US embassy cable - 05DARESSALAAM1274

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 001274 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Sensitive 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, TZ, UN, UNSC 
SUBJECT: Tanzanian Response to UNSC Reform Proposals 
 
REF: STATE 119897 
 
1. (SBU) On June 29, Poloff discussed the talking points 
in reftel with the director of the Foreign Ministry's 
Security Council Unit, Vitalis Njiku.  Mr. Njiku was just 
hours away from departing for Libya and the African Union 
Summit.  He was very attentive to the details of the 
talking points, saying that he had heard that a US 
proposal was circulating, but needed to confirm the 
details prior to the discussions of Security Council 
reform at the AU summit. 
 
2. (SBU) Mr. Njiku was clearly disappointed at the 
details of the proposal.  In his interpretation, the US 
position that there should be no more than two new 
permanent seats meant "no hope for Africa."  He said that 
Africa was the only region not represented with a 
permanent seat on the Security Council.  He was not much 
mollified by the prospect of an expanded number of non- 
permanent seats or a longer term for non-permanent 
members.  Mr. Njiku noted that, given a longer term, each 
African country would have to wait a long time to take 
its turn on the UNSC.  He inquired about the chances that 
the US proposal would be approved.  Mr. Njiku said that 
he would nonetheless discuss the proposal with his 
superiors, who would give it due consideration. 
 
3. (U) Incidentally, the Tanzanian press reported that 
the chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs 
Committee, M.P. William Shija, has recommended that 
Tanzania seek a permanent seat on the Security Council. 
 
Owen