Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07NDJAMENA176
2007-02-27 15:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ndjamena
Cable title:
CHAD'S VIEWS ON A UN BORDER FORCE: TALK WITH US
how-toVZCZCXRO9029 PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV DE RUEHNJ #0176 0581505 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 271505Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4975 INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000176
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PGOV PHUM PREL UNSC CD
SUBJECT: CHAD'S VIEWS ON A UN BORDER FORCE: TALK WITH US
REF: A. NDJAMENA 171
B. NDJAMENA 122
UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000176
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PGOV PHUM PREL UNSC CD
SUBJECT: CHAD'S VIEWS ON A UN BORDER FORCE: TALK WITH US
REF: A. NDJAMENA 171
B. NDJAMENA 122
1. (SBU) Chad is open to discussions on a UN peacekeeping
force on its border with Sudan, but believes its mandate
should be focused on protecting civilian populations, Chad's
Foreign Minister Allam-mi told the Ambassador February 27.
Speaking on his cell phone in Paris en route to Moscow and
Tehran, Allam-mi said Chad had agreed in principle to such a
force on the assumption it would consist of police and
gendarmes units. It did not have in mind the proposal for a
more "muscular" force envisioned by the UN's Department of
Peacekeeping Operations (UNDPKO). Nor did it see at this
stage a role for a force involving border surveillance
activities. He urged the start of technical discussions to
sort through the issues on staging a force for humanitarian
protection in eastern Chad.
2. (SBU) At lunch for the visiting EU "troika" later in the
day, French Ambassador Bruno Foucher described for the
Ambassador his talks with Allam-mi the day before. He noted
that Allam-mi had raised further questions about a force with
a mandate to monitor the border. Would it take action
against incursions by militias crossing the border, Allam-mi
had asked. If not, would it share the intelligence about
these movements with Chadian security forces, he continued.
In Foucher's view, any conditioning of a force in eastern
Chad on efforts to encourage an internal political dialogue
with President Deby's opposition would be a non-starter.
Foucher had the impression that President Deby might be ready
to accept Option A in the UNDPKO's Technical Assistance
Mission's report, but with a much lighter military footprint.
3. (SBU) Comment: President Deby has complained in the
past about the United Nations or the African Union either not
listening to his concerns or handing him faits accomoplis
without consultation. In our view, the sooner talks can
begin on the mandate and implementation of a UN border force,
the better. This should certainly include sending UN experts
to Chad as soon as possible. We continue to believe that a
message from the Secretary to President Deby on this subject
would be well received (ref A). End Comment
WALL
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PGOV PHUM PREL UNSC CD
SUBJECT: CHAD'S VIEWS ON A UN BORDER FORCE: TALK WITH US
REF: A. NDJAMENA 171
B. NDJAMENA 122
1. (SBU) Chad is open to discussions on a UN peacekeeping
force on its border with Sudan, but believes its mandate
should be focused on protecting civilian populations, Chad's
Foreign Minister Allam-mi told the Ambassador February 27.
Speaking on his cell phone in Paris en route to Moscow and
Tehran, Allam-mi said Chad had agreed in principle to such a
force on the assumption it would consist of police and
gendarmes units. It did not have in mind the proposal for a
more "muscular" force envisioned by the UN's Department of
Peacekeeping Operations (UNDPKO). Nor did it see at this
stage a role for a force involving border surveillance
activities. He urged the start of technical discussions to
sort through the issues on staging a force for humanitarian
protection in eastern Chad.
2. (SBU) At lunch for the visiting EU "troika" later in the
day, French Ambassador Bruno Foucher described for the
Ambassador his talks with Allam-mi the day before. He noted
that Allam-mi had raised further questions about a force with
a mandate to monitor the border. Would it take action
against incursions by militias crossing the border, Allam-mi
had asked. If not, would it share the intelligence about
these movements with Chadian security forces, he continued.
In Foucher's view, any conditioning of a force in eastern
Chad on efforts to encourage an internal political dialogue
with President Deby's opposition would be a non-starter.
Foucher had the impression that President Deby might be ready
to accept Option A in the UNDPKO's Technical Assistance
Mission's report, but with a much lighter military footprint.
3. (SBU) Comment: President Deby has complained in the
past about the United Nations or the African Union either not
listening to his concerns or handing him faits accomoplis
without consultation. In our view, the sooner talks can
begin on the mandate and implementation of a UN border force,
the better. This should certainly include sending UN experts
to Chad as soon as possible. We continue to believe that a
message from the Secretary to President Deby on this subject
would be well received (ref A). End Comment
WALL