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.

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NON-SIGNATORIES IN CHAD
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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.

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CHADIAN SUPPORT FOR NON-SIGNATORIES - WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE?
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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.

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COMMENT
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6. (C) The GOC question to Bercot, raised on August 17,

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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