LETTER FROM CHAD FOREIGN MINISTER TO THE SECRETARY

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001393 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CD PGOV PREF PREL SU SUBJECT: LETTER FROM CHAD FOREIGN MINISTER TO THE SECRETARY ¶1. (U) The Embassy received a letter dated December 5, 2006 from the Minister of Foreign Affairs for transmission to the Secretary of State. Unofficial translation follows: SIPDIS ¶2. (SBU) Madam Minister, I write to you after returning home to Tchad following a fruitful and friendly exchange during the meeting which you had the kindness to accord me in your office November 28 at 17:30 as well as the in-depth discussion which I had with your Assistant Frazer in the company of a number of staff members. I would like first of all to thank you and thank your staff as well as the United States Government for the hospitality and warm reception which was accorded to me. I would be remiss if I failed to thank - through you - the medical team of the George Washington Hospital which diagnosed a serious inflammation of my gall bladder and which perfomed the operation professionally and effectively I would like as well to underline that our meeing ame at good time in view of the redynamism f the friendly relations and mutually advantageou cooperation between our two countries. It is a ood time as well for us to congratulae ourselves on our cooperation in the petroleum sector and the universal struggle against terrorism. In addition, I would like to assure you that President Idriss Deby Itno salutes your personal receptivity, and that of your country, to support Chad as it reinforces democracy by striving for a political dialogue between political actors which have renounced violence and to assist Chad in its resistance to the efforts by the Khartoum regime to destabilize it and the region, as well as to export the Darfur conflict. For these reasons, my President has recently reaffirmed his openness to strengthening a political dialogue and to announce our acceptance of a security and humanitarian presence in the east of Chad under the auspices of the United Nations to protect the refugees and displaced, as well as the frontiers between Chad and the Sudan on the one hand, and Chad, the Central African Republic and Sudan on the other hand. Your Ambassador was informed of this by the President of the Republic even before it was announced to the press. My President salutes and supports the leadership of his counterpart, President Bush, to halt the genocide in Darfur and to bring UN forces there. Chad, as a member of the international community, will fully play its role with your country and the rest of the world to put an end to this humanitarian crisis, protect its population, and secure its territory. As I write this letter, my country faces new invasions by mercenary groups supported by Sudan and other terrorist forces. The aim is to put an end to our democratic process which is in the process of consolidation by upending legitimate institutions and replacing them with a regime loyal to Khartoum. In the difficult moments which my country faces, I know that in the future it can count on your personal support, that of President Bush and of his Administration to help it confront the war which is imposed on it by Sudan. Please accept, Madam Minister, the assurances of my very highest consideration. Sincerely and cordially (signed) Ahmad Allam-Mi, WALL