MALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ALGERIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000590 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2028 TAGS: PTER PREL AG ML MR NG SUBJECT: MALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ALGERIA REF: A. ALGERIA 00548 ¶B. BAMAKO 00463 Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Ford. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (U) On May 20, the Algerian media reported that Malian Foreign Minister Moctar Ouane visited Algeria on May 19 to secure Algerian re-engagement on negotiations between the Malian government and Tuareg rebels in Northern Mali. According to press reports, after Ouane met with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, he announced that he was pleased that President Bouteflika had agreed to resume the Algerian role as mediator in the crises that have shaken northern Mali (also reported ref b). ¶2. (C) MFA Director General for African Affairs Ismail Chergui (A/S equivalent) told Ambassador on May 20 that the press reports were accurate and Algeria had agreed to resume its mediator role. Chergui did not know when the next round of discussions would resume. He did indicate a lingering uncertainty towards working with Mali, given past problems between the two countries. Chergui added that Algeria had heard Libya was planning to bring Libyan and Nigerien Tuaregs to meet with Malian Tuaregs in Mali but the Malians had not given the Algerians a good feel for the goal of such a meeting. He noted that this was an example of the kind of activity between Mali and Libya that raises doubts in Algeria. FORD