COMOROS: PRESIDENT APPEALS TO U.S. WHILE HOPING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000935

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PASS TO PEACE CORPS FOR DIRECTOR TSCHETTER
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/FO - JSWAN
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E - MBEYZEROV AND JKNIGHT
ADDIS FOR AMBASSADOR COURVILLE
CAPETOWN FOR LA LIME
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PTER MOPS CN AU MO
SUBJECT: COMOROS: PRESIDENT APPEALS TO U.S. WHILE HOPING
AU INTERVENTION WILL PREVAIL

REF: ANTANANARIVO 933

Classified By: Ambassador Niels Marquardt for reasons 1.4 b and d


1. (C) Summary: With virtually his whole country's
progress and prospects held hostage over the continuing
impasse in Anjouan (reftel),Union of the Comoros President
Ahmed Abdallah Sambi nonetheless projected an air of
friendly calm in his first meeting with Ambassador
Marquardt on September 13. He lauded past cooperation with
the U.S., particularly citing the favorable experience with
the Peace Corps over ten years ago and asking that Peace
Corps reopen. He also said the Union hopes to qualify for
both AGOA and MCC, noted that they meet most of the
requirements for both, and asked for more help from USAID.
Regarding Anjouan, he admitted to pressures to solve the
impasse through unilateral military action, and said that
Morocco and other countries are providing the necessary
arms and boats. That said, he was almost passionate in
stressing his desire to "improve my country's international
image" - an effort he said would go down the drain if he
has to resort to force. Instead, he is calling on the
international community, led by the African Union and South
Africa, to clear the path toward free and fair "island
elections" on Anjouan. End Summary.


2. (C) Ambassador Marquardt had an unplanned and
unexpected hour-long tete-a-tete with President Sambi on
September 13, while waiting at Moroni airport to depart via
helicopter to the USS Forrest Sherman. The ship visit was
the first in the Comoros' 32-year existence as an
independent nation, and Sambi said he took it as a sign of
good things to come that we had sent the ship. Indeed, the
Ambassador replied that the U.S. seeks to include the
Comoros prominently in our increasing military cooperation
efforts in the Indian Ocean. This cooperation will expand
to include soon the provision of a patrol boat (the Arch
Angel) already identified in the U.S., as well as the
invitation for the Comoros to participate in the Automated
Information System (AIS) program, which was demonstrated on
board to his obvious delight. President Sambi was grateful
for the offers of military cooperation and said he would
sign up immediately for AIS and looks forward to the
delivery of the Arch Angel.


3. (C) Turning quickly to his major preoccupation - the
impasse with renegade Anjouan island warlord Mohamed Bacar
which has thwarted the holding of free and fair elections
there since last June - Sambi appealed to the U.S. for
support. Sambi repeatedly referred to the situation as a "
rebellion" - the same term used by the national parliament
earlier in September in a resolution calling on Sambi to
use "all necessary means" to break the impasse. He
described the process by which he believes that the AU is
moving towards sanctions on Anjouan at the meeting
scheduled September 18 in Capetown (reftel). He described
the misery of the Comoran people and the extent to which
progress, which he promised in his election campaign,
remains utterly blocked by the Anjouan impasse. He said he
fears that debt forgiveness, which his country has earned,
will be delayed or even lost due to the IMF's inability to
deal with the Union under present circumstances. Sambi
said that Bacar has refused to hold the election because he
knows he has become unpopular, even despised, by the people
of Anjouan. Bacar's "game," Sambi said, is to play for
time, during which he continues to enrich himself through
collection of customs duties, port fees, and profits from
illicit operations like the shell banks prominent in
Anjouan. Meanwhile Sambi complained that the supply to the
other two islands of key foodstuffs, such as rice and
sugar, is compromised, intentionally, by Bacar's actions.
He said that Bacar will not go down fighting, as he has
deposited his ill-gotten gains in France, where he also has
real estate, and would take refuge there if need be.


4. (C) Asked how much patience he has, Sambi described
first his efforts to improve the Comoros' international
image. We suffer from a terrible reputation because of our
history of coups and instability, he said; I have tried
since being elected to project a different image, one of
peace and reason. These efforts will be undermined if I

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have to take military action against Anjouan, which would
necessarily result in confrontation and bloodshed. "
Personally, therefore, I do not favor this option."
However, he said he "must be prepared" for every option,
and readily admitted that Morocco and other countries have
provided arms and zodiacs capable of landing a 200-man
force on Anjouan. (Note: A Moroccan military C-130 was
offloading cargo immediately outside the VIP Pavilion in
which this conversation took place.) He said that he has a
military plan that he believes will work, and that support
for Bacar is so weak that it would crumble at the first
signs of confrontation. He lamented the decision "by the
international community" to return confiscated arms in 2001
to the island president, rather than to the Union; this had
created the present impasse, he said, as otherwise Bacar
and his militia would not have arms.


5. (C) Turning again to bilateral issues, Sambi was full
of praise for the previous Peace Corps presence in the
Comoros, and he said he both needs and wants them back.
The Ambassador said this option was under consideration,
following Sambi's request to Peace Corps Director Tschetter
earlier this year, and that a Peace Corps survey mission to
the Comoros had already taken place. Sambi also said that
his country, while small, was democratic and reform-minded
and deserved to be included in U.S. initiatives like AGOA
and MCC. He also praised USAID's modest presence in the
Comoros and asked that it be stepped up. Sambi said he
hoped the Ambassador would be supportive of these efforts.
The Ambassador responded that he also saw needs and
opportunities in the Comoros and promised to work hard in
support of strengthened bilateral relations and a more
visible U.S. presence. President Sambi then alluded to "
perceptions within the Muslim world of U.S. animosity
toward Islam and its adherents"; he said that while he did
not share this view at all, he offers his country as a
place for the U.S. to reach out and to demonstrate our true
friendship to Muslims.


6. (C) The impromptu conversation was followed, after
return from the USS Forrest Sherman, by a credentials
ceremony in the Presidential Palace. Sambi's formal
remarks were consistent with his private ones, saying of
Anjouan "... the situation of rebellion which
is persisting on this island is not only delaying the
social and economic development of the country, but it also
stands as a real threat to the unity and stability of the
country." He also explicitly reaffirmed his continuing
cooperation in combatting terrorism, saying: "...I would
like to renew to you the commitment of my Government to
continue to provide its humble contribution to the U.S.
Administration in view of eradicating the plague of
terrorism, in all its forms." The Ambassador, in his
prepared statement, expressed support for the AU effort in
Anjouan, as well as the desire to increase bilateral
contacts and programs in the Comoros.


7. (C) Ambassador's Comment: President Sambi's initial
impression on me was highly positive, and consistent with
previous analysis describing him as moderate, patient, and
democratic. While remaining outwardly calm, he nonetheless
made clear that he is under significant and mounting
pressure to take action to resolve the Anjouan impasse, by
force if necessary. I told him that while we understand
that his very Presidency is at stake over this single
issue, we continue to counsel patience and restraint in
order for ongoing diplomacy take its course. The onset of
Ramadan presumably means that no military action will be
initiated for another month, at the earliest. Thereafter,
however, if the AU has not shown adequate results, I would
not expect him to wait much longer before putting his
new equipment to the test. We should, therefore, consider
all means at our disposal to enhance the AU's prospects
for success, including raising this issue in our
conversations
with AU and South African leadership and (assuming
today's meeting results in a AU statement) issuing the public
statement of support for the AU recommended in reftel. End
Comment.

MARQUARDT