CODEL PAYNE MEETING WITH FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 001073

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EPET DJ
SUBJECT: CODEL PAYNE MEETING WITH FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO
DJIBOUTI


Classified By: Pol/Econ Erinn C. Reed for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Summary: Congressman Donald Payne and HIRC Ted Dagne
met with French Ambassador to Djibouti, Philip Selz, 9 August
2004 during a visit to the Horn of Africa region. Poloff and
Charge Gribbin accompanied. Payne and Selz discussed the
recent French decision to transport aid into Darfur and the
U.S./French cooperation in Djibouti. End Summary.


2. (U) Payne commented that the aims of the USG and France
were the same, increase stability and improving the lives of
the people of the region. He also said he looked forward to
cooperation between the U.S. and France in Chad and Sudan.
Payne continued that there was disappointment in the American
legislature at the lack of a sense of urgency concerning
Darfur throughout the international community. Elaborating
on that point he commented that many in the international
community feel that 30 days is to soon a deadline for a
resolution without realizing that this problem has been going
on for over a year. Payne said that he was glad to see the
French willing to help and perhaps that would get the
international community to start acting.


3. (C) Selz replied that France agrees with the Security
Council's resolution but does not think the 30 day deadline
will be met because the Sudanese government doesn't want to
reign in the Janjawide. Selz continued that the French feel
it is more important that the month deadline result in a
change of orientation and attitude among the Sudanese
government. He said from there we can hope that it begins
taking action against the Janjawide in order to establish
peace and provide humanitarian aid. Selz repeated that the
time frame given by the Security Council resolution is short.
Payne commented that the same message had been given to the
Government of Sudan by Secretary Powell and UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan over the pass few months, in reality
giving it much more than 30 days to act.


4. (U) On the French/American cooperation in Djibouti, Selz
commented that though their reasons for having a presence in
Djibouti differed the two countries share the same objective
in the Global War on Terror. Selz said one aspect of the
Franco-American relations that could be improved was the
exchange of intelligence regarding terrorism and security
issues. He stated that with the small amount of information
given by the American military regarding a threat, it is
difficult to appraise and evaluate the threat to the French
population. Selz commented that due to the nature of the
threat in this region, the security situation could be
slightly jeopardized by the lack of coordination between the
armed forces present. However, Selz did applaud the
coordination that has been started among the donor countries
in Djibouti on the education and health development programs.


5. (C) When asked what economic interests France had in
Djibouti, Selz responded that aside from the French military
community there were a number of import/export and
transshipping companies and Total Oil, one of the three major
oil suppliers in Djibouti. Selz commented that all three
companies will be facing a large problem posed by the
Government of Djibouti's order to move to the new port
facility within one year. Selz said there is a lack of
discussion between the Government and the companies. He said
he expected big problems in the coming months regarding this
issue.
RAGSDALE