UK AMBASSADOR TO CHAD SHOULD VISIT CHAD REGULARLY TO

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000259 SIPDIS PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, STATE FOR AF - DAS SWAN AND AF/RSA, USUN FOR POLCOUNS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM UK EU UN CD SUBJECT: UK AMBASSADOR TO CHAD SHOULD VISIT CHAD REGULARLY TO REINFORCE MINURCAT AND EUFOR POLITICALLY ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE: SEE PARA 6. ¶2. (SBU) THE UK AMBASSADOR TO CHAD, WHO IS RESIDENT AS HIGH COMMISSIONER IN YAOUNDE, SHOULD VISIT CHAD REGULARLY TO REINFORCE BOTH THE UN AND EU PKO MISSIONS HERE. A REGULAR VISIT BY UK AMBASSADOR WOULD SERVE USG INTERESTS BY DEMONSTRATING BROAD SUPPORT FOR THESE PKO MISSIONS, WHICH AIM TO ACHIEVE KEY USG OBJECTIVES IN CHAD. THE UK AMBASSADOR HAS NOT VISITED HERE IN THE PAST SEVENTEEN MONTHS, TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, ALTHOUGH OTHER UK DIPLOMATS HAVE BEEN HERE. RECENT CONTROVERSIAL EUFOR ACTION IN EASTERN CHAD AND PUBLIC CRITICISM OF THAT ACTION BY GOC AND UN AGENCIES UNDERLINES URGENCY OF NEED FOR MAXIMIMUM POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR EUFOR AND ITS PARTNER, MINURCAT, AT THIS TIME. ¶3. (SBU) THE SRSG AND AMBASSADORS OF UNSC MEMBER NATIONS MEET BI-WEEKLY. ADDITION OF THE UK AMBASSADOR TO AT LEAST SOME OF THESE MEETINGS WOULD UNDERLINE UNSC SUPPORT FOR MINURCAT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. THE SRSG HAS INDICATED THAT HE COULD PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO UK AMBASSADOR TO AND FROM N'DJAMENA. OTHER PERM FIVE AMBASSADORS WOULD BE HAPPY TO HOST AND PARTICIPATE IN USEFUL EVENTS FOR HIM. SRSG WOULD BE HAPPY TO ARRANGE FOR HIS MEETINGS WITH SENIOR GOC OFFICIALS. ¶4. (SBU) UK AMBASSADOR SHOULD VISIT EUFOR AND MINURCAT INSTALLATIONS AND ACTIVITIES IN N'DJAMENA AND EASTERN CHAD. THE EU MISSION OR SRSG COULD ARRANGE FOR TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE EAST AND ACCOMMODATIONS AND A USEFUL SCHEDULE THERE. ¶5. (SBU) THE UK AMBASSADOR'S FIRST VISIT HERE IDEALLY WOULD BE DURING THE WEEK OF 23-27 JUNE. THIS WOULD PUT HIM HERE DURING PART OF THE JOINT UN/EU MID-TERM EVALUATION (OF MINURCAT AND EUFOR) TEAM VISIT AND PERMIT HIM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UNSC MEMBERS MEETING 26 JUNE, IN WHICH THE SRSG LIKELY WILL BRIEF ON THE PERFORMANCE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF MINURCAT AND EUFOR IN CHAD. IF THAT TIMING IS NOT POSSIBLE, HE SHOULD TRY TO ARRIVE HERE THE WEEK OF 7-11 JULY. ¶6. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: THAT THE DEPARTMENT CONSIDER DEMARCHING HMG IN LONDON, NY, BRUSSELS, AND YAOUNDE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE UK AMBASSADOR VISIT HERE REGULARLY, AND THAT HIS FIRST VISIT BE THE WEEK OF 23-27 JUNE, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS HERE. NIGRO