C.A.R.: FRENCH WORRIED ABOUT POSSIBLE SUDANESE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 003035

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2016
TAGS: PREL PINS PINR CT FR
SUBJECT: C.A.R.: FRENCH WORRIED ABOUT POSSIBLE SUDANESE
PRESENCE, BUDGET ISSUES

REF: BANGUI 69

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: MFA C.A.R. Deskoff Charlotte Montel on May
5 expressed concern about a possible Sudanese presence in
northeastern C.A.R., following the mysterious landing of a
plane in the Tiringoulou area on April 25 (reftel). Locals
reported that the 50-some soldiers who deplaned appeared to
be Sudanese; neither the C.A.R. government nor French
surveillance flights from N'djamena have been able to confirm
the presence or departure of these unknown forces. Montel
said that Sudanese presence in C.A.R., to proQe support to
Chad rebel forces, would be a most unwelcome development.
Montel said that the GOF was likely to reduce its budget
support to C.A.R. in 2006, which could lead to difficult
decisions about which sectors of C.A.R.'s economy would
receive assistance. She expressed concern that financial
support for C.A.R.'s army might decline, which could weaken
the military. END SUMMARY

MYSTERY FLIGHT


2. (C) France was concerned about a possible Sudanese
military/para-military presence in northeastern C.A.R., MFA
Deskoff Charlotte Montel said on May 5. Reading a cable from
the French military attache in Bangui, she referred to the
plane landing(s) reported reftel. The report tracked
generally with that of Embassy Bangui, although the French
cable said that only about 50 (vice 130) military personnel
had landed on April 25. Montel said that local residents
believed the forces were Sudanese, based on their uniforms,
manner of speaking, and comportment. The French cable
similarly reported uncertainty about the identity of the
airplane involved and whether it made one landing or two.


3. (C) French concerns centered on the possibility that
Sudan was trying to establish a military presence in
northeastern C.A.R., for the purpose of providing support to
Chad rebel elements in their continuing struggle against
N'djamena. Montel said this would be a most disturbing and
unwelcome development. She said that so far, neither C.A.R.
forces nor French surveillance aircraft operating out of
N'djamena had been able to confirm the presence of these
forces in C.A.R., or, alternatively, their departure. Montel
said that French Mirage jets in N'djamena conducted
surveillance patrols, including in the C.A.R.-Chad border
area, every two or three days, in keeping with France's
agreement with Chad to provide intelligence and logistical
(but not combat) support to Chad.


4. (C) Montel said that a unit of about 150 C.A.R. military
personnel arrived in the Tiringoulou area on April 26, the
day after the reported landing(s). It had taken the unit a
week to travel there from Bangui. The unit was apparently
headed for the area before the April 25 landing(s). Montel
said that this unit was unable to locate the foreign forces
that had reportedly arrived the day before.

BUDGET PROBLEMS


5. (C) France had provided budget support of about 5
million euros to C.A.R. in 2005, among other forms of
assistance, Montel said. This sum was used primarily to help
pay the salaries of a range of C.A.R. civilian and military
personnel. With this sum, C.A.R. salaries generally remained
about eight months in arrears. The eight-month figure had
held steady for some time, Montel said. However, she said
that it appeared France would provide a smaller amount during
the next budget cycle, meaning that support would diminish,
with arrearages likely to increase. She regretted this but
said that the decision had been made to cut budget support to
C.A.R. The GOF was able, she said, to allocate tranches of
the support to various sectors, but with a reduced amount,
this would become more difficult. Much of the support went
to functionaries' salaries, but this tended to concentrate
wealth in Bangui. Maintaining or increasing support to the
cotton sector would help distribute funds more widely, but
that would mean cutting elsewhere. The greatest problem,
Montel said, was maintaining support for military salaries,
especially since soldiers deployed (such as the unit in the
Tiringoulou area) received a deployment bonus. She worried
that cutting military salary support could lead to lower
morale and even desertions. She acknowledged that allocating
budget support would be a difficult challenge for the GOF
this cycle.

BIO


PARIS 00003035 002 OF 002



6. (C) Charlotte Montel said that she would become desk
officer for Cote d'Ivoire during the summer 2006 rotation.
She is a graduate of Langues Orientales, speaks Swahili, and
has a degree in American Studies, with a thesis on the Monroe
Doctrine. Montel is one of the MFA's most open contacts,
shares information freely, and seems favorably disposed to
the U.S.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

Stapleton