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Viewing cable 09PORTLOUIS399, MAURITIUS HOPEFUL REGARDING THE PRESIDENT'S WAY

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09PORTLOUIS399 2009-12-07 12:28 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Port Louis
VZCZCXRO9351
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHPL #0399 3411228
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071228Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4875
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS PORT LOUIS 000399 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL AF PK MP
SUBJECT: MAURITIUS HOPEFUL REGARDING THE PRESIDENT'S WAY 
FORWARD IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 122731 
     B. SECSTATE 122234 
     C. SECSTATE 123222 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: GOM reacted positively to the President's 
speech on the way forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan 
(reftels) while Mauritius media coverage of the policy speech 
was mostly factual. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU) On December 1, the DCM delivered reftel points to 
Ambassador Gokulsing, Bilateral Affairs Director  - Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs.  Gokulsing welcomed the announcement, 
noting that although Mauritius has no troops involved in 
Afghanistan, they remain strongly interested in U.S. 
decisions on its involvement with that region.  Poloff also 
delivered reftel points to Ambassador Patrice Cure, Head of 
Multilateral Directorate - Political, Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs.  Cure noted that while the job seems overwhelming, 
he is hopeful that the President's actions will succeed.  He 
said he would try to watch the speech and requested a 
transcript be sent to him.  On December 2, the DCM delivered 
reftel points to Acting Foreign Minister Burty David.  David 
remarked that he had seen part of the speech on television 
and that he was encouraged that President Obama was sending 
the right signals, most specifically that with the additional 
30,000 troops, the President planned to "finish the job." 
David also remarked that the GOM is pleased that the 
President noted the need and intent to focus on Afghanistan 
and that this focus is appropriate at this time. 
 
3.  (U) Press coverage of President Obama's speech on 
Afghanistan and Pakistan generally was factual with a few 
opinion pieces remarking on the irony of a Nobel Peace Prize 
winning President deploying additional combat troops to 
Afghanistan.  On its evening news program December 2, the 
Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation broadcast excerpts from 
the President's speech drawn from previous BBC World and TV5 
Afrique.  Many daily and weekly newspapers reported on the 
speech focusing on the President's decision to send an 
additional 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan and his plans to 
begin withdrawing them in 2011.  On December 3, the morning 
daily Le Matinal carried an article from Agence France Presse 
"Afghanistan: Additional American troops are welcomed with 
mixed feelings." A leading French language daily L'express 
(December 3) published an article entitled "Obama faces tough 
sell with Afghanistan troop plan."  The pro-Muslim weekly 
Impact News' (December 4) article was headlined: "Obama 
deploys 30,000 additional troops. Withdrawal in 2011." 
Impact News reported cited a Washington Post-ABC News poll, 
reporting that 48% of Americans are unsatisfied with the 
President's policies on Afghanistan.  Newsnow, an on-line 
journal, posted an article from contributors in Washington 
and Kabul "The die is cast - Obama reaches out for 
Afghanistan end-game."  Columnist Nad Sivaramen opined in 
L'express-dimanche: "When one becomes a Nobel Peace Prize 
winner, how is it possible to justify a choice for war?" 
L'express-dimanche also published an opinion piece from its 
foreign correspondent Gwyne Dyer, "In Search of a Decent 
Interval? Dyer observed "Some aspects of the President's 
strategy even suggest that he understands how little really 
is at stake in Afghanistan for the United States." 
 
4.  In anticipation of the President's speech, Embassy Public 
Affairs posted a link to new articles previewing the speech 
on America.gov.  A press release also was issued to major 
Mauritius news media announcing the date and time for the 
speech.  The President's speech was first broadcast in 
Mauritius on he morning of December 2.  Immediately following 
the first broadcast of the President's speech, a link to both 
the video and transcript of the speech was posted on the 
Embassy's homepage.  A link to the America.gov webchats about 
the President's speech also was posted on the Embassy 
homepage. 
WALKLEY