CHAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Meets President

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000131

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EPET IR CD
SUBJECT: CHAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Meets President
Deby


1. (U) According to a Chadian presidential webpage
article, Iranian Foreign Minister Mountasher Mountaki
met with President Deby earlier this week (February 4).
Webpage photos show the Iranian foreign minister with
President Deby at the Zakouma Game Preserve in
southeastern Chad. The Iranian foreign minister and
President Deby are accompanied by an Iranian aide,
Chad's Minister of Livestock and Resident Minister for
the Salamat region Rakhis Manani and Chadian
presidential translator Abakar Saleh. The article
reports that topics discussed by Deby and Mountasher
Mountaki included the Darfur crisis and its spillover,
such as attacks by (Chadian) "mercenaries on Khartoum's
payroll" against civilian populations.


2. (SBU) There is a virtual absence of press coverage
on the visit. There is a passing reference in a local
newspaper to the Iranian foreign Minister's presence at
the Zakouma Park with President Deby February 4 and
that Mountasher Mountaki had invited his "Chadian
homologue" (Foreign Minister Al Allami) to visit Iran
as, given Iran's extensive experience in the oil
sector, it could be of assistance to Chad. A reference
is also made in a February 6 Jeune Afrique article on
Western Sahara to the Iranian foreign minister's
arrival in Morocco as part of an African tour that
included visits to Libya and Chad. Embassy officer was
told February 8 by a senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs
official that the visit was organized directly by the
Office of the President. He was not aware of the
Minister of Foreign Affairs or any other MFA official
having met with the Iranian foreign minister during his
visit.


3. (U) According to official data, the Zakouma Game
Preserve contains some 5,000 elephants, 8,000 giraffes,
120 lions as well as large numbers of crocodile, water
buffalo and pelicans. It appears that the venue of
Mountasher Mountaki's meeting with Deby at Zakouma was
determined by the President's schedule rather than by
design. The Iranian Foreign Minister attended the
ceremonial burning by Deby of the tusks of elephants
slaughtered by poachers.


4. (SBU) Comment: In conversation with an Esso-led
consortium lawyer on the eve of the Iranian foreign
minister's arrival, the Ambassador was told of
consortium members' concerns of the Iranian's visit.
That, coupled with plans for the Algerian oil minister
to visit Chad soon, and the rough treatment Esso is
receiving from Chad's tax authorities, makes them worry
that Deby may have something up his sleeve.


5. Minimize considered.
WALL