US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT369

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000369 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/W, NEA, NEA/ARPI, INR/B 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, PINR, TO, MU, International Relations 
SUBJECT: OMANI INFLUENCES GNASSINGBE ON TOGO DEMOCRACY 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. 
Reason: 1.4 (b, d). 
 
1. (C) Salim bin Nasser al-Ismaili (protect), appointed by 
the Sultan in 1996 to head the Omani Center for Investment 
Promotion and Export Development (OCIPED), revealed to the 
Ambassador in a March 1 meeting his personal intercession 
with self-proclaimed Togolese leader Faure Gnassingbe to end 
his unconstitutional power grab and compete in presidential 
elections legally.  Ismaili, who has been a close contact of 
the Embassy for many years, spoke of his personal 
relationship with former dictator Eyadema and son Faure built 
over years of making regular business trips to Togo (NFI). 
Alarmed by the mounting political crisis into which Togo was 
plunged following Faure's illegal seizure of power hours 
after his father's February 5 death, Ismaili consulted with 
Faure directly. 
 
2. (C) With blunt candor, Ismaili told Faure that it was a 
stupid move to take power unconstitutionally when he would be 
virtually assured of victory in early elections anyway.  In 
view of the growing international and domestic opposition, 
Ismaili counseled Gnassingbe to restore the constitutional 
order voluntarily rather than await his inevitable removal 
under foreign pressure.  Ismaili told the Ambassador that 
Gnassingbe listened attentively to his counsel, then promptly 
reached a deal on stepping down as speaker of parliament and 
simultaneously announcing his candidacy for president. 
 
3. (C) Comment: Recognizing his voice was but one in a chorus 
of international calls to step down, Ismaili thinks his 
long-term personal relationship with Gnassingbe gave his 
counsel some added weight. Ismaili is known to take on 
special projects for the Sultan; his communications with 
Faure probably had His Majesty's approval.  End comment. 
BALTIMORE