NEXT STEPS ON DARFUR: CHADIAN VIEWS ON REPARING

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001546 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, AF/SPG, D, DRL, H, INR, INR/GGI, PRM, USAID/OTI AND USAID/W FOR DAFURRMT; LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICAWATCHERS; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL, ADDIS/NAIROBI/KAMPALA FOR REFCOORDS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PREF CD SU SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON DARFUR: CHADIAN VIEWS ON REPARING SLM DIVISIONS REF: A. STATE 190682 ¶B. WALL/SNYDER TELCONS OF OCTOBER 14 AND 15 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a meeting with the Ambassador on October 15 to share USG ideas on organizing an all-inclusive conference for the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM),Foreign Minister Allam-mi Ahmad welcomed U.S. assistance for the conference and said Chad already is working on the preparation of an all-inclusive meeting. According to Allam-mi, Chad wants to arrange a meeting of SLM leaders in N'Djamena to reconcile them before the end of October. This gathering would also serve as a preparatory meeting and determine the lists of participants, agenda, and date for an all-inclusive conference in Abeche to be held on or about November 15. Allam-mi expressed concern that our proposal for a preparatory meeting on November 8 in Nairobi was too far away in both time and location. The Chadians propose the preparatory group be kept small and include Chad, the United States, E.U., France, the U.N. and perhaps, Nigeria. Alam-mi would like Chad to take responsibility for the preparations, but the African Union would also participate. Chad remains highly interested in cooperating with us on the conference. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) On October 15, Ambassador Wall and P/E officer met with Chadian Foreign Minister Allam-mi Ahmad to discuss our proposal to bring together the Sudan Liberation Movement's (SLM) leadership for a U.S.-hosted meeting in Nairobi on November 8. Ambassador Wall delivered the details of the proposal per reftel and noted the Deputy Secretary's interest in opening the conference. Allam-mi responded that the Chadians have already been working on reconciling SLM's leaders. He noted that Secretary General Mini Minawi insists on holding the conference that he has organized on October 22 without Chairman Abdelwahid Nour. Allam-mi said the Chadian Government was surprised that Abdelwahid came to Chad after breaking previous promises to do so. Alam-mi said President Idriss Deby proposed the all-inclusive conference idea during a meeting with Abdelwahid on October 14. ¶3. (SBU) Allam-mi outlined the following proposal. Chad would host a small, preparatory meeting in N'Djamena with about 20 SLM leaders to include Chairman Abdelwahid, Secretary General Mini Minawi, Vice Chairman Khamis Abdullah, SIPDIS field commanders, and others to include civil society leaders. Chad, the United States, European Union, France, the United Nations, and Nigeria would be invited. Chad hoped the United States could use its influence over the SLM members, particularly Mini, to encourage his participation. Allam-mi envisions that the reconciliation meeting and subsequent all-inclusive conference will aim to unify the movement's leadership to generate a cohesive negotiating platform for the Abuja talks. The goal is not to dethrone SLM's leadership, although Allam-mi said that the appearance of a charismatic leader could give the rebel movement direction. ¶4. (SBU) Alam-mi noted that the preparatory committee will establish the lists of participants, agenda, and the date for the all-inclusive meeting to be held in Abeche, Chad. The committee would continue to work and put in place a program for the conference. Allam-mi said that the Abeche conference could be held on or about November 15. Chad and selected members of the international community would attend the opening and then let the SLM work on its issues on its own, perhaps with a facilitator. ¶5. (SBU) The Foreign Minister hoped that U.S. support could include transportation, financial help, and U.S. Embassy involvement. However, Allam-mi is concerned that USG assistance might not materialize. He recalled that the United States had agreed to pay the transportation costs for the rebel movements for the 2004 N'Djamena Cease-fire Agreement talks, but had never paid the bill. He said he is still getting calls about the unpaid bill from the aviation company. ¶6. (SBU) Ambassador Wall probed Allam-mi for his thoughts on holding the meeting in Nairobi on November 8. Allam-mi said that that Nairobi is too far away in distance and November 8 is too long to wait. He stated that a preparatory meeting in N'Djamena will save time. In his opinion, isolating the SLM leadership in Nairobi is not a good idea because it weakens the ability of key players to influence them, including their nearby members and family. In addition, movement members travel to and from the field through Chad and it may be easier to get them to N'Djamena, where the SLM already has two houses for its members. - - - - COMMENT - - - - ¶7. (SBU) In principle, Allam-mi said Chad agrees with the concept of our proposal, but prefers the meeting to be held in N'Djamena in the interest of time, and to some extent, efficiency. Chad believes it is important to hold a meeting before November 8 and to keep it in a location where key partners have influence over the players, in effect, Chad. The Chadians are also keen on limiting the involvement -- or interference -- of too many international community members, preferring to work with those with a direct, and positive, influence over the SLM. Having appealed to us before for closer cooperation on Darfur, the Chadians are very interested in working with us on our proposal. WALL NNNN