US embassy cable - 03ABUJA1655

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001655 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2013 
TAGS: PREL, GZ, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA:  NO MILITARY GOVERNMENT ACCEPTABLE IN 
GUINEA-BISSAU 
 
REF: ABUJA 1654 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CDA ROGER MEECE FOR REASONS 1.5 (b) AND (d). 
 
 
1. (C) In a courtesy call largely devoted to Liberia 
(reftel), MFA MinState Samaila brought up Guinea-Bissau and 
stated that Nigeria would not accept any military government 
there.  Specifically, as long as there were military men in 
the government at any level, no new government would be 
accepted.   Nigeria was prepared to "close its Embassy" in 
Guinea-Bissau if a civilian government was not put in place 
after more than a week.  Nigeria was fully aware of the 
previous regime's problems -- not having paid civil servants 
for nine months, schools for seven months, or hospitals for 
six months -- but military rule was an unacceptable answer. 
Samaila commented that Senegal might not take such action on 
Guinea-Bissau because of Casamance, despite Nigeria's strong 
effort. 
 
 
2. (C) COMMENT:  While Samaila might have blustered a bit 
about closing Nigeria's Embassy, his firm line opposing 
continued military rule in Guinea-Bissau is fully consistent 
with what we are hearing from all sources here. 
MEECE