US embassy cable - 04ACCRA1556

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 001556 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2014 
TAGS: GH, PAREL, ECOWAS 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER ON ACCRA III AND LIBERIA TALKS 
 
 
Classified By: Polchief Richard Kaminski, reason 1.5 (B/D). 
 
1.  (C)  Summary.  Ambassador Yates met with Foreign Minister 
Akufo-Addo July 27, and spoke on the upcoming Accra III peace 
talks on Cote d'Ivoire, and the convocation of Liberian 
signatories to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of last 
summer. The minister's comments focused largely on the 
mechanics of the two meetings: a "no frills" atmosphere was 
envisaged, with (he hoped) attention and agreement on central 
points.  He made one request: the latest information the USG 
has on recent weapons acquisitions by the Gbagbo government. 
End summary. 
 
2.  (C)  For both Accra III and the Liberian talks, only 
heads of state, with selected others (Kofi Annan, Ibn 
Chambas, others) would be participating, he said -- that is, 
no diplomatic observers allowed.  Most of the Ivorien parties 
would be in Accra by Tuesday, July 27, and pre-talks would 
commence on Wednesday, July 28, with some expectation of 
finding common positions on the key issues.  From his 
comments, the minister appeared to suggest that meetings with 
individual delegations would form the bulk of these Wednesday 
consultations, rather than some form of collective meeting. 
Thursday morning, July 29, would see the formal start of the 
talks.  A communique would issue upon the termination of 
discussions. 
 
3.  (C)  Akufo-Addo had one request: could the USG provide 
him with the latest information it had on recent weapons 
acquisitions by the Gbagbo government.  Talk in some CI 
government circles of a "military solution" had ECOWAS 
concerned.  Information on weapons acquisition would be "very 
useful" at the talks, he said.  Ambassador Yates pledged to 
obtain what information the USG possessed. 
 
4.  (C) Akufo-Addo explained the late-breaking addition of 
Liberian talks as President Kufuor's wish to make "the best 
use" of UNSG Kofi Annan's and AU President Obasanjo's 
presence.  While acknowledging that better communication with 
Contact Group members on Liberia would have been preferable, 
he said that Kufuor and ECOWAS wanted to make the best use of 
the assembled heads of state as well.  The Liberian talks 
would begin as soon as the Cote d'Ivoire III talks finished, 
either on July 29 or 30.  While not directly addressing 
exactly how the review process on the CPA would proceed, he 
said that "we all feel" that a firm and directed discussion 
with the various Liberian parties was needed to keep the 
peace process "on track." 
 
5.  (C) Comment.  Akufo-Addo was his determinedly focused and 
attentive self, offering rapid-fire remarks while his aides 
clustered around him.  He offered no substantive insights 
into policy issues on either Accra III or the Liberian CPA 
review, but did promise a complete briefing upon their 
conclusion.  End comment. 
 
YATES