US embassy cable - 01ABUJA2218

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 002218 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W:BOOTH AND AF/RA:BITTRICK 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2011 
TAGS: MASS, MARR, KPKO, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ARMY MINISTER ON OFR ISSUES AND UNAMSIL 
ROTATIONS 
 
REF: A. STATE 151930 
     B. ABUJA 2117 
 
 
(U) Classified by CDA Andrews; Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
 
1. (U) CDA, accompanied by DATT and PolMilOff, called on Army 
Minister Batagarawa 4 September to discuss OFR issues and Ref 
A points on UNAMSIL rotations. 
 
 
2. (C) Batagarawa said he would meet with his Joint and Legal 
Staff and promised to provide an answer on the Memorandum of 
Intent this week. 
 
 
3. (C) Batagarawa was unaware of the President's commitment 
on January rotations made to the Ambassador (Ref B), but 
promised to look into both requests and provide an answer to 
the Embassy by September 10.  Batagarawa understands that, 
should one Nigerian battalion rotate out in September (as 
scheduled) and the other one in January (as we are 
requesting), Nigeria would have three battalions in Sierra 
Leone (all OFR-trained), but a reduction of one overall. 
 
 
4. (C) COMMENT: We were not surprised that the President's 
decision had not filtered down to the Minister or the 
Services.  Often, the Embassy is required to carry 
information from one place to another within the GON to 
ensure a coordinated response.  END COMMENT. 
 
 
5. (U) Freetown minimize considered. 
Andrews