VZCZCXRO6158
PP RUEHMR
DE RUEHMR #0261/01 1531404
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P R 021404Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2083
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 2357

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MASERU 000261 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  6/2/2016 
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV KICC KHIV LT
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON PRIME MINISTER 
 
REF: MASERU 242 AND PREVIOUS 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: June Carter Perry, Ambassador, EXEC , STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: June Carter Perry, Ambassador, EXEC , STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
Summary 
-------------- 
 
¶1.  (C) Ambassador called on Prime Minister Mosisili May 31 
prior to his departure for the UNGASS on AIDS.  The agenda 
included Article 98 Agreement status which is awaiting Cabinet 
review; positions on Iran, Iraq and democratic growth; HIV/AIDS, 
education and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).  The 
revealing of his cautious manner was not surprising, but 
reported admission of lack of knowledge on major bilateral 
issues such as the MCA was surprising.  Mosisili apologized for 
the delayed meeting, expressed his thanks to the U.S. for aid 
across the board and stated he awaited a full legal briefing on 
Article 98 during a June 13 Cabinet meeting.  Hesitancy on 
Iran's status at the NAM revealed Lesotho's continuing 
hesitation on taking hard positions among NAM nations.  He 
supported looking "forward" regarding Iraq's recent government 
and supported a democratic process in Lesotho itself.  His 
professed lack of detail on major issues demonstrated 
communications gaps between ministries, hesitancy of ministers 
in presenting a full picture to the PM on several key matters or 
possible dissembling.  Also participating were POLOFF Dornburg 
(notetaker) and the GOL's A/Minister of Foreign Affairs Mrs. 
Mpeo Mahase.  End Summary. 
 
Article 98 Agreement Status 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Following courtesy points, including the PM's apologies 
for a day's delay in our meeting, we questioned him on Article 
¶98.  (Note:  We were called late May 26 by FOMIN Moleleki 
reporting there was no legal problem with the draft agreement. 
He said he had so advised the PM and said the head of government 
agreed to approve.  The Acting Attorney General (A/AG) had 
called Ambassador earlier to affirm he had presented the opinion 
of the Hague to the Government.  End Note.). 
 
¶3.  (C) The Ambassador told the PM, as had been frankly put to 
the FOMIN (see reftels) that a request for assistance to Lesotho 
had already been denied because of Lesotho's high profile as a 
non-signatory nation, particularly among the 100 plus nations 
that have already signed.  The PM's reaction was that such a 
linkage could be so "blunt."  I reminded him, as his government 
has been aware for some time, that Congress had dictated certain 
reactions and that many proposals were reviewed by interagency 
committees.  If Lesotho continued to "stick out" as the FOMIN 
had put it, the country would be an obvious one to be omitted. 
Furthermore, it would be beneficial to both countries, if high 
level visits were indeed desired, to deal speedily with any 
outstanding issues.  The PM admitted that such visits were 
desirable from his point of view (including a high-level New 
York or Washington trip he would like to have) and that 
"hurdles" should be overcome.  He was reminded that we would 
like to see him receive a warmer welcome whenever he traveled to 
the U.S. and an Article 98 Agreement would help ensure that, 
particularly as so many countries in the SADC region had already 
signed.  I reminded him this could be a quiet, low key event, 
but one important to continued, beneficial relations in the 
future.  He agreed and said he anticipated the June 13 Cabinet 
briefing.  (Comment:  Per the FOMIN, the PM has already been 
told that there is no contradiction between the draft version 
and ICC "language."  This suggests either dissembling on one 
side or the other as the PM consistently referred to awaiting 
the A/AG's presentation.  End Comment.) 
 
Iran, Iraq, Democracy 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Ambassador advised the PM that our position on the NAM's 
proposed declaration on Iran had been presented to FOMIN 
Moleleki (the GOL representative at the NAM conference) prior to 
his departure for Malaysia.  We reviewed the points again.  The 
PM demurred, saying he was not as up to date on the situation of 
Iran as he should be and had not had the opportunity to discuss 
the issue with the FOMIN.  However, he questioned the disparity 
he perceived between the West's acceptance of some countries' 
possession of nuclear capability and that of Iran.  The 
Ambassador pointed out that nuclear development for energy 
(e.g., in South Africa and France) had been accepted and the 
President's recent visit to India had underscored that stance. 
 
MASERU 00000261  002 OF 003 
 
 
Regarding Iraq, the Ambassador referred to the Secretary's 
statement on the establishment of a government there and 
requested acknowledgment of democratic progress in that nation. 
The PM nodded, and then began a long monologue on the importance 
of democracy.  We observed the coming together of various ethnic 
groups in Iraq as a positive development and emphasized the 
importance of moving forward. 
 
¶5.  (C) The PM said he wished for comity among all the political 
groups in Lesotho and that he was in full agreement with our 
emphasis on forward movement.  He said Lesotho must have 
tranquil circumstances in which to ensure its economic and 
political future.  We briefly noted that in American history, 
there had been disagreements successfully overcome and 
acceptance by citizens of the final outcome either of elections 
or court decisions without destabilization of the society. 
Mosisili asserted that was his deepest desire for Lesotho -- a 
stable, democratic country.  We agreed and observed that with 
Lesotho taking the SADC helm, it should stand out as a model of 
progress and positive developments should be made known to the 
public as stakeholders. 
 
Millennium Challenge Update 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) The PM leapt on the issue of public perception saying 
there had been much publicity in early 2004 before the 
Ambassador's arrival about the Millennium Challenge Account and 
he claimed USG assistance to build the Metalong Dam had been 
abandoned.  I took the opportunity to brief the PM on the fact 
that all dam projects required environmental and social impact 
assessment studies in countries around the world.  Once his own 
interministerial committee (led by the FOMIN and the Minister of 
Finance) realized a study could take 9-12 months, the GOL 
decided to work on a more limited proposal, but depending on the 
study's outcome, there remained the potential for U.S. funding 
of the dam.  Our understanding from the Minister of Finance was 
that the proposal would come before Cabinet soon (June 13).  We 
encouraged the PM to make sure that all proposal papers were in 
to Washington on time so that the due diligence process could 
begin by July at the latest in order to look at a potential 
compact before the end of the year, assuming the MCC Board 
approved Lesotho's submission. 
 
HIV/AIDS, UNGASS, Education 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7.  (C) The Ambassador informed the PM that First Lady Mrs. 
Laura Bush would lead the USDEL to UNGASS and congratulated him 
and his wife on the public stance they had taken to make the 
AIDs battle a priority in Lesotho.  Mosisili thanked the U.S. 
for its help (we had told him PEPFAR had not been present 
previously, but had now tripled funds in country).  He observed 
the ongoing need for human and material resources.  We 
highlighted our efforts to have all USG and U.S. private 
organizations work in concert with Basotho partners, otherwise 
sustainability would not exist.   Mosisili fully agreed, 
especially with our suggestion that we have U.S. clinicians work 
side-by-side for 6 months to 2 years training as well as 
treating to make every effort a lasting one.  We noted our 
regular one-on-one meetings with the Minister of Health to help 
resolve any cross-cultural or technical problems.  (Comment: The 
Health Minister is a relative of the PM and seems to tell him 
everything in detail.  End Comment.)  We thanked the PM for his 
attention and his wife's to education; Mrs. Mosisili is helping 
us launch rotating libraries across the country, including in 
isolated rural, mountainous areas.  The PM (who was an exchange 
student in the U.S.) said he could not overemphasize the 
importance of U.S. book donations.  The meeting ended on that 
high note with Mosisili saying he appreciated hearing U.S. views 
before he traveled to New York and indicated his interest in 
future high-level visits to New York and Washington.  The 
Ambassador responded that we wanted to overcome any "hurdles" 
that might hinder the warmest welcome possible should any 
opportunities come to fruition. 
 
Comment 
-------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) We found the sometimes dour PM in a rather upbeat mood 
(for him).  His dancing around the Article 98 legalities seems 
to us to reflect, perhaps, lingering doubts or lack of full 
disclosure by the Foreign Minister who accuses the PM's son ("a 
drunk" in Moleleki's words) of undoing opinions the FOMIN 
assumes are fully agreed.  It is important to remember the 
rivalry between the PM and the FOMIN, the stakes of pending 2007 
elections and the slippery character of both these men.  They 
are politicians above all else.  At the same time, as we have 
previously reported, PM Mosisili is still in "a liberation frame 
of mind."  We have made it clear that diplomacy requires 
"realpolitick," not procrastination.  His misperception of the 
 
MASERU 00000261  003 OF 003 
 
 
MCA was surprising; the Minister of Finance has told us 
repeatedly that he briefs the PM (and Cabinet) on the state of 
play.  Either that is not true or the PM made up his line on the 
MCC's "abandonment."  Regarding Article 98, the A/AG called 
Ambassador just days before our call on the PM to say he had 
briefed the Government on our consistency of views.  Was this 
not communicated to the PM by the FOMIN?  Was the FOMIN's late 
Friday call to us to say the PM "agreed" to move ahead a ruse? 
We do not have the full answer yet.  The FOMIN should return 
from Asia and New York soon and we will obtain his side of the 
story.  One thing is clear, the PM wants to have high-level 
dialogue with the USG and desires continued support in training, 
health and other areas.  He also wants Lesotho to be regarded 
still as an AU and AMIS player on the continent and by the 
international community.  We will continue to say that positive 
perceptions can only be maintained through active leadership in 
the arenas of security and democracy.  End Comment. 
PERRY