
 
¶8.  (U)  This message was cleared by DASD Whelan. 
 
 
CONAKRY 00000093  002.5 OF 002 
 
 
and his entourage may have wished to assure the 
highest-level Washington visitor in some time that he has 
not yet fallen out of the saddle. 
 
¶8.  (U) This message was cleared by DASD Whelan. 
 
MCDONALD