VZCZCXRO3325
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0026/01 0091448
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091448Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3332
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000026 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EFIN PREL GV
SUBJECT: OUSMANE DORE SHARES INSIGHTS WITH CHARGE 
 
REF: 08 CONAKRY 687 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  Former Finance Minister Ousmane Dore 
recently shared insights on the end of the Conte regime and 
the new military-led government.  Dore said that even though 
he fears for his physical safety, he has undertaken a review 
of the financial mismanagement of the 50th Anniversary 
Celebration of Independence that led to his firing in October 
of last year.  He also described how former President Conte 
allegedly gave his blessing to Guinea's new president Moussa 
Dadis Camara to launch a coup after Conte's death.  Though 
Dore said he had a positive impression of the new civilian 
prime minister, he also voiced his concern over the large 
Malinke majority currently sitting on the CNDD.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------- 
FEARS OF PHYSICAL HARM 
---------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ousmane Dore, the former minister of finance under 
consensus-government prime minister Lansana Kouyate, spoke 
with Charge on January 4.  Dore told Charge that after being 
dismissed over allegedly mishandling funds dedicated to the 
Cinquantenaire, Guinea's 50th Anniversary Celebration of 
Independence, he has not been at ease with respect to his 
physical safety.  In both November and December, he attempted 
fly out of Conakry, but was blocked by immigration officials 
at the airport in Conakry.  Dore asserted that his physical 
safety was in jeopardy due to his association with the 
previous government, and because of an investigative report 
he authored on the Soaure government's financial 
mismanagement of the celebration. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
FINANCING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3. (SBU) To finance the Cinquantenaire, Dore told Charge that 
the Souare government envisioned asking various African 
leaders for contributions for the celebration, and arranged 
meetings in Libya, Gabon, South Africa, and other countries 
with collection plates in hand.  When the ministers returned, 
however, only one or two deposited the money they had 
collected, leaving Dore with a $20 million financial gap. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Dore said he contemplated borrowing the money from a 
private commercial bank to fill the gap.  In the end, 
however, he did not want to take the loan because an IMF 
delegation was in Guinea at that moment, and he said it was 
not prudent to borrow for a celebration with a Fund mission 
in Conakry. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Seeking alternative funding, Dore turned to 
controversial millionaire and close Conte ally Mamadou Sylla. 
 Sylla reportedly told Dore that he could lend him $20 
million on the condition that it be fully repaid by 30 
November, a deadline Dore said he could not meet.  Dore said 
he ended up borrowing $10 million from Sylla and the rest 
from a private commercial bank. 
 
----------------------- 
MEETING PRESIDENT CONTE 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) After his dismissal as Finance Minister in early 
October, Dore told Charge that he wrote a detailed report 
covering the financing and expenditures for the celebration. 
He said that he then sought to deliver it personally to 
President Conte; however, he was only able to get an 
appointment with the president after First Lady Henriette 
Conte intervened on his behalf.  When Dore arrived at the 
presidential residence on 10 December to deliver the report, 
he was reportedly barred entry by Red Berets.  Dore said he 
immediately called the First Lady, who told him the president 
was livid that he had been blocked, and immediately ordered 
his guards to open the gates.  During the meeting, Dore said 
Conte was lucid and appreciated receiving the report. 
 
----------------------- 
CONTE BLESSES THE COUP? 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Dore asserted that the aftermath of the recent coup 
reminded him very much of Lansana Conte's rise to power after 
the 1984 coup.  According to Dore, Dadis Camara had an 
audience with President Conte just before his death, arranged 
by Ousmane Conte, the eldest son of the president and an 
alleged drug kingpin.  Dadis reportedly told Conte what their 
plans were, and Conte gave Dadis his blessing to proceed. 
 
CONAKRY 00000026  002 OF 002 
 
 
When Charge asked Dore if he believed this version of events, 
Dore told her that he had reason to believe that it was true. 
 
------------------- 
THE CNDD AND THE PM 
------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Turning to the current political situation, Dore 
said that he had already spoken with both President Dadis 
Camara and Prime Minister Kabine Komara.  Dore said he 
believed Komara was a capable and intelligent individual. 
When Charge asked if he would accept a cabinet position in 
the new government, Dore said he would most likely refuse; 
however, he would consider joining the government in an 
advisory role. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Dore commented that he could understand why the 
United States would want to cut aid to Guinea.  He said that 
he had no problem with the decision, and said that it might 
get the new government's attention.  Dore agreed with the 
Charge that the timetable that called for 2010 elections was 
unrealistic.  Voicing his concern over the transition to 
civilian government, Dore described the scene at Camp Alpha 
Yaya as a "circus" where "almost everyone" is circulating 
resumes and trying to get a ministerial appointment. 
 
------------------ 
MALINKE DOMINATION 
------------------ 
 
¶10. (SBU) Addressing the ethnic makeup of the CNDD and the 
current government, Dore said that he was well aware that 
Malinkes dominate the council.  Dore said that it was a 
critical issue that the government will have to address by 
reaching out to the Puehl, though he did not comment on how 
they could best do this. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Almost all members of the international 
community--especially the World Bank and IMF ResReps--have a 
very positive opinion of Dore, and consider him to be one of 
the few people in Guinea who understands the intricacies of 
the HIPC debt relief program.  Dore told Charge that he had 
been widely distributing copies of his audit of the 50th 
Anniversary Celebration, and had already delivered it to the 
World Bank and the prime minister. He came across as candid 
and rational, and appeared to be trying to clear his name of 
the taint of scandal that surrounded his dismissal (reftel). 
Though he stated he had no other agenda, he might simply be 
letting the international community know that he is still 
observing events closely, and that he seeks to remain a voice 
of reason in the political wilderness.  END COMMENT. 
RASPOLIC