S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000077

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, S/CT AND INR
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO PEACE CORPS FOR DIRECTOR TSCHETTER
CJTF-HOA FOR ADMIRAL HUNT
ADDIS ABABA FOR AFRICAN UNION
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2017
TAGS: PREL PMIL PINR EFIN PGOV PTER EAID KISL CN
SUBJECT: COMOROS PRESIDENT WELCOMES U.S. COOPERATION

REF: A. ANTANANARIVO 0060

B. ANTANANARIVO 0053

ANTANANARI 00000077 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reasons 1.4 B & D


1. (C) SUMMARY: The President of the Union of the Comoros,
Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, met with the Ambassador January 18 and
with Peace Corps Director Ronald Tschetter January 19 on the
margins of the investiture of Madagascar's President Marc
Ravalomanana (Ref A). Sambi reaffirmed his desire for
assistance from the U.S., to include: a request for military
induction training for 150 new recruits, assistance in
observing the three island-level elections in April/May 2007,
budget support, infrastructure support, and English language
training. He also promised continued counter-terrorism
cooperation and urged the return of an official U.S. presence
in the Comoros, welcoming a diplomatic presence and/or a
return of the Peace Corps. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Comoran President Sambi traveled to Madagascar several
days ahead of Ravalomanana's investiture to conduct outreach
with the Comoran diaspora, first in Mahajunga and then in the
capital. He told the Ambassador that over 2,000 Comorans
study in Madagascar on renewable - and expensive - one-year
visas. The GOC has sought longer-term and lower-cost visas
for several years, but Madagascar has so far been unwilling,
due to security concerns and revenue benefits, to change its
policy. Sambi's warm words of praise for his "brother"
Ravalomanana at the post-investiture celebration appeared to
be part of a charm offensive designed to obtain some movement
on this issue.


3. (SBU) Asked by the Ambassador about the recent labor
strik

es and volcanic eruption in the Comoros (Ref B), Sambi
said that visiting geologists from the neighboring island of
Reunion reported the eruption was calming. He described
eruptions on a seven-month cycle as the present pattern,
whereas they had occurred every seven years in the recent
past. Regarding the strikes, he said the Ministry of Finance
had signed an agreement with the taxi operators to repair the
roads. Sambi appeared sympathetic with the strikers, but
pointed out that the fundamental problem was that the Island
Governments collected the vehicle fees and then expected the
Union Government to repair the roads.


4. (SBU) Sambi further described some of the Island-Union
tensions. For example, in the Union constitution, the island
leaders are called "Chef de l'Executif" whereas they are
called "President" in the separate island constitutions. He
expected all three island "presidents" not to be re-elected
in the upcoming April/May elections and indicated that he
would be supporting alternate candidates. He said the
parliament had just voted a law requiring all sitting island
officials to vacate their posts 90 days before the elections
if they were to be candidates. He hoped this would reduce
the power of incumbency. He had also sent his two Vice
Presidents to South Africa to meet with President Mbeki in an
effort to secure international observers for the island
elections to help ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.
The Ambassador assured Sambi that the U.S. Mission would send
some observers from Madagascar but thought it unlikely that
any Washington-based assistance would be available.


5. (C) As part of his effort to dilute island-based loyalties
and enhance allegiance to the Union, Sambi said he plans to
expand the Army of National Development (AND) by adding 150
new recruits. He hoped to instill new discipline in these
youth as opposed to the older military leaders, many of whom
had been corrupted by the Comoros' history of secession and
coups. Sambi asked the Ambassador if U.S. military advisors
might be available for several months to assist in the basic
training of these new recruits. The Ambassador promised to
forward this request to the U.S. military leadership.


6. (SBU) Sambi then described the budgetary challenges he
faces and the international assistance he needs. He stated
that the government's entire budget was only USD 60 million,
of which 65 per cent went to salaries and the other 35 per

ANTANANARI 00000077 002.2 OF 002


cent to government operations and payment of foreign debt.
This leaves his government nothing for development. Having
declared 2007 "The Year of Construction" Sambi asked whether
the U.S. could provide any assistance with heavy equipment -
brick-making machinery for housing growth, wells and pumps
for improving water supply, generators for power supply, as
well as trucks and earth-moving equipment. The Ambassador
replied that the U.S. could not provide budget support, but
might be willing to assist the International Monetary Fund's
effort at securing debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor
Countries Initiative (HIPC). Regarding the infrastructure
needs, the Ambassador noted that a Civil Affairs team from
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa was preparing to
engage in rebuilding several schools on the islands. The
Ambassador also suggested a continued effort by the Comoros
to qualify for a Millennium Challenge Account compact.


7. (S) Observing that the upheaval in Somalia might lead to
the dispersal of some of the international terrorists, the
Ambassador sought Sambi's assurance that the GOC would
cooperate in apprehending any that might seek shelter in the
Comoros. Sambi commented that he had heard the wife of Harun
Fazul, alleged mastermind of the 1998 Embassy bombings in
East Africa, had been caught crossing the Kenyan border.
Sambi said that he thought Fazul himself, though of Comoran
origin, was unlikely to seek shelter in his homeland.
However Sambi assured the Ambassador that the Comoros would
continue cooperating in the effort to monitor for Fazul's
presence.


8. (U) Sambi stressed to the Ambassador that the GOC would
warmly welcome the return of a permanent U.S. diplomatic
presence in the Comoros. In his meeting with Peace Corps
Director Tschetter, Sambi again laid out the urgency of his
infrastructure needs. In addition, he acknowledged how
important and useful the return of a Peace Corps presence
might be, especially for teaching English. Sambi lamented
that many scholarship opportunities for Comoran students are
lost because they lack the necessary English language
qualifications. Others go abroad on short-term programs but
then derive only modest benefit due to the language barrier.


9. (C) COMMENT. Sambi appeared relaxed and comfortable in
his hour-long meeting with the Ambassador. Perhaps that was
because he was abroad. At home, Sambi faces enormous
difficulties. Although elected in a landslide, his
government lacks the resources to deliver on its promises
and, to judge by the labor strikes he has faced, his
honeymoon period seems to be ending. The inter-island
tensions remain, and these are likely to be exacerbated in
the run-up to the island elections. Should these prove to be
free and fair, and if "president" Bacar of Sambi's home
island of Anjouan loses, then Sambi may gain some political
room to focus on his highest priority - the economic
development of his nation. Even modest U.S. resources to
help him achieve this goal would be warmly welcomed. END
COMMENT.

McGEE