US embassy cable - 04ACCRA2340

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002340 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2014 
TAGS: GH, LI, PREL 
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUP ON LIBERIA - GHANA 
VIEWS 
 
REF: STATE 246175 
 
Classified By: PolChief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.5 d and e. 
 
1.  (C)  On November 24, PolChief met with Mr. G.A.A. Saame, 
Ghana's Acting Director for African Affairs at the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs, and his Acting Deputy, Mrs. Abadoo, to 
deliver reftel points on the need for better local 
coordination and consensus within the International Contact 
Group on  Liberia (ICGL).   Both MFA contacts are very new on 
the job and neither knew about the ICGL coordination problems 
in Liberia.  On November 26, PolChief spoke again with Mr. 
Saame, who said he was drafting a memo on the issue to the 
Foreign Minister.  We will follow up with the Ministry again 
in the coming week. 
 
2.  (C)  Comment:  The Minister is running for reelection in 
the December 7 parliamentary and presidential elections and 
travels extensively with the President on the campaign trail. 
 It will be difficult to get his attention on the ICGL issue. 
 While we were disappointed at the lack of information at the 
MFA's Africa Department, our interlocutors were cooperative 
and appear to understand the importance of the issue.  End 
comment. 
YATES