Cablegate: Liberia: Demarche On Russian Recognition of Abkhazia And

VZCZCXRO4106
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHMV #0677 2470859
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030859Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0325
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS MONROVIA 000677

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID RS GG LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: DEMARCHE ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND
SOUTH OSSETIA

REF: STATE 90978

1. PolOff met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for
International Cooperation and Economic Integration Conmany Wesseh
August 29 to deliver reftel demarche. Wesseh said that to his
knowledge there had been no internal GOL discussions as of yet on
formulating a position with respect to Russia's recognition of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia and that Liberia would arrive at a
position in conjunction with its ECOWAS partners.

2. (SBU) Wesseh, who was just nominated to be Liberia's Permanent
Representative to the United Nations, said he personally was very
concerned about the "old Cold War rhetoric being thrown around on
both sides" and hoped that the new international order would not be
threatened. He said his personal opinion was that the international
community should take care not to "disrespect mighty Russia" in a
way that would encourage it to make alliances with terrorist
states.

3. (SBU) Wesseh said that Liberia has not done much at all to engage
Russia as a development partner but that he personally would not be
averse to doing so in the future.

THOMAS-GREENFIELD

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