US embassy cable - 05MAPUTO122

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000122 
 
SIPDIS 
FOR IIP/G/AF; AF/PD (CDALTON); AF/S (HTREGER); AF/PD 
(JBARNES) 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OIIP, OPRC, PREL, MZ 
SUBJECT: CHISSANO PRAISES U.S.-MOZAMBIQUE TIES 
FOLLOWING PRESIDENT BUSH'S INAUGURATION 
 
 
1. On January 21, all official media, including radio 
and television, carried President Chissano's upbeat 
comments about the state of U.S.-Mozambican relations. 
Chissano spoke with reporters on January 19 at the 
Foreign Ministry, during a ceremony in his honor. The 
official daily Noticias (circulation 25,000, readership 
250,000) published the story on its inside 
international news page headlined, "Chissano Confident 
about American Foreign Policy." An informal translation 
of the Portuguese original follows. 
 
2. BEGIN TRANSLATION: Outgoing Mozambican President 
Joaquim Chissano expressed confidence Thursday in 
Maputo that U.S. foreign policy toward Africa and 
especially Mozambique will remain unchanged, since 
President remains in office, and (even) if policy were 
to change, it would be for the better. Reacting to the 
inauguration yesterday of Bush for his second and last 
term, Chissano said that the American government has 
effected a good foreign policy. 
"I think that nothing is happening in Mozambique that 
might be a reason for concern on the part of the United 
States; to the contrary, that country's relationship 
with Mozambique has been viewed as benefiting the 
United States in the region and throughout the 
continent." For the Mozambican statesman, relations 
between the two countries will continue in the same 
direction, and he referred to the fact that President 
Bush has on various occasions expressed his admiration 
for our country and his desire that we make greater 
progress. 
"Even if there are differences over one or another 
point, I think that we are going to continue with good 
relations," said Chissano, who will end his service as 
Chief of State next February, a position he has held 
since 1986. END TRANSLATION 
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