VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0092/01 0352154
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 042154Z FEB 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5769
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 1366
RUEHOU/AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU PRIORITY 0141

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000092 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC UV XV XA
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON BURKINA 
FASO PERMREP KAFANDO 
 
Classified By: U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE, FOR 
 REASONS 1.4 B/D 
 
¶1. (SBU)  THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. PLEASE SEE PARAGRAPH 6. 
 
¶2. (C) SUMMARY. Ambassador Rice shared U.S. priorities with 
Burkinabe PermRep Kafando in an initial call and asked for 
his views on Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Cote d'Ivoire.  Rice 
pressed for support against deferring Sudanese President 
Bashir's likely ICC prosecution, and Kafando appeared open to 
Burkina Faso considering a break from the African Union 
support for deferral.  On  Zimbabwe, Kafando thought the 
latest report of success in implementing the power-sharing 
agreement, if substantiated, was a "very good solution." 
Rice expressed concern regarding Russian efforts in the 
Security Council on Georgia, and Kafando believed an informal 
meeting, not a UN meeting, could be held for the Abkhaz. 
Kafando expressed concern over al-Qaida's presence in West 
Africa, especially in Mali and Niger; Rice asked for any 
suggested Burkinabe initiatives to combat it.  Kafando said 
Mauritania's coup against a democratically elected government 
was different from the coup in Guinea, where 
constitutionality had not been observed, and thus the 
countries should be treated differently.  Cote d'Ivoire's 
election will be held in late 2009 at the earliest, according 
to Kafando. END SUMMARY. 
 
BURKINA FASO OPEN TO BREAK FROM AU POSITION ON BASHIR DEFERRAL 
 
3.(C) During her introductory meeting with Burkinabe PermRep 
Michel Kafando February 2, Ambassador Rice urged Burkina Faso 
to consider not supporting the African Union (AU) position 
favoring an Article 16 deferral for ICC prosecution of 
Sudanese President Bashir.  Ambassador Kafando responded that 
Burkina Faso had so far backed the AU position supporting a 
deferral.  He noted the AU decision, reiterated during the AU 
heads of state meeting on February 2 in Addis Ababa, was due 
to concern over possible consequences in Darfur and Southern 
Sudan if the case went forward.  He also warned that UNAMID 
deployment could be compromised if prosecution of Bashir 
continued.  Rice emphasized that the Government of Sudan had 
had the opportunity to indicate a more conciliatory and 
measured approach, but has failed to do so.  She warned of 
the risk if the international community sent mixed signals 
regarding impunity and protection of civilians. 
 
DARFUR 
 
¶4. (C) Ambassador Rice informed Kafando that the Government 
of Sudan had asked the UN to evacuate UNAMID troops in 
Muhajeriya in obvious intensification of its bombing campaign 
against the JEM.  The UN refused, she reported, because 
30,000 civilians were seeking protection near UN facilities. 
Kafando agreed the situation in Southern Sudan and Darfur was 
very serious, and at the conclusion of the meeting asked if 
there were any messages he should deliver to Burkinabe 
President Campaore.  Ambassador Rice returned to the Bashir 
deferment and outlined a need for African leaders to stand 
against impunity.  She encouraged Burkina Faso to be a clear 
voice for accountability and the protection of civilians, and 
to be on the side of justice and non-violence.  She 
recognized the challenging position faced by both Burkina 
Faso and Uganda as members of the Security Council, since 
both nations had obligations to the AU, but stressed that 
impunity could not be allowed. 
 
¶5. (C) Ambassador Kafando appeared to soften his stance on 
deferment, saying "some positions are for Burkina Faso" (and 
not the AU) to make, and reminded Ambassador Rice of Burkina 
Faso's position on Zimbabwe, in which Ouagadougou broke from 
the AU stance in July 2008. (NOTE: In July 2008 Burkina Faso 
voted for a U.S.-sponsored resolution against Zimbabwe, which 
was vetoed by China and Russia.  South Africa and Libya also 
voted against the resolution. END NOTE.)  He asked that the 
U.S. ambassador in Ouagadougou also pressure the Burkinabe 
government on rejecting an Article 16 deferral, and promised 
to deliver Ambassador Rice's message to President Campaore. 
 
¶6. (C) ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests the Department consider 
a demarche to the Government of Burkina Faso for its support 
against the Article 16 deferral of Sudanese President Bashir. 
 
 
ZIMBABWE-KAFANDO SAYS AGREEMENT SHOULD BE FINAL BY 
MID-FEBRUARY 
 
¶7. (C) Ambassador Kafando said he had heard that MDC leader 
Tsvangirai had agreed to serve as Prime Minister, adding 
that, if true, "this was a very good solution."  He 
understood the division of Zimbabwe ministries should be 
 
 
finalized by mid-February.  Ambassador Rice expressed concern 
regarding 1) whether Tsvangirai had freely agreed to serve; 
2) whether a true unity government could be formed; and 3) 
whether the security sector, under this power-sharing 
agreement, would be prevented from further attacks on 
civilians.  She said Zimbabwe could not have two parallel 
governments, and without effective power-sharing the proposed 
coalition would crumble.  Kafando responded that the Southern 
African Development Community (SADC) had pressured Mugabe 
during the February 2 AU meeting to form a unity government, 
but Kafando did not yet know the conditions of the 
power-sharing agreement. 
 
RICE ASKS FOR SUPPORT ON GEORGIA 
 
¶8. (C) Ambassador Rice cautioned that the Russians were 
suggesting new text for the UNOMIG mandate renewal, which 
expires February 15.  She said the Russian push to allow 
Abkhaz representatives to participate in the Council under 
Rule 39 was not acceptable to the U.S. and other nations. 
Ambassador Kafando said he understood that the Council had 
agreed to meet Abkhaz representatives only in an Arria-style 
meeting.  (NOTE: The Council has yet to decide what, if any, 
type of meeting should be held. END NOTE.) 
 
AL-QAIDA IN WEST AFRICA CONCERNS BURKINA FASO 
 
¶9. (C) Ambassador Kafando said the presence of al-Qaida in 
West Africa was a major concern, especially in Niger and 
Mali. Ambassador Rice asked what initiatives would be most 
useful to address this shared challenge.  She underscored 
that the U.S. wanted to hear ideas from Burkina Faso and 
ECOWAS as soon as possible. 
 
COUPS IN GUINEA AND MAURITANIA "NOT THE SAME" TO OUAGADOUGOU 
 
¶10. (C) Ambassador Rice asked for Ambassador Kafando's 
perspective on recent coups in Guinea and Mauritania. 
Kafando replied that the two situations were different.  For 
Mauritania, he said an established democracy was overthrown, 
which was not acceptable.  For Guinea, during President 
Conte's rule, the Guinean constitution was not "observed" so 
the coup following Conte's death did not amount to the 
overthrow of a constitutional order.  Kafando did not support 
the coup in Guinea, but expressed the view that Guinea's 
situation should be dealt with more "tolerance."  Rice 
reiterated the distressing nature of both coups, and stressed 
democracy, not violent overthrow, was the only acceptable 
path for political change. 
 
 
COTE D'IVOIRE ELECTIONS IN LATE 2009, POSSIBLE TIMELINE BY 
FEBRUARY 16 
 
¶11. (C) Ambassador Rice thanked Burkina Faso for President 
Campaore's facilitation efforts in Cote d'Ivoire.  Ambassador 
Kafando reported elections should be held in the last part 
2009, as voter identification and registration was expected 
to be completed.  He was confident the fourth supplemental 
agreement to the Ouagadougou accords reached in December, 
which prioritized disarmament before the election, would 
solve the problem of disarmament, demobilization, and 
reintegration.  Kafando noted the February 16 meeting between 
the facilitation team and the committee evaluating the 
electoral process would offer new details for the election 
timeline. 
Rice