US embassy cable - 03ABUJA1562

UNCLAS ABUJA 001562 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
ALSO FOR PATRICIA ROBINSON  XIM 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN, KTIA, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA PREPARED TO SIGN BILATERAL DEBT 
AGREEMENT 
 
 
REF: (A) WONG-GREGOIRE 082703/1920 E-MAIL AND 
ATTACHMENTS (NOTAL), (B) ROBINSON-WONG 082603/0835 E- 
MAIL AND ATTACHMENTS (NOTAL) 
 
 
1.  IN RESPONSE TO REF A, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF 
NIGERIA'S DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE (DMO) AKIN ARIKAWE 
TOLD ECON COUNSELOR AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER 4 THAT THE 
DMO IS PREPARED TO SIGN A BILATERAL DEBT AGREEMENT 
WITH THE USG WITHIN A WEEK; I.E., BY SEPTEMBER 12, 
2003. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN WE MIGHT EXPECT A CABLE 
FROM WASHINGTON AUTHORIZING EMBASSY CHARGE ROGER A. 
MEECE (CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, A.I.) TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT. 
 
 
2. IF POSSIBLE, MISSION WOULD PREFER TO SIGN THE 
AGREEMENT THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 8. FINANCE MINISTER 
NGOZI, WHO WILL SIGN IT ON BEHALF OF THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, WILL BE IN NIGERIA ONLY DURING 
THAT WEEK IN SEPTEMBER.  ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 12, SHE 
WILL TO TRAVEL TO BAHRAIN FOR THE WORLD BANK AND IMF 
FALL MEETINGS, AND MAY NOT RETURN TO NIGERIA UNTIL THE 
FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER. 
 
 
3.  PLEASE SEND US THE FINAL AGREEMENT FOR SIGNATURE 
BY UPS OR DHL NO LATER THAN CLOSE OF BUSINESS MONDAY, 
SEPTEMBER 8, IF IT IS TO BE SIGNED NO LATER THAN THE 
END OF NEXT WEEK. 
 
 
MEECE