VZCZCXRO5921
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHMR #0563/01 2831641
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101641Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3390
INFO RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3789
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000563 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S; 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID KHIV KMCA LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: AMBASSADOR NOLAN PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO KING 
LETSIE III 
 
 
MASERU 00000563  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On October 10, Ambassador Robert B. Nolan 
presented his credentials to Lesotho's King Letsie III at the 
Royal Palace in Maseru.  During their private conversation 
following the presentation, the King emphasized the excellent 
state of U.S.-Lesotho bilateral relations following the July 
signing of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact, 
the continuing importance of the African Growth and Opportunity 
Act (AGOA) to Lesotho's economy, and the need to cooperate in 
confronting the scourge of HIV/AIDS.  While addressing many of 
the same themes, Lesotho's acting Prime Minister expressed 
gratitude for the U.S.'s continuing presence in Lesotho -- thus 
emphasizing the importance of the "universality" of a U.S. 
presence in Africa.  In sum, October 10, 2007 was a day to 
celebrate the flourishing U.S.-Lesotho relationship and to 
commit to further cooperation and strengthening of bilateral 
ties.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Credentialing in Lesotho: The Mechanics 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On October 10, Ambassador Nolan, accompanied by the DCM 
and pol/econ officer, undertook a series of clockwork events, 
expertly orchestrated by Lesotho's MFA, as part of his 
presentation of credentials to Lesotho's Head of State, King 
Letsie III.  Following courtesy calls on Principal Secretary of 
Foreign Affairs Julius Metsing and Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Mohlabi Kenneth Tsekoa, Ambassador Nolan proceeded to the Royal 
Palace under official escort.  At the Palace, he read a brief 
statement, handed his credentials to King Letsie III, and 
listened to the King's response.  Afterwards, he held a 
15-minute private conversation with the King, attended by 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tsekoa.  After an elegant ceremony 
at which Ambassador Nolan reviewed a Lesotho Defense Force honor 
guard, he proceeded to a courtesy call with the acting Prime 
Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs 
Archibald Lehohla. 
 
---------------------------- 
A Conversation with the King 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Remarking that the U.S.-Lesotho bilateral relationship 
is flourishing, Ambassador Nolan congratulated King Letsie III 
for Lesotho's  effective international role on free trade, 
global health, and efforts to thwart international crime and 
terrorism.  The Ambassador noted the keystone programs of this 
relationship, such as the $362.5 million Millennium Challenge 
Corporation compact, 40 years of Peace Corps presence in 
Lesotho, the PEPFAR program, the African Growth and Opportunity 
Act, and recently renewed military-to-military cooperation.  In 
his official remarks, King Letsie III specifically thanked the 
Ambassador for the past and future contributions of Peace Corps 
and the Millennium Challenge Corporation to Lesotho's 
development.  He noted that the extension of AGOA until 2015 
will allow Lesotho time to further diversify its economy. 
Echoing the Ambassador's sentiments on the importance of the 
fight against HIV/AIDS, he stated that Lesotho was "encouraged 
and emboldened" to note that Lesotho is not on its own in trying 
to halt the epidemic, but has the support of friendly nations 
such as the United States.  In their private conversation, a 
very relaxed and cordial King Letsie reiterated these themes. 
Ambassador Nolan shared his commitment to pursuing bilateral 
objectives, as well as his personal impressions of a recent trip 
to the central highlands of Lesotho where he visited Peace Corps 
volunteers and a Catholic mission providing local health care, 
support for HIV/AIDS patients, education, and outreach to 
at-risk Basotho herd boys. 
 
------------------------------ 
DPM: You are a Dependable Ally 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) During the Ambassador's courtesy call on Deputy Prime 
Minister Lehohla (in the latter's capacity as acting Prime 
Minister), the DPM emphasized the excellent state of 
U.S.-Lesotho bilateral relations, singling out U.S. assistance 
in the education and governance spheres as particularly helpful. 
 Calling the United States a "dependable ally," he expressed his 
desire to expand educational ties between the two nations. 
Citing land degradation in the lowlands as an area of particular 
concern, he noted his hope that MCC funding could be used to 
address the issue.  The Deputy Prime Minister spoke passionately 
and positively about the continued United States presence in 
Lesotho, contrasting it to the painful blow in 2005 of the 
United Kingdom's closure of its diplomatic mission in Maseru. 
 
--------------------------- 
MFA:  U.S. Support is Vital 
 
MASERU 00000563  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) During separate consultations with Minister of Foreign 
Affairs Mohlabi Kenneth Tsekoa and Principal Secretary of 
Foreign Affairs Julius Metsing, both men assessed the state of 
the bilateral relationship to be excellent.  Minister Tsekoa 
recounted Lesotho's political turbulence following the February 
2007 national election and pointed to the USG-funded support of 
the National Democratic Institute as vital.  Both men praised 
the work of American NGOs in Lesotho, singling out the 
contributions of the Clinton Foundation in the health sphere. 
Principal Secretary Metsing noted that while Lesotho and the 
United States have similar views on many international issues, 
he allowed that Lesotho could not always vote with the United 
States due to its obligations to regional and thematic 
organizations such as the Southern African Development Community 
(SADC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). 
 
------------------------ 
A Feel Good Universality 
------------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  In sum, October 10, 2007 was a day to 
celebrate the flourishing U.S.-Lesotho relationship and to 
commit to further cooperation and strengthening of bilateral 
ties.  Ambassador Nolan's first encounters have initiated an 
excellent rapport with his Basotho interlocutors, including 
initial calls on the Ministers of Finance and Health following 
the presentation of credentials to discuss MCC and PEPFAR 
issues.  Judging from the Prime Minister's comments on the 
painfulness of the British diplomatic withdrawal from Lesotho, 
the continued presence of the U.S. Mission in Maseru is 
extremely important to the GOL and the Basotho people -- which 
is a strong argument for the continuation of a "universality" 
USG policy for a U.S. presence on the continent.  END COMMENT. 
NOLAN