US embassy cable - 96BANJUL468

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000468 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL GA US 
SUBJECT:  TEXT OF SPEECH GIVEN BY AMBASSADOR SCOTT UPON 
PRESENTATION OF HIS CREDENTIALS AND THE RESPONSE BY 
CHAIRMAN JAMMEH 
 
REF:  BANJUL 467 
 
1.  FOLLOWING ARE THE REMARKS MADE BY AMBASSADOR GERALD 
W. SCOTT UPON PRESENTATION OF HIS CREDENTIALS ON 
FEBRUARY 16. 
 
QUOTE:  MR. CHAIRMAN:  I HAVE THE HONOR TO PRESENT TO 
YOUR EXCELLENCY AS CHIEF OF STATE THE LETTER OF RECALL 
OF MY PREDECESSOR AND WITH IT THE LETTER FROM MY 
PRESIDENT ACCREDITING ME TO YOU AND TO THE GOVERNMENT OF 
THE GAMBIA AS HIS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE. 
 
I AM GREATLY HONORED BY THIS RESPONSIBILITY AND I WISH 
TO ASSURE YOUR EXCELLENCY OF MY PERSONAL DESIRE TO 
PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE TIES OF FRIENDSHIP AND 
COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS. 
 
IN EXERCISING THIS RESPONSIBILITY I HOPE TO ACQUIRE A 
WIDE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE GAMBIA AND TO 
COME TO KNOW ITS PEOPLE -- WHOSE MARKED VIRTUE AND 
FRIENDLY CHARACTER HAVE BEEN ATTESTED BY ALL TO WHOM I 
HAVE SPOKEN.  BUT IT WILL BE MY SPECIAL DESIRE, 
EXCELLENCY, TO FOSTER CLEAR AND HELPFUL COMMUNICATION 
BETWEEN MY GOVERNMENT AND YOURS.  IN DOING SO, IT WILL 
BE MY ENDEAVOR TO CONVEY MY GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS WITH 
ACCURACY AND TO REPORT FAITHFULLY THE VIEWS OF YOUR 
EXCELLENCY AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE GAMBIA. 
 
IN SPITE OF THE BEST INTENTIONS OF MEN OF GOOD WILL, WE 
LIVE IN A TROUBLED WORLD. THE REGION OF WEST AFRICA HAS 
NOT ESCAPED THE FLAIL OF CIVIL WAR.  IT IS WITH A 
SPECIAL FEELING OF RESPONSIBILITY, THEREFORE, THAT I 
ARRIVE TO REPRESENT MY GOVERNMENT BEFORE YOU, THE LEADER 
OF A NATION AT PEACE WITH ITS NEIGHBORS AND A NATION 
WHICH CAN ACT TO PROMOTE PEACE, STABILITY AND 
RECONCILIATION IN THE REGION.  I WISH ESPECIALLY TO 
ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRIVILEGE OF ASSISTING AT A KEY MOMENT 
IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAMBIA AS GAMBIANS PROCEED IN THE 
NEXT FEW MONTHS UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP TO ESTABLISH A NEW 
CONSTITUTION AND A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY.  IT IS THE 
EARNEST HOPE OF MY GOVERNMENT THAT THIS TRANSITION WILL 
LEAD TO AN ERA OF PEACE, PROSPERITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL 
THE CITIZENS OF THE GAMBIA. 
 
MR. CHAIRMAN, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE GAMBIA AND THE 
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, EACH IN ITS 
OWN WAY, SEEK THE GOOD OF ITS OWN PEOPLE AND OF THE 
LARGER WORLD.  OUR COUNTRIES HAVE MANY GOALS IN COMMON 
AND MANY AREAS IN WHICH WE CAN BE OF MUTUAL SUPPORT.  IT 
IS POSSIBLE THAT WE WILL DISAGREE UPON OCCASION, BUT I 
PLEDGE TO WEIGH CAREFULLY AND FULLY ANY VIEWS YOUR 
EXCELLENCY OR YOUR GOVERNMENT'S MINISTERS MAY OFFER. 
AND SHOULD THERE BE A DIVERGENCE OF VIEW, IT WILL BE MY 
ENDEAVOR TO ASSURE THAT THESE ARE COUCHED IN THE TERMS 
OF RESPECT AND MODERATION THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO 
EXCHANGES BETWEEN TWO NATIONS OF SUCH LONG-STANDING 
FRIENDSHIP. 
 
MR. CHAIRMAN, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN AN ERA IN 
WHICH THE FOSTERING OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT, 
THE NURTURING OF RESPONSIBLE AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, 
AND THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES ARE GOALS 
UNIVERSALLY PROCLAIMED.  THE GAMBIA AND THE UNITED 
STATES OF AMERICA BOTH WORK TOWARDS THESE OBJECTIVES. 
AS WE DO SO, I BEG YOU TO COUNT ON THE SYMPATHY AND 
COOPERATION OF MY GOVERNMENT.  AND I PARTICULARLY ASK 
THAT YOU COUNT ON ME AND MY EMBASSY TO ASSIST IN 
WHATEVER WAY IS APPROPRIATE TO SUPPORT PROGRESS TOWARDS 
THE MANY GOALS COMMON TO US BOTH.  END QUOTE. 
 
2.  RESPONSE BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AFPRC AND HEAD OF 
STATE, CAPTAIN YAHYA A.J.J. JAMMEH: 
 
QUOTE:  MR. AMBASSADOR, IN ACCEPTING YOUR LETTERS OF 
CREDENCE, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR 
APPOINTMENT AS AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND 
PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.  I ALSO 
ACCEPT THE LETTERS OF RECALL OF YOUR PREDECESSOR. 
I AM PARTICULARLY PLEASED THAT YOU ARE DETERMINED TO 
PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE TIES OF FRIENDSHIP AND 
COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES.  THE GAMBIA AND 
THE UNITED STATES HAVE TRADITIONALLY ENJOYED DECADES OF 
FRUITFUL AND MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONS.  IT IS OUR 
SINCERE HOPE THAT SUCH COOPERATION WILL REMAIN THE BASIS 
FOR STILL CLOSER TIES AND INTERACTIONS IN AS MANY AREAS 
AS POSSIBLE. 
 
MR. AMBASSADOR, I WELCOME YOUR INTENTION TO FOSTER 
UNBIASED AND HELPFUL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE 
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE GOVERNMENT OF 
THE GAMBIA.  MAINTAINING OBJECTIVE LINES OF 
COMMUNICATION IS AN IMPORTANT PREREQUISITE IN THE 
CORDIAL AND EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF THE MULTIFACETED 
RELATIONS BETWEEN ANY TWO COUNTRIES.  ON THE CONTRARY, 
BIASED AND SENSATIONAL REPORTING DELIBERATELY AIMED AT 
DESTABILISATION, CREATES SUSPICION WHICH IN TURN 
ADVERSELY AFFECTS BILATERAL RELATIONS.  I THEREFORE 
WELCOME YOUR SCOPE AND BREADTH OF VISION.  THERE MAY AT 
TIMES BE DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS ON 
CERTAIN MATTERS OF COMMON INTEREST, BUT WE SHOULD 
HEARTILY AGREE TO DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE. 
OUR PERSPECTIVES AND SOCIAL ONTOLOGY MAY BE DIFFERENT, 
BUT WE HAVE A COMMONALITY OF INTENT TO DO WHAT IS BEST 
FOR OUR RESPECTIVE PEOPLES. 
 
AS TWO SOVEREIGN NATIONS, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE CATER 
FOR EACH OTHER'S NUANCES; EACH OTHER'S SOVEREIGN RIGHT 
AS A STATE MUST BE RESPECTED, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE 
PECULIARITIES OF OUR SOCIO-ECONOMIC HISTORY AND THE 
PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES.  WE MUST HAVE MUTUAL RESPECT 
FOR EACH OTHER'S SOVEREIGNTY IRRESPECTIVE OF THE SIZE 
AND ECONOMIC POWER OF THE COUNTRY CONCERNED.  WHAT IS 
IMPORTANT IS THE PEOPLE OF CITIZENS OF THAT COUNTRY WHO 
HAVE THE INALIENABLE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN SYSTEM OF 
GOVERNMENT WITHOUT EXTERNAL INTERFERENCE.  THE GAMBIA IS 
NO EXCEPTION. 
 
MR. AMBASSADOR, YOU ASSUME YOUR DUTIES AT A TIME WHEN 
THE GAMBIA IS GOING THROUGH THE MOST CRUCIAL TURNING- 
POINT IN ITS HISTORY SINCE INDEPENDENCE.  THOMAS 
JEFFERSON, ONE OF THE PIONEERING SPIRITS WHO GAVE BIRTH 
TO SOME OF THE GREATEST IDEALS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, 
WAS EMPHATIC THAT A GOVERNMENT THAT IS NOT 
REPRESENTATIVE OF ITS PEOPLE DESERVES TO BE THROWN OUT. 
WE DID JUST THAT. 
 
SINCE WE TOOK OVER THE REINS OF GOVERNMENT ON JULY 22ND 
1994, THE ARMED FORCES PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL HAS 
BEEN DILIGENTLY IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAMME OF 
RECTIFICATION AND A TIMETABLE FOR A TRANSITION TO 
DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTIONAL RULE BY JULY 1996.  WE HAVE 
NOT MET ALL THE SCHEDULED DEADLINES ON TIME BUT ALL THE 
NECESSARY EFFORT IS BEING MADE WITH CONSIDERABLE 
SUCCESS.  MOST OF OUR PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WILL 
BE COMPLETED WELL BEFORE THE ELECTIONS; AND ON THE 
GOVERNANCE TIMETABLE MOST OF THE MAJOR STEPS TOWARDS THE 
ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN. 
 
ACCORDINGLY, ONCE AGAIN, WE URGE ALL FRIENDLY COUNTRIES 
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CHERISH THE IDEALS OF TRUE 
DEMOCRACY TO ASSIST THE GAMBIA IN WHICHEVER WAY THEY CAN 
IN THE TRANSITION TO DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTIONAL RULE 
BASED ON SOCIAL JUSTICE. 
 
IN CONCLUSION, LET ME AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR 
ASSIGNMENT WELCOME YOU ONCE AGAIN TO THE GAMBIA AND 
REASSURE YOU OF MY FULL SUPPORT AND THAT OF THE ENTIRE 
GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF THE GAMBIA IN THE 
ACCOMPLISHMENT OF YOUR IMPORTANT MISSION. 
 
I SINCERELY HOPE THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GAMBIA AND 
THE UNITED STATES WILL BE IMPROVED UPON DURING YOUR TERM 
OF OFFICE.  I THANK YOU.  UNQUOTE. 
 
 
SCOTT