US embassy cable - 03ABUJA1230

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001230 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/08 
TAGS: PREL, MASS, MOPS, PINS, EPET, PGOV, NI, TP 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA'S INITIAL RESPONSE TO COUP IN SAO 
TOME 
 
 
Classified By A/DCM Brian L. Browne. Reasons 1.5 (b) 
and (d). 
 
 
1. (C) Ambassador Jeter talked separately to Sao 
Tomean President de Menezes and new Nigerian Foreign 
Minister Adeniji July 16.  According to both sources, 
President Obasanjo has been in direct communication 
with the coup leaders, telling them to stand down and 
return power to the country's constitutional, duly 
elected authorities.  The GON also issued a statement, 
through the Foreign Ministry, strongly condemning the 
coup. 
 
 
2. (U) As timing would have it, de Menezes was not the 
only Head of State in Abuja for the Sullivan Summit. 
During serial addresses before the Summit on July 16, 
several African Heads of State denounced the coup and 
called for restoration of the elected government.  AU 
Chairman President Chissano and ECOWAS Chairman 
President Kufuor were among those condemning the 
takeover.  Zimbabwe's Mugabe even joined the chorus. 
Senegalese President Wade offered the vague suggestion 
that ECOWAS take action, although Sao Tome is outside 
the formal ECOWAS ambit. The Summit has been a 
convenient if coincidental venue, particularly with 
the attendance of the AU Chairman, for Heads of State 
to confer about the coup.  As a possible indication 
that the Heads of State continued to meet, the 
presidential addresses scheduled on July 17 for the 
Summit, were cancelled. 
 
 
3. (C) Chief of Defense Staff General Ogomudia and the 
Service Chiefs met yesterday to discuss the coup.  We 
have not gotten a read-out of the meeting. 
 
 
JETER