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Viewing cable 06ACCRA418, DEMACHE DELIVERED: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR ICAO

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ACCRA418 2006-02-15 15:22 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Accra
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ACCRA 000418 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
EB/TRN FOR BIRD MATTINGLEY 
DAKAR FOR FAA ED JONES 
MONTREAL FOR USICAO: CSERWER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAIR CM GH MZ NI SF ICAO
SUBJECT: DEMACHE DELIVERED: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR ICAO 
SECRETARY GENERAL 
 
SIPDIS 
 
REF: STATE 14175 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Ambassador Bridgewater discussed Mr. 
Voss's candidacy with Secretary of the President, Ambassador 
D.K. Osei during a meeting February 8 and mentioned again it 
to President Kufuor after the meeting.  FAA Regional Rep and 
EconOff delivered reftel demarche to Ghana Civil Aviation 
Authority (GCAA) Acting Director General Simon Adotey, and 
Minister for Presidential Affair and Chief of Staff Kwadwo 
Mpiani February 8.  Post forwarded Secretary Minetta's letter 
to President Kufuor February 9.  GCAA is actively supporting 
Mr. Voss' candidacy and has made several calls to Ghana's 
ICAO Rep in Montreal to urge his support.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The Ambassador asked for GoG support of Mr. Voss' 
candidacy during a meeting on February 8 with Secretary to 
the President, Ambassador D.K. Osei, and mentioned it to the 
President during a brief stop in his office after the 
meeting.  The Ambassador also passed talking points to 
Ambassador Osei, who said he would pass them to the President 
for consideration.  The Ambassador forwarded Secretary 
Minetta's letter to the President February 9. 
 
3. (SBU) FAA Regional Rep Ed Jones and EconOff discussed Mr. 
Voss' credentials and the need for a change in ICAO 
leadership with Acting GCAA DG Simon Adotey February 8. 
Adotey agreed on all points, and offered to accompany FAA Rep 
and EconOff to the meeting with the Chief of Staff that day. 
He also offered to call Dakar-based ICAO Regional 
Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance Officer Mary 
Obeng -- also a Ghanaian -- to ask for her active support. 
Adotey said he felt the AU's decision to support the 
incumbent was premature, and that Obeng might help convince 
Capt. Kofi Kwakwa -- Ghana's ICAO Representative -- to advise 
the Chief of Staff to support Voss. 
 
4. (SBU) EconOff and FAA Rep met with Chief of Staff Mpiani 
and Adotey on February 8.  Mpiani read Voss' CV with 
interest, commenting that he appeared "very well qualified." 
Mpiani showed interest in the support Voss had from the UK 
and other ICAO members, commenting that things at ICAO must 
be problematic for Voss to "run against his own boss." 
Adotey was frank with Mpiani, openly calling the current 
Secretary General "incompetent" and noting that he had left 
 
SIPDIS 
several key ICAO positions unfilled for several years. 
Mpiani said he would seek the advice of both ICAO Rep Kwakwa 
and Mary Obeng before advising the President. 
 
5. (SBU) In a telcon February 14, Adotey told EconOff he had 
briefed GCAA Director General Nii Badoo on February 10 and 
that Badoo agreed with his support for Voss.  Badoo has 
called the Chief of Staff's office to convey his support. 
Adotey said both he and Mary Obeng had called ICAO Rep Kwakwa 
and enlist his support.  According to Adotey, Kwakwa agrees 
that Voss is the best-qualified candidate, but will not vote 
against the AU without specific instructions from the Chief 
of Staff. 
 
6. (SBU) Comment:  Despite the strong support for Voss' 
candidacy from Ghana's civil aviation experts, breaking with 
the AU again so soon after casting a vote at the IAEA to 
report Iran to the UNSC will be difficult for the GoG.  Post 
will stay in contact with GCAA and the Chief of Staff's 
Office in the run up to the ICAO meeting.  End Comment. 
BRIDGEWATER