C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001243

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT PLEASE REPEAT FOR EMBASSY TRIPOLI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS ML AG
SUBJECT: MALI PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN ALGIERS JULY 4

REF: BAMAKO 748

Classified By: DCM Marc Sievers, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (SBU) With considerable fanfare, Foreign Minister
Bedjaoui convoked the diplomatic corps and representatives of
the Algerian and international media to witness the signing
July 4 at the El Mithaq state guest house in Algiers of a
peace agreement between the Malian government and the Touareg
rebels. Malian Minister of Territorial Administration
Kafounouga Kone signed for the GOM, while Ahmed Ag Bibe
represented the "Democratic Alliance of May 23, 2006 for
Change." Algerian mediator and Ambassador to Mali Abdelkrim
Gheraib was also present, along with small delegations from
the GOM and Touareg rebels. DCM represented the Embassy at
the ceremony.


2. (SBU) After signing a document called "The Algiers Accord
for the Restoration of Peace, Security, and the Development
of the Kidal Region," Bedjaoui, Kone, and Ag Bibe spoke in
turn. Bedjaoui stressed that Algeria's involvement came at
the request of both parties, and noted that President
Bouteflika had personally followed the negotiations. In an
apparent jab at Qadhafi's calls for the establishment of a
"Grand Sahara State," Bedjaoui said Algeria had paid special
attention to protecting Mali's "inviolable territorial
integrity," Both Kone and Ag Bibe, in their remarks, thanked
Algeria for its mediation, with Ag Bibe going so far as to
state that "the events of May 23 came to avoid the worst, and
today Mali is saved, thanks to Algeria." General Kone, for
his part, declared that Mali "needs all its sons for a
consensual, stable, and prosperous Mali that respects the
ideals of dialogue and tolerance."


3. (U) The MFA did not circulate copies of the peace accord,
although the widely-read French language daily El Watan
reported July 5 that the text was available on the Touareg
rebels' web site, Azawad-Union. According to El Watan, the
accord provides for the establishment of a "provisional
regional council" for a one-year period that will undertake
coordination and follow-up. A Kidal forum will oversee a
special investment fund to implement a program of regional
development. Special security units, largely composed of
Touareg elements, will report to the command of the regional
military zone. El Watan noted that both sides undertook to
free all prisoners detained during the May 23 events, but
made no reference to the rebels' commitment to return arms
seized during those events.


4. (C) Comment: We defer to Embassy Bamako regarding the
significance and viability of this agreement, but from an
Algiers perspective it represents a demonstration of
Algeria's considerable interest and diplomatic influence in
the Trans-Sahel region, and especially its role in trying to
ensure the security of northern Mali, a source of concern for
both the GOA and the Algerian General Staff. In a June 18
meeting with a senior U.S. visitor, President Bouteflika
commented that he was following the Mali negotiations
closely, adding that he "was praying" that the GOM would
accept the draft agreement worked out in Algiers with the
Touaregs and which Ambassador Gheraib was in the process of
delivering in Bamako.
ERDMAN