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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7719

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000327 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y - CHANGE TO PARA 3 (ADD TEXT) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/W 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2019 
TAGS: PREL GV EK ECOWAS AU
SUBJECT: AU SUMMIT -- AF ACTING A/S CARTER MEETS WITH 
ECOWAS CHAIR 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  AF Acting Assistant Secretary Phillip Carter 
met with Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) 
Chair Mohamed Chambas February 2 on the margins of the 
African Union Summit.  Carter thanked ECOWAS for its 
principled stand against the coup in Guinea and the two 
discussed elections assistance.  Chambas also expressed 
concern about the situation in Guinea Bissau.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Carter said he appreciated the leadership ECOWAS had 
shown in refusing to accept the coup in Guinea.  ECOWAS and 
the rest of the international community have an opportunity 
to turn the situation around.  Chambas said it is not very 
encouraging.  He is beginning to question how coherent the 
military junta is.  "If they just open up a little, then we 
can work with them.  On the contrary, they seem to be 
hardening their positions."  Carter, speaking from his 
experience of having recently returned as Ambassador in 
Conakry,  said the junta is insular, with no idea what is 
going on.  Most of them do not know what they are doing, and 
the ones that do are up to no good.  The USG has indications 
that narcotics traffickers are seeking to consolidate their 
grip on the country, which is a very dangerous development. 
Chambas said it would use the ECOWAS and AU resolution to 
move forward. 
 
¶3. (C) Carter said the USG is thinking it would be possible 
to push for legislative elections in June, after which a 
constitutionally acceptable, interim government could be 
established.  Then the country and the international 
community could plan for presidential elections within the 
year.  He asked Chambas what the United States could do to 
help.  Chambas mentioned elections.  "We don't know to what 
extent the voter identification/registration  process 
continues."  Carter replied that we are already doing a lot 
with elections in Guinea but would see if we can identify new 
and additional resources.  Chambas mentioned that an ECOWAS 
contact group had been established and that it would be 
holding its first meeting in Conakry on or about February 16. 
 He urged that a representative from Washington be sent to 
join the meeting.  Carter said that the Africa Bureau would 
send someone to attend. 
 
¶4. (C) Chambas mentioned his preoccupation with narcotics 
trafficking and security sector reform in Guinea-Bissau.  He 
is working on establishing a joint needs assessment team with 
a limited group to include the European Union, Spain, and 
Brazil.  He also noted that, with Canada taking the lead on 
the donor side, ECOWAS is making progress with institutional 
reform. 
 
¶5. (U) Acting A/S Carter approved this message. 
YAMAMOTO