VZCZCXRO5309
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0219/01 1111649
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211649Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3616
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000219 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: THE CALL FROM KALOUM: A NEW RALLYING CRY FOR DADIS 
 
REF: CONAKRY 0195 
 
 1.(SBU) SUMMARY. PolEcon Chief met with the Secretary 
General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a senior 
career diplomat and discussed the current political situation 
in Guinea, pressing the need for elections and a return to a 
semblance of rule of law. Both officials consistently 
defended the CNDD, asked for recognition of "the good things 
the CNDD has done," and saw no problem with CNDD President 
Moussa Dadis Camara running for President. A speech by the 
Minister of Foreign Affairs attended by the Charge later in 
the day also alluded to the possibility of Dadis' candidacy. 
END SUMMARY. 
------------------------ 
IF HE'S ELECTED,SO WHAT? 
------------------------ 
 
2.(SBU ) PolEcon Chief and PolOff met with the Secretary 
General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Balamoussa 
Camara, and the Director of International Organizations, 
Ambassador Nhur Mohamed Kamara, at the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs on April 20.  PolEcon Chief delivered a demarche 
(septel), and then took the opportunity to engage both 
officials in a frank discussion about the U.S. position 
towards the current administration. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Both senior career diplomats were eager to talk and 
appeared to enjoy the exchange of ideas, despite very few 
points of concurrence. Ambassador Nhur is a well known to the 
Embassy and formerly headed the American Affairs office. 
Secretary General Camara was appointed just one month before 
the coup d'etat. Both men steadfastly defended the CNDD's 
position on a variety of issues.  When asked about the 
elections, they stated that it is impossible to have 
elections too quickly and subtly indicated that they would 
support the CNDD President, Moussa Dadis Camara, should he 
decide to "hang up his uniform and run for President," as 
Dadis reportedly threatened to do last week.  "If the people 
choose to elect him, what is the problem?" they asked 
perplexedly. PolEcon Chief maintained that an election won by 
the person who organized them after illegally seizing power 
would be unacceptable to the USG. 
 
-------------- 
ZERO TOLERANCE 
-------------- 
¶4. (SBU) When PolEcon Chief stated that the U.S. maintains a 
zero tolerance policy towards coup d'etats, the two men 
remained silent. Both officials had settled back into the 
cracked plastic sofas, but Ambassador Nhur became quite 
animated after, leaning forward in an attempt to persuade. He 
insisted that the U.S. "must recognize the positive things 
that the CNDD is doing." When PolEcon Chief stated that the 
CNDD was an illegitimate government and that until elections 
were held there would be no change in the United States' 
position, the men appeared disheartened. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Located in a run-down, dingy office building, the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a bleak environment. The 
offices are dark and heavy and there is a general sense of 
deterioration and isolation. When asked about the 
extra-judiciary Office of Conflicts operating in Camp Alpha 
Yaya (septel), there was no comment or recognition, nor was 
there a response when it was pointed out that this 
extra-judiciary body had reportedly overturned a Supreme 
Court case.  PolEcon Chief pointed out that human rights and 
the rule of law are imperiled when military officers, 
untrained in judicial proceedings, install themselves as 
judges and hand down rulings at random. Ambassador Nuhr and 
the Secretary General defended the Dadis Show -- where 
government officials, drug dealers and senior mining 
executives -- are interrogated by Captain Dadis on national 
television saying, "no one has been sentenced to jail on 
televisions -- they are handed over for trial." 
 
------------------- 
AN AFRICAN SOLUTION 
------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The same day, the diplomatic corps, heads of 
missions, and international agencies were summoned to the 
Ministry.  In a prepared speech the Minister of Foreign 
Affairs, Alexandre Cece Loua, reassured the diplomats that 
the CNDD is dedicated to holding free and transparent 
elections, but will need their financial assistance. At the 
end of the speech he referred to the "call from Kaloum," the 
neighborhood where Dadis recently held a large rally and 
reportedly declared that as the other political parties were 
not prepared to run the country, and if opposition leaders 
 
CONAKRY 00000219  002 OF 002 
 
 
continued to disrespect him, then he might have to "hang up 
his uniform and run" (reftel). When asked by the German 
Ambassador if Dadis would run for election, the Minister 
enigmatically replied that that "is an African question and 
it will have an African response." 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) It appears that increasingly Dadis may be preparing 
to run for president. Local press reports have mentioned 
"panic and despair among Guineans" who previously believed 
Dadis would step down as promised.  At the same time, these 
senior MFA officials did not seem to see any problem with 
Dadis' potential candidacy.  They appeared passionately 
supportive of the CNDD and were adamant that the USG needs to 
adapt its policy position to accommodate Guinea's "unique 
situation."  They gave the impression that the USG's position 
is nave and does not accurately reflect the reality on the 
ground. 
RASPOLIC