VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRY #0011/01 0060704
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD171D6E MSI9965-695)
P 060704Z JAN 09 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3311
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000011 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY MRN 000011 VICE 000834 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: ECOWAS AND UN MEETINGS ON GUINEA'S POLITICAL 
TRANSITION 
 
1.(SBU)  SUMMARY.  Charge attended two meetings over the weekend, 
one with a visiting ECOWAS delegation, and one with the UN 
regional representative out of Dakar.  Diplomats highlighted 
key concerns, which included questions as to how the new 
Guinean Government will be structured, who will ultimately 
hold power, and what role the CNDD (Council for Democracy and 
Development) will play.  Although Western diplomats continued 
to push for a six month timeline for elections, most ECOWAS 
nations and the United Nations seemed willing to work toward 
a twelve month timeline.  Press reports indicate that the 
French Minister of Cooperation brokered a deal with the CNDD 
to hold elections within twelve months, but the CNDD has not 
officially acknowledged this decision.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Charge attended two separate meetings with Guinea's 
international partners over the weekend to discuss concerns 
over the December 23 coup.  The first was with the visiting 
ECOWAS delegation, led by ECOWAS Executive Secretary Dr. 
Mohamed Chambas and General (and former president of Nigeria) 
Ibrahim Babangida.  Attendees included Ambassadors and 
Charges from Spain, Ghana, Senegal, Liberia, Mali, and the 
United Kingdom.  The second meeting was with the UN's 
regional representative, Said Djinnit, who is based in Dakar. 
 Spain, the EU, the UNDP, Germany and the United Kingdom 
participated in the second meeting. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
ECOWAS LOOKING TO BUILD DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) General Babangida told the assembled diplomats that 
ECOWAS' intent is to help "facilitate the building of 
democratic institutions" in Guinea.  A Burkinabe member of 
the delegation added that securing peace in the sub-region is 
also a priority.  Explaining the delegation's immediate 
objective, Chambas said that ECOWAS is focused on working 
toward a peaceful and timely transfer of power to a civilian 
government, and asked the diplomatic corps to help provide 
solutions.  Babangida noted that ECOWAS has experience 
working with Guineans, pointing out that the ECOWAS 
delegation helped broker the tripartite agreement that ended 
the labor strikes and subsequent civil unrest in 2007.  He 
added that ECOWAS intended to congratulate the CNDD (Council 
for Democracy and Development) for its success in keeping the 
military "calm" through the transition period.  (COMMENT. 
Babangida led the ECOWAS delegation in 2007 and was perceived 
to have been highly instrumental in getting President Conte 
to accede to civilian demands.  END COMMENT). 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The international community highlighted a number of 
shared concerns.  Questions as to how the new government will 
be structured, what role the CNDD will play, and who 
ultimately will hold power were at the top of the list.  The 
Spanish Ambassador said that the new government's priorities 
remain unclear while others commented that the CNDD sometimes 
appears to be contradicting itself. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On the issue of elections, opinions were divided. 
The Liberian Ambassador agreed with Charge Raspolic, saying 
that elections should be held within the next six months.  He 
followed that statement with a question as to whether the 
assembled countries intended to formally recognize the new 
government if it announces an elections date, but the 
diplomats were noncommittal.  The Senegalese Charge mentioned 
that Senegalese President Wade had cancelled a planned visit 
to Guinea because the CNDD had failed to announce an election 
date.  The Malian Ambassador, who is new to Guinea, said that 
it would be impossible to hold elections in six months. 
According to him, a twelve month timeframe was more 
realistic, noting that "it is important to do it right."  A 
lawyer by trade, he added that a national conference to 
address constitutional and electoral reform issues would be 
useful.  The Ghanaian Ambassador commented that he was 
concerned about "forcing Guinean to hold elections too soon." 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The ECOWAS delegation is scheduled to leave Conakry 
on January 5, and is expected to convene another meeting with 
the diplomatic corps before departing. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
UNITED NATIONS LOOKING AT 12 MONTHS FOR ELECTION TIMELINE 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The UN representative, Said Djinnit, said that he 
was not surprised by the coup.  However, he noted that 
divisions within the military appear to continue.  Djinnit 
said that opposition political parties may see Conte's death 
and the subsequent coup as an opportunity to capitalize on 
 
the population's fear to win control of the government, 
although his meaning was not clear and he did not clarify. 
He said that the UN is looking for Guinea to hold elections 
within twelve months. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The participating Ambassadors and Charges 
highlighted concerns similar to those raised in the ECOWAS 
meeting, including questions of power structure, security, 
and continued political divisions at the top.  With respect 
to elections, the United Kingdom and the European Union, 
along with Charge Raspolic, said that they continue to call 
for elections within six months.  Pointing out that the EU 
has already invested 30 million Euros in Guinea's electoral 
process, the EU representative said that voter registration 
is now "50% complete."  He added that the EU has no 
preference as to whether or not the presidential election is 
held concurrently with the legislative election.  The EU 
raised the point that the Supreme Court is the body legally 
mandated to resolve electoral disputes, but since the CNDD 
dissolved the Supreme Court, it is unclear what body would 
have final authority over the electoral process. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶9.  (SBU) Both meetings were called at the last minute so the 
diplomatic representation was not as widespread as it might 
have been had representatives been notified earlier.  Western 
diplomats continue to hold to a six month timeline for 
elections, but there is a growing sense that such a timeline 
may be unrealistic.  As noted by several diplomats during the 
meetings, some civilian contacts are pushing to reform the 
constitution before moving to elections.  There are also 
concerns over the voter registration process, despite the EU 
assertion that 50% of voters have already been registered. 
Most ECOWAS nations and the UN seem to be willing to work 
toward a twelve month timeline.  The immediate concern for 
most appears to be defining the Guinean Government's new 
power structure and reinforcing a civilian transition leading 
to elections. 
 
¶10.  (U) The French Minister of Cooperation also visited 
Conakry over the weekend.  International and local press 
alike reported that the French delegation was satisfied with 
its discussions with the CNDD.  The Minister was quoted as 
saying that France not currently planning to cut any 
"humanitarian or cooperation assistance."  The BBC announced 
that the French had brokered a deal with the new government 
to hold elections within twelve months, but the CNDD has not 
confirmed this decision.  END COMMENT. 
RASPOLIC