Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ALGIERS798
2008-07-15 16:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:  

MFA SAYS TRIPARTITE NORTHERN MALI SECURITY TALKS

Tags:  PREL MARR ML AG 
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PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHAS #0798 1971631
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 151631Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6123
INFO RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0636
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 2438
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7293
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 6458
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 1676
RUEHOU/AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 0270
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 0089
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000798 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/RSA - DEPSTEIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR ML AG
SUBJECT: MFA SAYS TRIPARTITE NORTHERN MALI SECURITY TALKS
"PREMATURE"

REF: A. SECSTATE 71472

B. ALGIERS 704

C. BAMAKO 624

D. BAMAKO 558

Classified By: CDA, a.i. Thomas F. Daughton for reasons 1.4 (b, d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000798

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/RSA - DEPSTEIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR ML AG
SUBJECT: MFA SAYS TRIPARTITE NORTHERN MALI SECURITY TALKS
"PREMATURE"

REF: A. SECSTATE 71472

B. ALGIERS 704

C. BAMAKO 624

D. BAMAKO 558

Classified By: CDA, a.i. Thomas F. Daughton for reasons 1.4 (b, d).


1. (C) MFA Director General (A/S equivalent) for Africa
Lounes Magramane told Charge on July 15 that although Algeria
and the U.S. were on the same wavelength regarding the
establishment of special security units in northern Mali,
setting up a tripartite meeting in August involving Mali,
Algeria and the U.S. was "premature." Magramane began his
job this week with the departure of his predecessor, Ismail
Chergui. Though he apologized for the delay in responding to
our meeting request by saying he was in the early stages of
setting up his office, he appeared fully informed of the
substance of the June 18 meetings with the interagency
delegation led by AF DAS Moss (ref B).


2. (C) Magramane said that the time was now right for what
the GOA considered to be the next step: a meeting in Algiers
involving the Algerian government, the Malian government and
the 23 May Tuareg Alliance. He expected this to happen as
soon as this week, noting that the positive results of talks
with the two separate delegations in June (ref C) had set the
stage for the next meeting to occur. Magramane said those
discussions (with a Malian government delegation and a Tuareg
delegation) reassured the GOA that that the two sides were
re-engaged on the Algiers Accords and were ready for a
three-way meeting in Algiers.


3. (C) Magramane observed that the creation of the special
joint Malian-Tuareg security units in northern Mali was
important, but was just one element of the Algiers Accord
undertakings. Algeria was seeking to have all the
undertakings implemented. Magramane said he believed the
Malian government was "resigned to accepting" the units, but
that neither side was yet ready to discuss the details of
establishing, training and supporting them. He noted that
after the next meeting in Algiers, he would consult with the
parties concerned, including the U.S. If all parties were in
agreement, he said, Algeria would then steer the process
towards the creation of the security units. It was thus too
early, he said, to commit to the August meeting we proposed.


4. (C) COMMENT: Magramane identified the Algerian ambassador
in Bamako (who he said would return to Algiers July 16 or 17)
as the designated GOA mediator in the ongoing negotiation
effort. Megramane appeared fairly confident that the GOA
would succeed in setting up a three-party meeting with the
Malians and the Tuaregs in the coming days, but was cautious
about making any commitment for action beyond that. We will
monitor developments in that respect and renew the suggestion
of an Algeria-Mali-U.S. meeting when opportune. End Comment.

REGIONAL SECURITY SUMMIT
--------------


5. (C) Asked about the regional security summit proposed by
Malian President Toure (ref D),Magramane said that the
mid-July timeframe had slipped and the conference might now
occur "during Ramadan." Toure was still working on putting
the summit together, he explained. Algeria wanted to see the
summit focused on regional security from a counter-terrorism
angle, but added that not all the prospective participants
yet viewed the proposal from the same standpoint. For
example, he said, Niger (where Magramane was Algerian
ambassador from 2003-2006) still had a different perspective
on Sahel security. Similarly, he said, President Toure was
probably more focused on securing Malian territory than on
joint CT efforts. Magramane added that Algeria wanted the
summit to have "the right participants." He expected it
ultimately to involve Algeria, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad,
Libya and "perhaps Burkina Faso" -- "in other words," he
said, "the countries of the Sahara." Minimize considered.
DAUGHTON