N'DJAMENA 003: DISCUSSION WITH CHINESE AMBASSADOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L FEST TWO 000009 SIPDIS SIPDIS PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/20/2018 TAGS: PREL PREF PGOV PHUM SU CH CD SUBJECT: N'DJAMENA 003: DISCUSSION WITH CHINESE AMBASSADOR CLASSIFIED BY: LucyTamlyn, Deputy Chief of Mission , U.S. Embassy N'Djamena , State Department . REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) CLASSIFIED BY: Louis J. Nigro, Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy N'Djamena, State Department . REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. Ambassador met with Chinese Ambassador Wang Yingwu Feb 19. This reports highlights of their discussion. ¶2. Security/Stability: Wang said that he believed the rebels would not succeed in attacking the capital again, despite their continued presence on Chadian soil and widespread persistent fears of another rebel attempt to take N'Djamena. Wang said that the French had "changed their policy" on propping up the Deby regime from more passive support to more active support. The change had come between Feb 2 and Feb 3, Wang said, and the signal was the French decision to transport T-55 cannon shells to Chad from Libya. That meant that France was now committed to defending Deby and N'Djamena from the rebels. ¶3. China in Chad: Wang said that Beijing was intent on returning all pre-crisis Chinese presence to Chad. He said that he was planning to return embassy staff (but not families) from Yaoundi soon. After that all Chinese interests would return to Chad -- the oil company CNPC, the para-statals doing public works, etc. Chinese assistance to Chad would be resumed to pre-crisis levels in all areas -- health, sanitation, and military assistance (this last limited he said to educating Chadian military officers in China). ¶4. MINURCAT: Ambassador noted to Wang MINURCAT chief Campaore's concerns over lack of cooperation by GOC regarding pay for Chadian gendarmes and police officers. (NOTE: Campaore had called on Ambassador Feb 18 and mentioned that MINURCAT progress was being impeded by GOC insistence that MINURCAT payment to Chadian gendarmes and police officers be paid not to the individual officers but to the GOC and that those payments be at the same level as salaries of MINURCAT's own police trainers. END NOTE.) Ambassador noted that the United States and China, along with other UNSC members, had a special responsibility to ensure that EUFOR and MINURCAT's mandates be advanced and supported. Ambassador said that he would seek opportunities to urge GOC to cooperate fully with MINURCAT IAW established UN DPKO rules, which were clear and universal, and urged Wang to do likewise. Wang was initially unwilling to commit himself, but at length agreed to talk to GOC authorities about MINURCAT "if the possibility presented itself." NIGRO