Cablegate: Uganda: Niger Coup Demarche Response

VZCZCXRO4459
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHKM #1267 3030916
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300916Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1910
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA 0001

UNCLAS KAMPALA 001267

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR AF/W JANE DENNISON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA: NIGER COUP DEMARCHE RESPONSE

REF: STATE 110957

(SBU) Poloff delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs'
Multilateral Affairs Officer Issac Sebulime on October 28
reftel demarche encouraging the African Union (AU) to condemn
the constitutional coup in Niger. Sebulime commented that
Uganda spearheaded UNSC resolutions on the coups in
Mauritania and Madagascar and helped draft the Security
Council President's statement on unconstitutional transitions
earlier this year. He commended ECOWAS for taking decisive
action by suspending Niger's membership, and said the muted
AU response may be partially due to the strong personal
relationship between Niger and the AU's Peace and Security
Commission (PSC) Chairman Ramtane Lamamra. Sebulime
attributed ECOWAS' strong response to Nigeria, which has
experience with Presidents seeking to undo term limitations.
He said Uganda is unlikely to pressure the PSC to take a
stronger stance because AU members generally let countries in
affected regions take the lead and Uganda will therefore
defer to Niger's west African neighbors.
LANIER

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