ANGOLA - CABINDAN CEASE-FIRE SIGNED

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUANDA 000676 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PTER AO SUBJECT: ANGOLA - CABINDAN CEASE-FIRE SIGNED REF: LUANDA 00673 Classified By: AMBASSADOR CYNTHIA EFIRD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (U) As noted reftel, a cease-fire between the GRA and the Cabindan Forum for Dialogue (FCD) was signed on June 30, ¶2006. A small signing ceremony was held in Massabi, a frontier town in northern Cabinda province, between the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Angola (FAA), General Geraldo Sachipengo Nunda, and the President of FCD, Antonio Bento Bembe. ¶2. (U) Central to the agreement was the halting of all GRA offensives in Cabinda and a quartering of the remaining Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) troops in specified areas of Cabinda. Once quartered, a number of these troops would be integrated into either the FAA or the National Police. The exact details of the agreement have not yet been made public. ¶3. (C) Comment: Independent media sources including Ibinda.com, a Cabindan website that has been sympathetic to separatist sentiment, continue to cover the split in the FCD leadership; but this does not appear to be slowing the process. In fact, the overall tenor of the reporting suggests that the peace agreements and special status for Cabinda are now fait accompli. It is likely that a final agreement will signed sometime this month. FCD Spokesperson Raul Danda's comments (reftel) that the signing ceremony would be in South Africa have not been substantiated. Recent rumors now circulating say the ceremony will be in Luanda, allowing President Dos Santos, who is unlikely to travel to South Africa, to officiate as "the" Cabindan peacemaker. End Comment. EFIRD