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