MINURCAT - SRSG SEEKS USG SUPPORT TO KEEP IT IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 000299

SIPDIS

PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
DEPT FOR AF/C AND IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PREF MARR KPKO UN EU FR SU CD
SUBJECT: MINURCAT - SRSG SEEKS USG SUPPORT TO KEEP IT IN
CAR AS WELL AS CHAD, GET ROUGH DRAFT READY BEFORE SEPTMBER

REF: A. A) NDJAMENA 292

B. NDJAMENA 276

Classified By: Ambassador Louis J. Nigro, Jr. for reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D).


1. (U) This is an Action Message: See Para 6.


2. (C) SRSG Victor Angelo (PROTECT) asked me yesterday in
confidence yesterday for USG assistance regarding the renewal
of MINURCAT,s mandate, required before 25 September. Angelo
asked for USG help (A) in overcoming reticence within the UN
bureaucracy to keeping MINURCAT fully involved in the Central
African Republic, and (B) in getting at least the elements of
a draft resolution, which the French would draft, on paper
before 2 September. Angelo said he was making this demarche
only to us and to the French.


3. (C) On the first point, Angelo said that there was a view
within the UN that MINURCAT should be confined to Chad.
Angelo said he was adamantly opposed to divorcing the CAR
from a renewed MINURCAT mandate, for several reasons. First,
the CAR was an integral part of the crisis that MINURCAT was
created to address. If left unattended, the CAR,s vast
northwest could become a completely ungoverned zone (it was
already pretty much so) easily exploitable by terrorists or
other non-state actors, such as the Lord,s Resistance Army.
Second, if that occurred, the petroleum pipeline project in
southern Chad and Cameroon could be threatened from CAR by
non-state actors based there. Third, Chad President Deby was
very keen that MINURCAT continue to address CAR as well as
Chad and this issue could influence Chad,s acceptance of
MINURCAT as a follow-on force to EUFOR.


4. (C) On the second point, Angelo said that the August
slack season could affect the timetable for the drafting of a
new resolution. Angelo said he would appreciate USG support
in his effort to urge the French to get a rough draft ready
for 2 September.


5. (C) We believe that the USG should support as fully as
possible SRSG,s plan to expand strengthen MINURCAT renewed
mandate (REF B) and we think that the momentum he has
developed for acceptance by the GOC of a renewed MINURCAT to
assume the role of follow-on force to EUFOR (REF A) should be
seconded by the USG as far as possible.


6. (C) Action Request: That the USG weigh in to overcome
reticence within the UN bureaucracy to keeping MINURCAT fully
involved in the Central African Republic, and to assist the
French to getting at least the elements of a draft resolution
on paper before 02 September.
NIGRO