FRANCE ASKS WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE ON CHAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 001078 SIPDIS SIPDIS PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICAWATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2016 TAGS: PREL PREF CD SU SUBJECT: FRANCE ASKS WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE ON CHAD REF: A. SECSTATE 135761 ¶B. NDJAMENA 1069 Classified By: DCM LUCY TAMLYN FOR REASONS 1.4(D) ¶1. (C) Summary: France is prepared to hold President Deby to account if Minni Minawi's claims that Government of Chad (GOC) support is being channeled to Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) non-signatories can be proven, the French Ambassador to Chad told us August 21. However, France is concerned that Minawi's accusations are being taken at face value. The French Ambassador requested USG assistance in producing the evidence. Separately, the Government of Chad sounded out the French on whether or not to expel National Redemption Front (NRF) member Adam Shogar from Chad. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) French Ambassador to Chad, Jean-Pierre Bercot asked to meet with the Ambassador August 18 and 21 to raise the issue of Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) non-signatories in Chad and the continued allegations by Minni Minawi concerning Chadian support for non-signatories. - - - - - - - - - - - - NON-SIGNATORIES IN CHAD - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (C) According to Ambassador Bercot, the Government of Chad had asked him August 17 what they should do with representatives of Darfur rebel groups (non-signatories to the DPA) that were still in Chad. In particular, they wanted to know whether NRF member Adam Shogar should be expelled. In relating this, Bercot commented this was a positive indication that the GOC was trying to be seen as supportive of the DPA. He also noted that, unlike the United States, he had never had direct contact with Darfur rebel groups in Chad as he wanted to be seen by Chad as "totally independent" on this issue. Bercot told the Chadians that France did not have a position on whether the Darfur rebels stayed or went -- did the United States have a position? The Ambassador explained that the USG had objected to the unilateral AU decision (reftel A) to evict non-signatories from El Fasher. As far as non-signatories in Chad, what was more significant was whether or not they were actively undermining the DPA -- their presence alone was not the issue. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CHADIAN SUPPORT FOR NON-SIGNATORIES - WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (C) Ambassador Bercot reported that he had told President Deby that in Paris, Washington and New York people believed that Chad was supporting the non-signatories. He advised President Deby to react in some way to clarify the situation "or else suspicions will grow." He warned as well that France "would not be able to do anything for you" if Deby was in fact supporting non-signatories. However, Bercot stressed that France itself did not have any concrete evidence that the GOC was supporting the NRF or Group of 19. He acknowledged that French Intelligence had obtained second-hand information that indicated that JEM was receiving support (most likely funding rather than actual arms) from Daoussa Deby. French intel also picked up a discussion of "humanitarian" convoys coming from Libya carrying material for Darfur rebels. However, cautioned Bercot, this information pre-dated the signing of the DPA. The only subsequent information that they had related to officials identified as close to former Minister of Territorial Administration Mahamat Ali encouraging recruiting in the refugee camps. ¶5. (C) Ambassador Bercot was interested in following up on information provided by the UN 1591 Sanctions Committee during its recent visit (reftel B),in particular, the provision of vehicle chassis numbers found in Darfur. This, he believed, would provide the kind of conclusive evidence that was needed to link the GOC to the Darfur non-signatories. He had requested that Paris authorize the Embassy to seek additional information locally on vehicle numbers. Bercot stressed that France would hold President Deby to account if the trail led back to Presidential Palace. Ambassador Bercot concluded by requesting USG assistance in providing more concrete information to substantiate Minni Minawi's allegations. - - - - COMMENT - - - - ¶6. (C) The GOC question to Bercot, raised on August 17, NDJAMENA 00001078 002 OF 002 appeared to coincide with the AU notice to Darfur rebel groups that they must depart El Fasher. However, it may just as well have been prompted by the GOC's desire to appear to be proactively supporting the DPA. As for reports of Chadian support for groups opposed to the DPA, we share Bercot's concerns about the need for hard information. We are aware of allegations by Minni Minawi and others; note the reports obtained by the visiting UN 1591 sanctions team of vehicles with Chadian chassis numbers in Darfur; and have received other accounts supporting claims that Chadians are providing vehicles and financial aid to anti-DPA groups. As reported, we have raised these reports with President Deby, as well as with Daoussa Deby, Mahamat Ali and the representatives of the DPA non-signers in N'djamena. It would help our case here if we had the facts confirming involvement by specific individuals or by the Chadian military. ¶7. (U) Tripoli minimize considered. WALL