US embassy cable - 04BRASILIA2730

UNCLAS BRASILIA 002730 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SECSTATE PLEASE PASS AMEMBASSY BISSAU; STATE ALSO FOR AF, 
AF/W, IO/UNP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPKO, MOPS, BR, GB, UNSC, External Relations 
SUBJECT: BRAZIL URGES GUINEA BISSAU BE PLACED ON UNSC FRONT 
BURNER 
 
REF: BRASILIA 2671 
 
1.  (SBU)  According to Ministry of External Relations (MRE) 
Africa Division Chief Joao Inacio Oswaldo Padilha, an 
extraordinary meeting of the Community of Portuguese Language 
Countries (CPLP) will be held 2 November in Lisbon to discuss 
the deteriorating political and economic situation in Guinea 
Bissau. Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim is slated to 
attend. In its deliberations, Padilha said, the CPLP will 
review ways to coordinate with the African Union and ECOWAS 
on initiatives to address the Guinea Bissau crisis. It will 
also discuss how to increase UNSC attention to Guinea Bissau. 
Padilha inicated he himself will be traveling to Bissau later 
in the week. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Although Padilha described as "pointless" the 
sending of troops to Guinea Bissau at this time, he believed 
a significant PKO deployment was almost inevitable.  Through 
the extraordinary meeting in Lisbon and in recent statements 
at the UNSC, Brazil hoped to demonstrate its leadership 
within the CPLP and its commitment to raising the profile of 
the Guinea Bissau crisis. The first order of UNSC business, 
Padilha noted, would be for a renewal of UNOGBIS, whose 
mandate expires in December, and revision of the TOR for its 
mission -- points raised with poloff days earlier by 
Padilha's counterpart in MRE's United Nations Division 
(reftel).  He also confirmed that President Lula would almost 
assuredly visit Guinea Bissau during his next visit to 
Africa, most likely during the first half of 2005. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Comment: This is the second time in four days that 
a MRE official has raised Guinea Bissau with poloff. The MRE 
appears eager to get USG attention. Both diplomats provided 
to poloff a strong sense that Brazil fears the USG will 
downplay or overlook Guinea Bissau in light of other world 
events. 
 
Danilovich