Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS6244
2006-09-18 14:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

FRANCE/DARFUR: MFA CURBS MOVEMENT OF DARFUR

Tags:  PREL PHUM ETTC CD SU FR 
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VZCZCXRO6156
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHFR #6244 2611455
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 181455Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1428
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0905
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0226
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006244 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC CD SU FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE/DARFUR: MFA CURBS MOVEMENT OF DARFUR
REJECTIONIST

REF: A. PARIS 3129 B. 9/7 & 9/8 PARIS POINTS

Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Bruce Turner. Reasons 1.4b,d

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006244

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC CD SU FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE/DARFUR: MFA CURBS MOVEMENT OF DARFUR
REJECTIONIST

REF: A. PARIS 3129 B. 9/7 & 9/8 PARIS POINTS

Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Bruce Turner. Reasons 1.4b,d


1. (C) JEM leader and Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA)
rejectionist Khalil Ibrahim is effectively grounded on
European territory (Schengen Zone),after the French MFA
intervened in August with national civil authorities to block
renewal of his laissez-passer, AF DAS-Equivlalent Helen Le
Gal informed Africa Watcher on September 15. Ibrahim, who
had gained refugee status and thus a French residence permit
in December 2003 over MFA objections, returned to France from
Africa in order to renew his status -- usually a routine
measure. The MFA however put a hold on the application on
the grounds that Ibrahim, as a DPA rejectionist, stands in
violation of UNSCR 1591 (2005),paragraph 3 (c),which
threatens sanctions against individuals who impede the peace
process (Ref A). Ibrahim retains his residence permit for
France, which in principle still allows him to circulate
within EU countries that are party to the Schengen
Convention.


2. (C) With Ibrahim unable to travel freely, JEM figures are
now trekking to France to receive Ibrahim's instructions.
The subsequent visa applications were revealing reading, Le
Gal commented. For instance, a JEM "General" listed his
income as a 6,000 euro monthly salary from the Darfur
Ceasefire Commission. Le Gal took umbrage at how parties to
the Darfur catastrophe, both rebel factions and the
Government of Sudan, were exploiting EU assistance. Le Gal
found particularly scandalizing how the Government of Sudan
had taken petrol purchased with EU funds for the use of AMIS
in order to supply Sudanese helicopters in the ongoing
military offensive in Darfur. She characterized AMIS as a
disaster that continued to worsen. A transition to a UN
operation was imperative.


3. (C/NF) Le Gal stated that the MFA was having difficulty
in scheduling a visit to Sudan by FM Douste-Blazy. Sudan has
already twice rebuffed Douste-Blazy, she said, since his
September 6 declaration that the Darfur crisis was a
"veritable genocide" (Ref B). Le Gal called Douste-Blazy's
statement an unscripted departure from how European states
have managed policy on Darfur. She confided that MFA Special
Adviser on African affairs Nathalie Delapalme and others in
the French government were delicately trying to mitigate the
impact of Douste-Blazy's statement.


4. (C) Le Gal said she expected the Khartoum government
would eventually yield to the logic of UNSCR 1706 and the
transition to a UN force in Darfur, but she implied that her
view was not shared by all within the MFA. She conceded that
the SC-mandated ICC investigations in Darfur were not
conducive to Khartoum's cooperation. More fundamental to
Khartoum's resistance however were misgivings about an
expanded international presence in the run-up to 2008-2009
legislative and presidential elections. Bashir and his
regime wanted to operate with a free hand in order to
maintain, by "democratic means", their grip on power.


5. (C/NF) Comment: Le Gal has repeatedly stressed French
MFA commitment to a rapid UN re-hatting of AMIS forces in
Darfur. She complained pointedly about the French UNSC
expert's personal handling of Sudan negotiations (as well as
on DRC sanctions),asserting that he had misrepresented
official French positions, provoked unfruitful controversies
and, above all, created unhelpful ambiguity about French
commitment to a speedy transition to UN control. For
instance, the proposal that the UNSC authorize formed civpol
units to protect IDPs in Chad had absolutely no
authorization, she claimed. It represented a personal
contribution that far exceeded MFA instructions to obtain a
simple reference to the regional impact of the Darfur
conflict, she stated, and, one wonders, perhaps went beyond
what the MFA was ready to undertake on behalf of President
Deby in Chad. Le Gal, who considers herself a seasoned
multilateralist, albeit in an EU rather than a UN context,
was scathing in her criticisms. Compounding her irritation,
the MFA African and International Organizations
bureau-equivalents did not always sing off the same sheet of
music on Darfur; moreover, the French delegation in New York
is known to exercise great autonomy in its everyday business,
often dealing (and dueling) directly with advisers to the
French Presidency, unconstrained by ordinary MFA hierarchies.

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