TOGO/FRENCH MFA: AMBASSADOR DUNN'S OCTOBER 24

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007200

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR TOGO'>TO FR
SUBJECT: TOGO/FRENCH MFA: AMBASSADOR DUNN'S OCTOBER 24
CONSULTATIONS

Classified By: Acting DCM Josiah Rosenblatt, 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In an October 24 meeting with U.S.
Ambassador to TOGO David Dunn, MFA DAS-equivalent Bruno
Foucher said that TOGO was evolving well. He complained that
German caution was impeding the unblocking of EU funding for
TOGO; resuming economic assistance rapidly would help prevent
TOGO from become a "criminalized" state. Faure was doing a
good job but needed to reduce the influence of old-guard
members of his entourage. Post-transition TOGO remained a
concern, however, with many economic challenges. Foucher
tended to downplay Gilchrist Olympio,s role in TOGO,s
evolving political scene but agreed that the Faure regime
might consider offering him an honorific post of some kind
should he and the UFC decide to participate in the
government. TOGO had asked France to help reform its army,
which Foucher and Ambassador Dunn agreed was necessary, as
was the development of a civilian or gendarme-like force for
internal security. China was becoming a more important actor
in TOGO and regionally, although a local backlash seemed to
be developing. Foucher offered brief comments on TOGO,s
neighbors Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Cote d,Ivoire.
END SUMMARY.

GERMAN RECALCITRANCE


2. (C) MFA West Africa DAS-equivalent Bruno Foucher on
October 24 met with visiting U.S. Ambassador to TOGO David
Dunn and Embassy Africa Watchers. Foucher opened by saying
that TOGO was evolving well and could serve as a model for
other states undergoing transition. He then sharply
criticized Germany for its excessive caution in evaluating
TOGO and refusal to agree to unblock EU funding. He said
that German resistance seemed to emanate from its mission in
Lome and not from Berlin. Foucher said that German reticence
in TOGO was similar to German reticence in other parts of
Africa, such as Guinea and Chad. He considered the German
attitude puzzling but possibly a result of the violence
directed against Germany during the April 2005 election
period. Ambassador Dunn noted that the "Group of Five" in
Lome (the U.S., French, and German missions, along with the
EU and PNUD representatives) worked well together and
consulted frequently. Foucher nonetheless repeated his
frustration with the Germans.


3. (C) Renewed funding was important for TOGO, Foucher
continued, in order to strengthen the economy and reduce the
possibility that TOGO would become a "criminalized" state.
He expressed concern about increased illegal drug trafficking
as a real threat, especially given TOGO,s unsettled state in
the wake of Eyadema,s death and the impoverishment
compounded by years of withheld donor assistance.

FAURE: "A GOOD LEADER"


4. (C) Foucher,s evaluation of Faure was quite positive.
He said Faure was a "good leader" and "progressively moving
forward." Foucher acknowledged the unhelpful influence of
the "old guard" members of his entourage, largely carryovers
from his father's days. He was cautiously optimistic that
Faure would distance himself from them over time.

ECONOMIC CONCERNS


5. (C) The period after the present phase of transition and
stabilization would present challenges, Foucher predicted,
particularly with respect to the economy. He commented on
the need to develop investor confidence and arrangements with
the international financial institutions. Ambassador Dunn
said that TOGO,s human resources were a distinct positive.
The TOGOlese work-ethic enjoyed a positive reputation
regionally and compared favorably with that of neighbors such
as Ghana. He also predicted that stability would encourage
the return of TOGOlese who had left TOGO during the Eyadema
years, prospered, and were now in a position to contribute
economically upon returning. Debt relief was also a
possibility. That said, Ambassador Dunn noted that the
economy needed reform, with better management of TOGO,s
phosphate and cotton industries, two of the country's major
economic sectors.


6. (C) Foucher said that France was encouraging TOGO more
and more to take action on its own when dealing with
institutions such as the EU -- there was still an expectation
among TOGOlese that France would serve as TOGO,s advocate in

such fora. The French were thus advising the TOGOlese not to
look reflexively to the former colonial power, Foucher
explained. In this and in other respects, France was pushing
TOGO to come out of the isolation engendered by the Eyadema
years.

GILCHRIST OLYMPIO


7. (C) When asked about UFC leader Gilchrist Olympio,
Ambassador Dunn said that it would serve TOGO,s interests if
he became more energized and involved. He reviewed
Olympio,s original decision not to join the new
reconciliation government and his present change of course
leaning toward participation, contingent on obtaining an
important role for the UFC, if not for himself personally.
Foucher and Ambassador Dunn discussed the generational change
in TOGO, Olympio,s advancing age, his longstanding ties to
France (and corresponding long absence from TOGO),and his
uncertain prospects for the next presidential elections in
the 2010/2011 period. Foucher tended to discount Olympio,s
importance as a political factor over time. Ambassador Dunn
noted that Eyadema,s death may have shifted Olympio,s focus
from retribution to ways to improve TOGO,s prospects.
Foucher agreed with the notion that the Faure regime could
offer Olympio an honorific position or title that could help
heal old wounds and allow both sides to save face. The
position could be more than honorific -- Olympio could serve
as mediator of the republic or as a senior economic advisor,
something he would be qualified to do.

IMPROVED CLIMATE


8. (C) Ambassador Dunn noted the positive changes in TOGO
since his arrival at post at the beginning of the year, when
the opposition was in boycott mode and distrust and suspicion
were high. Tensions were noticeably reduced since then, with
a general acceptance of Faure's mandate.

REFORMING THE ARMY


9. (C) Foucher agreed that finding a role for the army,
keeping it out of internal security and police work, and
developing a civilian force or gendarmerie to maintain law
and order would be important, given the army's history of
heavy-handed repression in the service of the Gnassingbe
clan. Foucher said that the Faure regime had approached
France about assisting in reforming the army. Change would
take time given the entrenched views of the military and the
continuing influence of retired military and their continued
allegiance to the Gnassingbes. Foucher noted the good
performance of TOGOlese troops in a number of international
peacekeeping operations and commented that continued or
expanded TOGOlese participation in these missions was one way
of keeping the army busy and at the same time allowing it to
develop expertise and professionalism.

CHARLES DEBBASCH


10. (C) Speaking of the old guard, Foucher was scathing in
his criticism of French citizen Charles Debbasch, a longtime
advisor to Eyadema and still close to the Gnassingbes.
Debbasch had been convicted of fraud in France and although
the judgment remained to be executed, there was no specific
warrant for his arrest, a loophole that had allowed him to
travel to France once or twice since Eyadema,s death.
Foucher believed Debbasch was instrumental in Faure's "coup"
following Eyadema,s death. Among several of Debbasch's
unsavory activities was his recent attempt to protect his
properties in France by having them designated as TOGOlese
diplomatic facilities, which Foucher said the GOF had
rejected. Foucher said that the French regularly remind
Faure of the need to rid himself of people like Debbasch.

CHINA


11. (C) Foucher and Ambassador Dunn agreed on China's
growing presence in TOGO and in the region, with a focus on
the sugar industry and motor scooters, and with a broader
objective of eliminating Taiwan's influence. Foucher said
that China's engagement in Africa was a growing concern of
Japan. Foucher said that a backlash was developing, however,
with Africans resentful of the Chinese and viewing them
increasingly as predators. Some of the Chinese "laborers"
were also convicts promised reduced sentences for working in
Africa, where some chose to stay when their sentences were

completed.

BENIN, BURKINA FASO, GHANA, COTE D,IVOIRE


12. (C) Asked to comment on regional issues affecting TOGO
and its neighbors, Foucher said that the situation in BENIN
was not bad. Its new president represented a new style of
leadership for Benin and his political position was
consequently not strong and could even be described as
"fragile," Foucher commented. However, the atmosphere had
improved since the elections. Foucher described BURKINA FASO
as a "bon eleve" (good student) and President Compaore as
quite astute and clever, and able to receive a good amount of
international financial support. Compaore had moderated
Burkinabe policies towards COTE D'IVOIRE and Libya, enhancing
his credibility. However, problems remained, including the
cotton sector, rising corruption, and the still unverified
nature of support provided to rebel forces in Cote d,Ivoire.
Still, Compaore on balance had been useful to the region and
had made valuable contributions to TOGO.


13. (C) Foucher said that GHANA seemed focused more on
domestic than international issues, with France disappointed
in Ghana's half-hearted engagement in the Cote d,Ivoire
problem, noting that Kufuor did not attend the recent AU PSC
summit on Cote d,Ivoire. Ghana had also blocked UN
Sanctions Committee efforts on Cote d,Ivoire before recently
relenting. France viewed Kufuor favorably notwithstanding
Ghana's Cote d,Ivoire policies, Foucher said, adding that
one could appreciate Ghana's reservations about getting
involved in an issue that could have repercussions in Ghana
if Cote d,Ivoire continued to deteriorate. Moreover, Ghana
was able to profit from instability in Cote d,Ivoire in
terms of its ports, cacao production, diamond trafficking,
and the like.


14. (U) Ambassador Dunn has cleared this message.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON