Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANTANANARIVO78
2008-01-30 12:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Antananarivo
Cable title:
ANJOUAN'S COLONEL BACAR ON FRANCOPHONIE VISIT
how-toVZCZCXRO4917 OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHAN #0078 0301237 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 301237Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0911 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000078
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
ADDIS FOR AMBASSADOR COURVILLE
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF/E RMEDRANO
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KDEM PHUM PINR CN
SUBJECT: ANJOUAN'S COLONEL BACAR ON FRANCOPHONIE VISIT
UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000078
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
ADDIS FOR AMBASSADOR COURVILLE
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF/E RMEDRANO
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KDEM PHUM PINR CN
SUBJECT: ANJOUAN'S COLONEL BACAR ON FRANCOPHONIE VISIT
1. (SBU) In a public announcement, Anjouan's renegade Colonel Bacar
offered his spin on talks with La Francophonie Envoy Salifou January
23. Bacar said he held talks with Salifou on "the crisis born of
the Union Government's arbitrary decision to postpone island
elections in Anjouan and other violations which are entirely the
fault of the Union." Noting talks about Anjouan held in Cape Town
and Pretoria in 2007, Bacar blamed President Sambi for
"intransigence" and for "refusing to admit Union errors in order to
peacefully resolve the crisis."
2. (SBU) In the announcement, Bacar emphasized that Salifou's
mission was to collect information so that "La Francophonie could
participate in the resolution of the ongoing crisis and take part in
discussions January 31 in Addis Ababa."
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Union President Sambi was ambivalent about
Salifou's mission to Anjouan, neither blocking it nor interested in
its outcome. African Union Envoy Madeira, who had difficult
relations with la Francophonie and with Salifou during the 2006
presidential elections, expressed disappointment to EmbOff that the
AU was not consulted beforehand. Still holding out hope the AU
sanctions will have an effect on Bacar, Madeira indicated Salifou's
mission may have undermined the AU and offered more legitimacy to
the Anjouan leader. END COMMENT.
MARQUARDT
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
ADDIS FOR AMBASSADOR COURVILLE
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF/E RMEDRANO
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KDEM PHUM PINR CN
SUBJECT: ANJOUAN'S COLONEL BACAR ON FRANCOPHONIE VISIT
1. (SBU) In a public announcement, Anjouan's renegade Colonel Bacar
offered his spin on talks with La Francophonie Envoy Salifou January
23. Bacar said he held talks with Salifou on "the crisis born of
the Union Government's arbitrary decision to postpone island
elections in Anjouan and other violations which are entirely the
fault of the Union." Noting talks about Anjouan held in Cape Town
and Pretoria in 2007, Bacar blamed President Sambi for
"intransigence" and for "refusing to admit Union errors in order to
peacefully resolve the crisis."
2. (SBU) In the announcement, Bacar emphasized that Salifou's
mission was to collect information so that "La Francophonie could
participate in the resolution of the ongoing crisis and take part in
discussions January 31 in Addis Ababa."
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Union President Sambi was ambivalent about
Salifou's mission to Anjouan, neither blocking it nor interested in
its outcome. African Union Envoy Madeira, who had difficult
relations with la Francophonie and with Salifou during the 2006
presidential elections, expressed disappointment to EmbOff that the
AU was not consulted beforehand. Still holding out hope the AU
sanctions will have an effect on Bacar, Madeira indicated Salifou's
mission may have undermined the AU and offered more legitimacy to
the Anjouan leader. END COMMENT.
MARQUARDT