US embassy cable - 05ABUJA1381

UNCLAS ABUJA 001381 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KUNR, AORC, NI, UNSC 
SUBJECT: G-4 RESOLUTION: NIGERIA WILL SUPPORT COMMON AU 
POSITION, WILL VOTE YES ON G4-AU COMPROMISE 
 
REF: (A) STATE 137602 (B) ABUJA 1351 
 
1.  (SBU) On July 27, Poloff asked Ambassador Chike 
Alex Anigbo, Director of the First United Nations 
Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), 
about Nigeria's position on the G-4 resolution. 
 
2.  (SBU) Anigbo replied that the G-4 resolution and 
the AU resolution were very similar, differing on very 
small points only, the largest of which is veto 
authority for new permanent members of the UNSC.  He 
said the two resolutions are converging, and that 
Nigeria would take the AU position, voting for the 
compromise resolution.  He said he doubted either the G- 
4 or the AU resolution would come up for a vote, but 
even if they did, "Nigeria would prefer the 
compromise."  He did not say specifically what 
Nigeria's vote would be on the G-4 resolution if it 
were presented to the UNGA, only that Nigeria would 
take the AU's position. 
 
3.  (SBU) Anigbo added that every AU member would 
support the AU position. Whenever Poloff asked during 
the conversation about Nigeria's specific intentions, 
Anigbo stayed on message:  Nigeria's position is the 
position of the AU, and no AU member country will 
diverge from the AU position. 
 
CAMPBELL