COMOROS REQUESTS FOLLOW-UP ON BILATERAL TALK REQUESTS

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000040 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM PINR CN SUBJECT: COMOROS REQUESTS FOLLOW-UP ON BILATERAL TALK REQUESTS REF: A) ANTANANARIVO 34 AND PREVIOUS B) 07 ANTANANARIVO 399 ¶1. (U) Ambassador Marquardt met with Acting Foreign Minister Mourad Said Ibrahim January 11 for a review of bilateral relations in the wake of A/S Frazer's visit, which had focused on the Anjouan crisis (REF A). After reaffirming the mutual hope that USG involvement will assist in resolving that crisis, the Minister's discussion focused on perceived lack of follow-up to the April 19 USG-Comoros bilateral talks in Moroni (REF B). Ibrahim noted (erroneously) that the Union Government has received no feedback from the U.S. -- positive, negative or otherwise -- since it presented a number of important projects during the bilateral talks; he inquired about their status: "Is this a dead letter?" ¶2. (U) The Ambassador assured Ibrahim that Comoros' requests have not been forgotten, quite the contrary, in fact, as we work hard to mobilize additional USG resources for his country. He explained that the talks had been useful in identifying Comoros' most pressing needs, to help us draw our own conclusions on ways to help by matching them with USG programs and available funding. The Ambassador promised to send a letter detailing current and future U.S. programs in the Comoros, including the USAID distance learning project launched in November, CJTF-HOA school construction/rehabilitation projects underway, and a pending micro-enterprise project. He explained the USG is poised to invest USD 500,000 into Comoros' education sector and hopes to support a feasibility study on tapping geothermal energy from volcanic Mount Karthala. The Ambassador also expressed his commitment to attract and mobilize U.S. private sector investment through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA),encouraging Ibrahim and the GOC to start preparing now for the day AGOA arrives -- and also explaining that resolution of the Anjouan crisis will greatly help establish AGOA eligibility. The Ambassador also stated the Department's intention to station one diplomat, reporting to Antananarivo, in Moroni for three weeks out of every month; this may help lay the groundwork eventually to reopen an Embassy in Moroni. Finally, the Ambassador noted that preparations for the return of the Peace Corps to Comoros are underway, pending available funding in the FY09 budget. ¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: There is an undercurrent of disappointment within the Government of Comoros that has festered since the USG was unable to follow through on the USD two million we pledged at the 2005 Donors Conference in Mauritius. The acting Minister - subbing for Foreign Minister Jaffar, who was away shopping in the Persian Gulf for financial and military assistance for Anjouan -- apparently drew the "bad cop" role allowing others, including President Sambi, to focus on the positive in talks with A/S Frazer and the ambassador. (Bio note: Ibrahim's "day job" is Justice Minister; as the son of a respected former Comoran President and grandson of the last Sultan of Grande Comore, he has a truly princely bearing and no lack of confidence.) Shortly we will send a letter to the GOC detailing USG programs in the works and reassuring them that we will continue to seek ways to be helpful to their development. We doubt any of this will come up during Jaffar's visit this week focusing on Anjouan, but would stress that this negative undercurrent nonetheless remains strong. END COMMENT. MARQUARDT