LIBYAN TO FLY CHAD AND SUDANESE AMBASSADORS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 000508 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2011 TAGS: PREL PREF LY SU CD SUBJECT: LIBYAN TO FLY CHAD AND SUDANESE AMBASSADORS TO POSTS NOV 4, BEFORE A CONTACT GROUP MTG IN NDJAMENA NOV 15 Classified By: AMB:LJNIGRO ¶1. (C) Libyan Ambassador Emhemmed Shlback told Ambassador October 30 that the GOL would facilitate the return of a Chadian Ambasador to Khartoum and a Sudanese Ambassador to Ndjamena by bringing a special plane from Libya to Chad November 4. The plane, with Amb Shlback on board if necessary take Chad's ambassador to Khartoum, pick up the Sudanese ambassador to chad and fly him to Ndjamena the same day. ¶2. (C) Shlback said that arrangements in Chad had been made by CEN-SAD chief Dr. Mohamed Madani Al-Azhari, who visited Chad October 27-28. ¶3. (C) Shlback said that the exchange of resident ambassadors would "set the stage" for the next Dakar Accord Contact Group mtg, scheduled for November 15. Dr. Madani likely would represent Libya at that meeting. The November 15 CG meeting would be preceded by a technical expert's meeting November 12-14, also here in Chad. ¶4. (C) Ambassador asked Shlback about progress on the idea of border observers along the Chad-Sudan frontier. Shlback replied that if the larger process of reconciling Chad and Sudan prospered, the need for such a border observation force, which was expensive and somewhat problematical in terms of staffing and operations, might not be necessary. ¶5. (C) Shlback said that Sudan was more amenable to reconciliation with Chad now than before. The regime in Khartoum, he explained, had "many other things to worry about," like the ICC issue, an anti-regime rebellion or two, and upcoming elections. This could lead the regime's leaders to see the utility in improved relations with neighbors, including Chad, because it might have need of the support of all potential friends, including former enemies such as Chad might prove. NIGRO