US embassy cable - 04MAPUTO710

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000710 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/RSA, AF/FO, AND ACOTA BHUGHES 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA CLUEKER 
COMUSNAVEUR FOR LT DOLAN, EUCOM PLEASE PASS POLAD NAPLES 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MASS, PTER, KHDP, MZ, EFIS, PKO, ACOTA, Coastal Security 
SUBJECT: COMNAVEUR VISIT STRESSES MARITIME BORDER CONCERNS 
 
REF: MAPUTO 659 
 
1. (U) On May 20 and 21, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces 
Europe, Admiral Gregory G. Johnson visited Maputo and met 
with Mozambican officials. His meetings principally covered 
USG concerns over Mozambique's lack of coastal patrol 
capacity, Mozambican success in the African Union 
Peacekeeping Mission in Burundi (AMIB), and the GRM interest 
in ACOTA peacekeeping training. 
 
2. (U) As part on AOR orientation trip to four African 
countries, USCOMNAVEUR met with Vice Minister of Defense 
Henrique Banze and Chief of Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM) 
General Lagos Lidimo. He also toured the Maputo port with 
Alec Don, of the Maputo Port Development Company, and had a 
lunch discussion with Ambassador Carlos dos Santos of the 
Presidency, Minister of Fisheries Cadmiel Mutemba, Banze, and 
Assistant Director of the Institute of the Sea and Borders 
Dr. Christiano Santos. He was accompanied on the calls by 
Ambassador, POLAD, flag aide, and notetakers. 
 
3. (SBU) Vice Minster Banze thanked the Admiral for his 
visit and his positive assessment of Mozambique's progress 
since 1992, bilateral relations with the USG, and their 
unique position as an MCA qualified country and partner in 
the President's AIDS Emergency Plan. Admiral Johnson also 
thanked Banze for his ministry's interest in the ACOTA 
program. Banze recognized the challenges faced by the GRM 
military in both staffing and resources, in particular the 
total lack of capacity to patrol Mozambique's long coastline. 
The GRM is aware that fishery and other natural resources 
are being plundered and that traffic in illegal migrants, 
narcotics, contraband, and possibly arms is transiting 
unhindered. Both agreed that international criminals and 
terrorists could exploit this weakness. Both Banze and 
General Lidimo outlined GRM interest in receiving timely 
ACOTA peacekeeping training to sent a trained replacement 
contingent to relieve the reinforced company that has been in 
Burundi since October 2003 by the end of this year. In the 
separate meetings they both also expressed the FADM's desire 
to increase their demining capability as a specialization for 
the small national military. 
 
4. (U) After receiving a tour and explanation of the ongoing 
efforts to rehabilitate the country's principal port and 
establish Maputo as a rival to Durban for traffic with South 
Africa's Gauteng region, the group attended a lunch hosted by 
the Ambassador. Discussion focused on Mozambique's role in 
the African Union, NEPAD, the AMIB, HIV/AIDS, and upcoming 
U.S. and Mozambican elections. 
 
5. (U) Admiral Johnson's party did not clear this message. 
LA LIME