Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NDJAMENA163
2005-02-04 19:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ndjamena
Cable title:  

TURNING UP THE HEAT: HIGH-LEVEL JOINT COMMISSION

Tags:  PREL PREF CD SU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

041916Z Feb 05

ACTION AF-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 
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 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 M-00 
 AC-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-00 OMB-00 NIMA-00 
 PA-00 PM-00 GIWI-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 FMPC-00 
 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 IIP-00 SCRS-00 
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 /001W
 ------------------B2ABA6 042137Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0899
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
DARFUR COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 
AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 
AMEMBASSY ASMARA 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 
AMEMBASSY BERLIN 
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 
AMEMBASSY CAIRO 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 
AMEMBASSY KIGALI 
AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 
AMEMBASSY OSLO 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USLO TRIPOLI 
USMISSION GENEVA
C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 000163 

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, AF/SPG, PRM, USAID/OTI; LONDON AND
PARIS FOR AFRICAWATCHERS; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL,
ADDIS/NAIROBI/KAMPALA FOR REFCOORDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2014
TAGS: PREL PREF CD SU
SUBJECT: TURNING UP THE HEAT: HIGH-LEVEL JOINT COMMISSION
MEETING PLANNED

REF: NDJAMENA 60

Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Kathleen FitzGibbon for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 000163

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, AF/SPG, PRM, USAID/OTI; LONDON AND
PARIS FOR AFRICAWATCHERS; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL,
ADDIS/NAIROBI/KAMPALA FOR REFCOORDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2014
TAGS: PREL PREF CD SU
SUBJECT: TURNING UP THE HEAT: HIGH-LEVEL JOINT COMMISSION
MEETING PLANNED

REF: NDJAMENA 60

Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Kathleen FitzGibbon for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Summary: Chad will host a high-level meeting of the
Joint Commission on the Humanitarian Cease-fire for Darfur on
February 15. The meeting will include the presidents of
Nigeria, Sudan, and Gabon, and the foreign ministers of other
countries, according to Chadian Foreign Minister Nagoum
Yamassoum. The Chad mediation team requested that the
international community pressure all the parties to respect
the cease-fire and come to the meeting prepared to overcome
the current impasse. End Summary.


2. (U) On February 4, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nagoum
Yamassoum convoked the diplomatic corps to announce that the
next meeting of the Joint Commission on the Humanitarian
Cease-Fire for Darfur would include the presidents of
Nigeria, Sudan, and Gabon and the Foreign Ministers of Libya
and Egypt and other countries affected by the crisis.
Yamassoum explained that during the recent summit of African
leaders in Abuja, Chad expressed its frustration that the
Joint Commission and the Abuja peace process remain blocked
and appealed to the heads of state to become involved to
break through the impasse. As a result, a committee
consisting of Nigeria, Libya, Egypt, and Chad was established
to focus on moving the peace process forward. Yamassoum,
Chairman of the Joint Commission Mahamat Ali, and Special
Advisor to the Presidency Allam-mi will travel throughout the
region next week to deliver the invitations for the meeting
to various heads of state. (Comment: The Nigerian Consul in
N'Djamena said he had no word on whether or not President
Obasanjo would be attending the meeting. End Comment.)


3. (C) Yamassoum and Ali appealed for support from the
international community in preparation for the meeting. Ali
said that Chad has done as much as it can and that only
concerted pressure at the highest levels will get the peace
process moving. (See Reftel.) This includes pressuring the
Government of Sudan to disarm the jandjaweed. In addition,
Yamassoum said that the rebel movements must be told to give
their locations to the African Union Cease-fire Commission,
and as an aside, "canton themselves". P/E officer asked
Yamassoum what he meant by "canton themselves" as this is not
a requirement for the rebel movements under existing
agreements. He explained that the movements need to
disengage and stay in their positions. (Comment: Chadian
officials often use the phrase "cantonment", an indication of
their own wishful thinking because they tell us the
jandjaweed are not likely to disarm if they fear a rebel
attack. End Comment.) Finally, Yamassoum said that he hoped
that international community would ensure that the movements
come to N'Djamena with their highest level of representation.


4. (C) Ali and Allam-mi will be discussing the meeting later
today with the rebel movements. Meanwhile, Adam Shogar from
the Sudan Liberation Movement told P/E officer that Daoussa
Deby had been advising them on their leadership problems.


Shogar also said that it is highly unlikely that Mini Minawi
would come to Chad for the meeting. It is more likely that
Dr. Sharif Harir would attend, his health permitting, because
Harir is apparently coming to N'Djamena next week to consult
with Shogar on SLM issues. Shogar and Ahmed Lissan Togud,
the Justice and Equality Movement, are set to meet with Gen.
Ali and Allam-mi later in the evening of February 4,
presumably to be informed of the upcoming meeting. Shogar
said that he would call Mini Minawi after the meeting with
the Chad mediators to discuss SLM's attendance at the meeting.


5. (C) Comment: The Chad mediation team is relieved it has
been able to arrange a high level meeting. At a minimum, the
mediators expect the meeting could result in a renewed effort
by the parties to respect the cease-fire. Without respect
for the cease-fire, the Chadians do not believe it makes
sense to begin another round of negotiations in Abuja. We
urge Washington to send a senior representative to the
February 15 meeting.


6. (U) Khartoum and Tripoli Minimize Considered.
WALL


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