PUSHING BUSH-DEBY MEETING, GOUDIABY SAYS THAT CHAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 002255 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF, EB/ESC/IEC, AF/ESP, AF/C AND AF/W LONDON FOR POL - AFRICA WATCHER PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2016 TAGS: PINS EPET ENRG PINR CD CH SA SG SUBJECT: PUSHING BUSH-DEBY MEETING, GOUDIABY SAYS THAT CHAD IS LOOKING AT SAUDIS REPLACING WESTERN OIL COMPANIES REF: NDJAMENA 1137 Classified By: Ambassador Janice L. Jacobs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On September 15, Pierre Goudiaby Atepa, Counselor to Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and prominent architect, came to see the Ambassador and DCM. Goudiaby, who used to work for Mobutu Sese Seko, now has several construction projects in Chad and says that he has become a friend and unofficial advisor to Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno. Goudiaby claimed that he has counseled Deby to repudiate his deals with Western oil companies in favor of Saudi management that would share revenues 50/50 rather than 87.5/12.5. Goudiaby also said that he has urged Deby to recognize China instead of Taiwan, having succeeded in persuading Wade to do the same. ¶2. (C) Having provided the above background, Goudiaby said that Deby would like very much to meet President Bush to explain that he is trying very hard to keep Chad a secular state and that he has a real fear of Muslim extremists supported by Sudan (and China since China buys oil from Sudan). ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Goudiaby is a wheeler-dealer and no democrat. He brokered the deal that resulted in former Bissau-Guinean President Kumba Yala throwing his support to President Joao Bernardo &Nino8 Vieira. We believe that Goudiaby is indeed advising Deby and suspect that Deby may be listening. We leave to the Department and Ambassador Wall to decide how to best engage Deby on regional stability and energy issues. END COMMENT. JACOBS