DEPT AF/E FOR B YODER, C PELT AND AF/RSA FOR J NAY,
C BECK, M BITTRICK
DEPT ALSO FOR IO, PM/SNA FOR P JANZEN
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016
SUBJECT: TANZANIA: MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS DISCUSSES
PEACEKEEPING, IRAN AND UN SECURITY COUNCIL WITH AMBASSADOR
REF: A. DAR ES SALAAM 0498
¶B. STATE 026072
Classified By: Political Officer Mary B. Johnson for reasons 1.4(b,d)
Summary
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¶1. (S) Ambassador Retzer met the Minister of Foreign Affairs on March 15 in Arusha to discuss Article 98, the upcoming late March visit of an ACOTA team, and the long-standing U.S. request for Tanzania to allow surveillance over-flights. Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in January 2006, said she would designate an MFA liaison to interface with the USG on political-military issues. She also asked her staff to prepare background information for her on the Article 98 and over-flight issues with the promise to get back to the Ambassador with a reply.
¶2. (C) In response to the Ambassador,s request for Tanzania, as a UN Security Council (UNSC) member, to support the United States position on the Iran nuclear issue, Minister Migiro said that the Tanzanian delegation in New York had reported
that not all members of the UNSC have been closely consulted by the U.S. on this issue. While the P-5 nations appear to be consulting regularly, other UNSC members have been &left in the dark.8 Migiro stated that while Tanzania opposes nuclear proliferation in principle, inclusion in the consultation process would enable Tanzania,s UNSC representatives to understand the rationale behind and ensure support for the USG position. End summary.
Article 98
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¶3. (C) Minister Migiro took time out from the six-day ministerial retreat in Arusha chaired by President Kikwete (Ref A) and met with Ambassador Retzer to discuss peacekeeping and UN issues. The Ambassador outlined Ref B demarche and the advantages of concluding an Article 98 agreement with the United States. Migiro noted that as a signatory to the Rome Statute, Tanzania is committed to following the spirit of the agreement. The Ambassador pointed out that Article 98 had been included in the Rome Statute based on the understanding that a need for exceptions might arise. He emphasized that all but one of Tanzania,s neighbors (Kenya) have entered into Article 98 agreements with the U.S and have subsequently benefited from military training and military equipment grants that would otherwise not have been available. As the U.S and Tanzania,s bilateral military to military relationship grows, he noted, such opportunities could be augmented if Tanzania signed onto an Article 98 agreement. Migiro said she would look into the issue further and follow-up with the Ambassador.
Surveillance Over-Flights
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¶4. (S) Ambassador Retzer also briefed Minister Migiro on the long-standing USG request to carry out surveillance over-flights in Tanzanian airspace for counter terrorism purposes. This issue was new for the Minister, who took over the Foreign Affairs Portfolio in early January after serving for five years as the Minister of Community, Gender and Children under the former President Benjamin Mkapa. She asked her staff to research the background on this issue, and report back to her. Once again, Migiro told the Ambassador that she would personally follow-up on a reply to his request.
Pol-Mil Liaison within MFA
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¶5. (SBU) The Ambassador explained to Minister Migiro the State Department,s role in peacekeeping efforts, particularly through the African Contingency Operations Training Assistance program. Migiro promised to appoint a point of contact for African peacekeeping issues as soon as possible within the African Division of MFA to serve as the liaison for political-military issues, in preparation for the ACOTA team's visit from March 31 to April 3. She also said the Director of the Europe and Americas Division, Ambassador Pastor Ngaiza, would oversee and report to her to assure that
DAR ES SAL 00000522 002.2 OF 002
the lines of communication on peacekeeping and other pol-mil issues remains open.
Iran Nuclear Issue in the UNSC
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¶6. (C) In response to the Ambassador,s request that Tanzania support the USG position on the Iran nuclear issue, Minister Migiro noted the Government of Tanzania's (GOT) concern that the U.S. and other members of the P-5 have hadnumerous internal discussions with one another on the Iran nuclear issue. However, Migiro understood that there have been few or no consultations with other UNSC members, creating a "feeling of discontent" among these members. Migiro had learned that the United Kingdom delegation called an "informal informal" consultation with other UNSC members on March 14, but had not yet had a report on the outcome.
¶7. (C) Minister Migiro stressed that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Tanzania opposes any form of nuclear proliferation. However, she observed that the United States appears to have a "double standard" in allowing countries such as India to expand the civilian use of nuclear energy while asking Iran to keep to a different norm. Migiro emphasized, however, that Tanzania firmly believes that Iran should be made to stop their activities if the determination is made that the country is in violation of the NPT.
Comment
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¶8. (C) Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro earned the reputation in her previous ministerial position as a strong manager of a much smaller shop--Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children. She has been busy with overseas travel both within
Africa and to the U.S. to attend the funeral of Coretta Scott King since her swearing in as foreign minister ten weeks ago, and is still in a learning curve on several of the bilateral issues important to the United States including on the political-military front. However, her attention to detail and crisp management style was evident during the Ambassador's courtesy call and we are confident that her more specific replies on Article 98 and the request for over-flights will be forwarded to the Ambassador in timely manner. Since she took the helm at MFA, post has observed a welcome improvement in the timeliness of responses to diplomatic notes and other requests channeled through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. End comment.
RETZER
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