Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PARIS4661
2007-12-07 08:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
CHAD/C.A.R. PKO: "20 HELICOPTERS ARE HOLDING UP
how-toVZCZCXRO6062 OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHFR #4661/01 3410854 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 070854Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1397 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0101 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1427 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004661
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2017
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR EUN PINS CD CT FR
SUBJECT: CHAD/C.A.R. PKO: "20 HELICOPTERS ARE HOLDING UP
THE WORKS"
REF: A. PARIS 4534
B. N'DJAMENA 933
PARIS 00004661 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, 1.4 (b/d
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004661
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2017
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR EUN PINS CD CT FR
SUBJECT: CHAD/C.A.R. PKO: "20 HELICOPTERS ARE HOLDING UP
THE WORKS"
REF: A. PARIS 4534
B. N'DJAMENA 933
PARIS 00004661 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, 1.4 (b/d
).
1. (C) SUMMARY: AF Presidential Advisor Romain Serman told
U.S. Ambassador to Chad Louis Nigro on December 6 that the
issue of financing 20 helicopters was holding up the
establishment and deployment of EUFOR to Chad and the Central
African Republic. Serman said that France would continue to
lobby EU partners, especially the UK, to obtain a commitment
to fund the helicopters. Serman was optimistic that the
mission would eventually be deployed but he could not predict
when the commitment to fund the helicopters would be secured.
He indicated that France was no longer expecting EUFOR to
operate at the 4,000 troop level and would accept a force
level of 3,000. So far, EU members had committed to about
2,500, with France supplying 1,400-1,500 forces. The French
would welcome any help the USG could provide in encouraging
EU members to help finance EUFOR. He said that renewed
fighting in Chad represented an effort by Chadian rebels,
backed by Sudan and Libya, to impede deployment of EUFOR.
Serman expressed concern about radical Islamic groups and
criminal trafficking elements building continent-wide ties
across the Sahel. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) AF Presidential Advisor Romain Serman met with U.S.
Ambassador to Chad Louis Nigro on December 6, focusing on
EUFOR and the problems France has had in securing commitments
from EU partners. Serman said that the crucial impediment
was the failure of EU partners to fund approximately 20
helicopters (which would include gunships, transportation,
and surveillance aircraft) deemed necessary to support EUFOR.
Serman expressed personal frustration and disappointment
that, after having voted to engage in a peacekeeping mission
in Chad and C.A.R., EU members were shying away from funding
necessary components of the mission.
3. (C) Serman said that France would continue lobbying EU
members for financial support for the helicopters. He
identified the UK in particular, although France well
recognized the constraints placed on the UK by its
engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq. France hoped not to
turn this into a debate about ESDP and EU pol/mil theology
but rather appeal to EU partners' need to respond to the
crises in the region and not merely make statements about the
urgency to do something about such crises. The French, he
said, would emphasize that UNAMID and efforts in Darfur would
be seriously compromised if EUFOR and MINURCAT were not
deployed in parallel in Chad and C.A.R. Serman was
optimistic that the necessary commitments would be made to
allow EUFOR to deploy but he could not predict when that
might be.
4. (C) When asked directly, Serman said that France was no
longer thinking that reaching the former target of deploying
EUFOR at the 4,000-4,300 level was feasible, and was now
looking at a force of about 3,000 (ref A). He said that
about 2,500 troop commitments had been made, including
1,400-1,500 French forces. Three deployable battalions, one
French, were now available. Serman said that the issue of a
military medical facility had been resolved, leaving only the
helicopters as the key missing ingredient. Serman said that
France would welcome efforts by the USG to encourage
potential contributors to EUFOR to step forward and make
commitments.
5. (C) Serman said that recent renewed fighting in Chad,
which he said was quite heavy (ref B),represented an effort
by Chadian rebel groups -- and their Libyan and Sudanese
backers -- to scare off potential EUFOR contributors and to
impeded its formation and deployment. Serman noted President
Deby's personal engagement in the combat, directing Chadian
forces at the front, remarking on his "true warrior spirit."
The recent fighting, Serman said, had resulted in casualties
to Deby's own family. Serman said that the rebels were
exploiting the nature of the Zaghawa-against-Zaghawa
fighting, imploring Zaghawa members on the government side to
"stop killing your brothers and to turn against our real
enemy, Deby." Serman said that this seemed to be having some
effect, with the fighting against Erdimi's Zaghawa rebel
forces less intense than the combat against rebel elements
led by Mahamat Nouri composed of members of the Daza/Goran
ethnic group. Serman said that a relatively large number of
Goran had been "massacred" in the heavy fighting. Serman
PARIS 00004661 002.2 OF 002
reported, consistent with ref B, that Mahamat Nour had taken
refuge in the Libyan Embassy, leading Serman to comment on
Qadhafi's continuing interest in dominating Chad.
6. (C) Ambassador Nigro said that his priorities would be
humanitarian support for refugees and IDPs in Chad,
democratization, anti-terrorism, and economic development,
particularly concerning wise management of Chad's petroleum
resources, which would eventually disappear. Serman agreed
with these goals and encouraged close cooperation with
France's Embassy and its Ambassador, Bruno Foucher, whom
Serman praised highly. Serman said that Chad was important
because it represented a target for radical Islam, which was
operating to expand its influence westward across the Sahel.
"If Chad falls, then the next target could be northern
Nigeria," Serman said, noting that that would be disastrous.
Serman and Ambassador Nigro agreed that another concern was
the increased illicit trafficking of all kinds across the
Sahel, and how trafficking groups were beginning to build
ties among themselves and with Islamic groups. This was a
dangerous development, they agreed, one that such things as
the TSCTP was designed to address, Ambassador Nigro noted.
7. (U) Ambassador Nigro did not have an opportunity to
clear this message before departing on December 6 for
consultations in Germany. He returns to Paris for meetings
at the MOD and MFA on Monday, December 10, after which he
travels to N'Djamena.
8. (U) Tripoli minimize considered.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2017
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR EUN PINS CD CT FR
SUBJECT: CHAD/C.A.R. PKO: "20 HELICOPTERS ARE HOLDING UP
THE WORKS"
REF: A. PARIS 4534
B. N'DJAMENA 933
PARIS 00004661 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, 1.4 (b/d
).
1. (C) SUMMARY: AF Presidential Advisor Romain Serman told
U.S. Ambassador to Chad Louis Nigro on December 6 that the
issue of financing 20 helicopters was holding up the
establishment and deployment of EUFOR to Chad and the Central
African Republic. Serman said that France would continue to
lobby EU partners, especially the UK, to obtain a commitment
to fund the helicopters. Serman was optimistic that the
mission would eventually be deployed but he could not predict
when the commitment to fund the helicopters would be secured.
He indicated that France was no longer expecting EUFOR to
operate at the 4,000 troop level and would accept a force
level of 3,000. So far, EU members had committed to about
2,500, with France supplying 1,400-1,500 forces. The French
would welcome any help the USG could provide in encouraging
EU members to help finance EUFOR. He said that renewed
fighting in Chad represented an effort by Chadian rebels,
backed by Sudan and Libya, to impede deployment of EUFOR.
Serman expressed concern about radical Islamic groups and
criminal trafficking elements building continent-wide ties
across the Sahel. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) AF Presidential Advisor Romain Serman met with U.S.
Ambassador to Chad Louis Nigro on December 6, focusing on
EUFOR and the problems France has had in securing commitments
from EU partners. Serman said that the crucial impediment
was the failure of EU partners to fund approximately 20
helicopters (which would include gunships, transportation,
and surveillance aircraft) deemed necessary to support EUFOR.
Serman expressed personal frustration and disappointment
that, after having voted to engage in a peacekeeping mission
in Chad and C.A.R., EU members were shying away from funding
necessary components of the mission.
3. (C) Serman said that France would continue lobbying EU
members for financial support for the helicopters. He
identified the UK in particular, although France well
recognized the constraints placed on the UK by its
engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq. France hoped not to
turn this into a debate about ESDP and EU pol/mil theology
but rather appeal to EU partners' need to respond to the
crises in the region and not merely make statements about the
urgency to do something about such crises. The French, he
said, would emphasize that UNAMID and efforts in Darfur would
be seriously compromised if EUFOR and MINURCAT were not
deployed in parallel in Chad and C.A.R. Serman was
optimistic that the necessary commitments would be made to
allow EUFOR to deploy but he could not predict when that
might be.
4. (C) When asked directly, Serman said that France was no
longer thinking that reaching the former target of deploying
EUFOR at the 4,000-4,300 level was feasible, and was now
looking at a force of about 3,000 (ref A). He said that
about 2,500 troop commitments had been made, including
1,400-1,500 French forces. Three deployable battalions, one
French, were now available. Serman said that the issue of a
military medical facility had been resolved, leaving only the
helicopters as the key missing ingredient. Serman said that
France would welcome efforts by the USG to encourage
potential contributors to EUFOR to step forward and make
commitments.
5. (C) Serman said that recent renewed fighting in Chad,
which he said was quite heavy (ref B),represented an effort
by Chadian rebel groups -- and their Libyan and Sudanese
backers -- to scare off potential EUFOR contributors and to
impeded its formation and deployment. Serman noted President
Deby's personal engagement in the combat, directing Chadian
forces at the front, remarking on his "true warrior spirit."
The recent fighting, Serman said, had resulted in casualties
to Deby's own family. Serman said that the rebels were
exploiting the nature of the Zaghawa-against-Zaghawa
fighting, imploring Zaghawa members on the government side to
"stop killing your brothers and to turn against our real
enemy, Deby." Serman said that this seemed to be having some
effect, with the fighting against Erdimi's Zaghawa rebel
forces less intense than the combat against rebel elements
led by Mahamat Nouri composed of members of the Daza/Goran
ethnic group. Serman said that a relatively large number of
Goran had been "massacred" in the heavy fighting. Serman
PARIS 00004661 002.2 OF 002
reported, consistent with ref B, that Mahamat Nour had taken
refuge in the Libyan Embassy, leading Serman to comment on
Qadhafi's continuing interest in dominating Chad.
6. (C) Ambassador Nigro said that his priorities would be
humanitarian support for refugees and IDPs in Chad,
democratization, anti-terrorism, and economic development,
particularly concerning wise management of Chad's petroleum
resources, which would eventually disappear. Serman agreed
with these goals and encouraged close cooperation with
France's Embassy and its Ambassador, Bruno Foucher, whom
Serman praised highly. Serman said that Chad was important
because it represented a target for radical Islam, which was
operating to expand its influence westward across the Sahel.
"If Chad falls, then the next target could be northern
Nigeria," Serman said, noting that that would be disastrous.
Serman and Ambassador Nigro agreed that another concern was
the increased illicit trafficking of all kinds across the
Sahel, and how trafficking groups were beginning to build
ties among themselves and with Islamic groups. This was a
dangerous development, they agreed, one that such things as
the TSCTP was designed to address, Ambassador Nigro noted.
7. (U) Ambassador Nigro did not have an opportunity to
clear this message before departing on December 6 for
consultations in Germany. He returns to Paris for meetings
at the MOD and MFA on Monday, December 10, after which he
travels to N'Djamena.
8. (U) Tripoli minimize considered.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON