VZCZCXRO6801
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHYD #0036 0141614
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141614Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9570
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 0276
RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 0004
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000036 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS AF/C 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CM EC PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN CAMEROON ARGUES FOR 
FREEZING SUPPORT TO ELECAM 
 
REF: A. YAOUNDE 28 
     ¶B. YAOUNDE 24 
     ¶C. 08 YAOUNDE 1257 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  European Commission Ambassadors based in Cameroon 
decided in a January 13 meeting to seek a freeze of support 
to the recently created, seriously flawed Electoral 
Commission ELECAM (reftels).  According to Claude Bochu, 
Political Advisor to the European Commission in Cameroon, the 
European Ambassadors decided to suggest to their headquarters 
that the EC indefinitely freeze preparations to initiate a 
2-3 million Euro program earmarked from the European 
Development Fund to support ELECAM in 2010.  To go forward, 
this program needs approval by March 2009, he said.  The EC 
will wait to see how ELECAM evolves (for example, who they 
recruit for the hundreds of jobs they will need filled) 
before considering lifting this freeze.  In addition, the 
Ambassadors decided not to move forward with four planned 
prepatory studies for ELECAM valued at 135,000 Euros (and 
making up a large percentage of the UN program's ELECAM 
budget), Bochu said, noting that two other such studies have 
already been completed. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Bochu was confident the European capitals would 
support these moves, saying that many of their initial 
reactions were even more radical.  The January 13 decision 
has not yet been made public, Bochu said, but he thought the 
EC might be in a position to comment publicly very soon.  It 
might take up to ten days for an agreed European Union 
position, he thought. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The EC and Commonwealth rep will likely inform 
Prime Minister Inoni about this decision in a planned meeting 
the Ambassador will also attend (representing the 8 plus 6 
group) on January 15.  This will no doubt get the PM's 
attention, although we question his ability to influence 
ELECAM decisions.   Ambassador will also discuss ELECAM in a 
scheduled meeting with the Secretary General at the 
Presidency on January 16.  Bochu did not have big 
expectations that the GRC would change their ELECAM plans as 
a result of the EC decision.  However, the move makes it more 
likely we will see the Commonwealth and EU take a firm 
position on this issue, which could prove to be the biggest 
rebuke of the Biya regime by the international community in 
recent years. 
GARVEY