FRANCE/COMOROS: AZALI VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001038

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2006
TAGS: PREL CN XO FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE/COMOROS: AZALI VISIT


Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Embassy Africa watcher met February 16 with Remi
Marechaux, MFA DAS-equivalent for southern Africa and the
Indian Ocean, for a read-out on Comoran President Azali
Assoumani's January 31-February 2 official visit to France.
Marechaux said that the visit was largely symbolic, as part
of an effort to rehabilitate Azali, a former putschist.
France's message, he said, was to convey to Azali that France
believed that the crisis in the Comoros was over and that the
union of the three islands would work. Azali, he said, was
reminded about his commitment to leave office in 2006. In
response to our noting press accounts that Azali was happy
with his visit, Marechaux said that if Azali was happy,
France was happy.


2. (C) Marechaux said that Azali (and other Indian Ocean
state leaders) had expressed no concern about the
postponement of the Indian Ocean summit in Antananarivo until
July, reportedly to enable French President Chirac to focus
on preparations for the referendum on the EU constitution.
Marechaux said that Azali's meetings with Chirac and FM
Barnier had been brief; 45 and 25 minutes respectively.
Cooperation Minister Darcos hosted a dinner for Azali and 150
other guests and the President of the National Assembly also
organized a highly ceremonial reception. According to
Marechaux, the principal topic of discussion was the Comoros
engagements with the IFIs in order to move via a Staff
Monitored program to a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility,
and thence to HIPC eligibility. Press reports state that
Chirac pledged France's support for Comoros in the IFIs.


3. (C) Marechaux said that Comoros' territorial claim over
Mayotte complicated telecommunications issues. Although a
French territory, French callers had to dial the
international access code for Comoros, and those in Mayotte
the code for France. No change was possible he said, without
the assent of the International Telecommunications Union, and
Comoros had blocked any change. Mayotte, he said, also
encountered difficulty in fielding sports teams, particularly
soccer teams, in regional competitions because of Comoran
objections to the French flag on team shirts. Marechaux said
that the two sides were stuck on the territorial claim, with
Comoros regarding it as a matter of national pride. France,
he said, was constitutionally barred from ceding territory
without the consent of its inhabitants who, in three
referenda since 1975, had voted overwhelmingly to remain part
of France.


4. (C) Marechaux said that he would be traveling to Comoros
at the end of February to discuss these issues in preparation
for the France/Comoros mixed commission meetings in April.
The mixed commission, he said, would also discuss security of
Comoros' frontiers, focusing particularly on the traffic in
persons and goods to Mayotte. Marechaux said that Mayotte's
(and thus, France's) problems mostly stemmed from Anjouan.
Marechaux said that France wanted to send one or two
gendarmes to Anjouan, but the Comorans had so far refused.
The French also propose establishing a regular ferry service
between Anjouan and Mayotte which, they hope, will undercut
the smugglers. Marechaux reaffirmed French policy towards
Anjouan President Bacar, who is seeking independence from the
Comoros. Bacar was received last week by the MFA Africa
director, having refused a similar meeting three weeks
earlier, believing that he should be received at a higher
level. Although Anjouan continues to operate as an
independent state, Marechaux said, France supports the union
and the Fomboni process, and Bacar will not be received by
anyone above the Director's level.


5. (C) Marechaux told us of two other French-inspired
initiatives for the Comoros. During President Chirac's visit
to Libya, Qadhafi had expressed interest in undertaking
projects in Africa. Chirac had suggested road construction
in the Comoros and the Libyans had agreed. Marechaux was
unable to put a figure on the Libyan project. The second
initiative was to allow Comoran potatoes and onions to be
shipped and sold for consumption in Mayotte notwithstanding
EU regulations. The Comorans, according to Marechaux, had
pressed for free access for a wider range of produce but, he
said, the GoF had reminded them that the EU had begun as a
coal and steel project.


6. (C) Marechaux explained the lack of a Comoran Ambassador
in France as being the result of the Embassy's failure to pay
any of its 1.5 million euros in debts to various creditors,
many of whom were constantly pressing the MFA for action.
France barred assignment of new Comoran diplomats in 2001 and
even contributed 100,000 euros in 2004. However despite
repeated urging by France to address the Embassy's debt
problems, the debts continued to grow, Marechaux said.


7. (C) COMMENT: Marechaux and Africa watcher have had
frequent contact over two assignments and six years. He said
that he would prefer to be spending his time on Zimbabwe or
South Africa. He said he spends about 40 per cent of his
time on the Comoros. His often cynical description of his
work on the Comoros undoubtedly reflects a frustration with
having to deal with France's closest African neighbor (100
kms from Mayotte). However, he also said that he does what
he likes on Comoros as none of his superiors is interested.
He left us with the impression that for France, dealings with
the Comoros were largely an unfortunate necessity born of
proximity. END COMMENT.
Leach