CONTACT GROUP MTG IN NDJAMENA MAINTAINS DAKAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000532 SIPDIS KINSHASA PASS BRAZZAVILLE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2010 TAGS: PREL PREF PKO UNAUS AU SU LY CD SUBJECT: CONTACT GROUP MTG IN NDJAMENA MAINTAINS DAKAR ACCORD IMPLEMENTATION MOMENTUM NDJAMENA 00000532 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: adcm regribbin for reasons 1.4 b&d ---THIS MESSAGE REPLACES/SUPERCEDES MRN NDJAMENA 529--- -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) The November 15 Meeting of the Contact Group for implementation of the Dakar Accord achieved its core objectives of furthering confidence-building between Chad and Sudan, and maintaining the CG's deliberate progress toward a border monitoring and observation mission. On the ground there was no apparent dissonance between the Libyan "trilateral" effort and the CG's more general one. Host FORMIN Moussa Faki summed up the GOC's official view by stating that "confidence was re-discovered" between Chad and Sudan. The CG continued to develop a calendar for future steps, including the setting up of an HQ in Tripoli for the border monitoring mission in December; an additional Experts meeting in December or January; and the next CG plenum in February in Khartoum. Representation was excellent, with Libya's Dr. Ali Trekki, UN/AU Sudan Envoy Bassole, UE Sudan Envoy Brylle, and Sudan, Eritrea, and Congo Brazzaville FORMINS among the senior delegation heads. The presence of Sudan's newly arrived AMB to Chad underlined the recent re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Chad and Sudan as exemplified by the exchange of ambassadors, thanks to Libyan efforts. The CG group adopted the report by its Experts Group (which met NOV 12-14) which detailed the process of putting together the border monitoring and observation mission and calling for a seventh CG meeting in Khartoum, in January or February, with another experts meeting in the meantime to permit a final deployment plan to be adopted. The problem of financing of the mission was raised, with some CG members favoring complete financing by CG members, and others favoring the solicitation of donors for support. ¶2. (C) Anything that reduces the possibility of an early resumption of the Chad-Sudan "proxy war" is welcome. This meeting did contribute to that goal. But much remains to be done to build enough real confidence between N'Djamena and Khartoum that would lead to a durable peace along their common border. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (C) The formal part of the November 15 Contact Group �0A;meeting was perfunctory and predictable. Praise was bestowed on Chad and Sudan for the resumption of diplomatic ties. The CG continued to develop a calendar for future steps, including the setting up of an HQ in Tripoli for the border monitoring "mechanism" in December; an additional Experts meeting in December or January; and the next CG plenum in February in Khartoum. Representation was excellent, with Libya's Dr. Ali Trekki, UN/AU Sudan Envoy Bassole, UE Sudan Envoy Brylle, and Sudan and Congo Brazzaville FORMINs among the senior delegation heads. The presence of Sudan's newly arrived AMB to Chad underlined the recent re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Chad and Sudan as exemplified by the exchange of ambassadors, thanks to Libyan efforts. Nonetheless, there was a bit of internal back and forth among the African members as they considered the experts report on establishing the $21 million border monitoring operation. There was reluctance to name Libyan Colonel Montaf Al-Idjeili outright as "commander" (a name was avoided in the adopted report),plus there was an eventual decision to call the chief post that of "general coordinator." ¶4. (C) The CG adopted the report by its Experts Group (which met NOV 12-14) which detailed the process of putting together the border monitoring and observation mission. A the next CG meeting in Khartoum next month so as to permit a final deployment plan to be adopted. The problem of financing of the mission was raised, with some CG members favoring complete financing by CG members, and others favoring the solicitation of donors for support. Near the end of deliberations, the Senegalese ambassador questioned the legality of the whole operation suggesting that under the 2004 N'Djamena Peace Accords, the GOS was forbidden to patrol near the frontier. He was talked down and ignored in the end. However, both Senegalese and Gabonese representatives tried to duck the usdols four million per member financial obligation, suggesting instead that the group approach the donor community to request funds. Eritrea intervened to state that it was earlier agreed that members would pay four million dollars each and Libya eight million. Libya, Sudan, NDJAMENA 00000532 002.2 OF 002 Chad and Congo weighed in support of Asmara. Even so, the provision to approach friends for funds was included in the final communique. ¶5. (C) Host FORMIN Moussa Faki managed the meeting as well as could be expected and he summed up the GOC's overall view by stating that "confidence was re-discovered" between Chad and Sudan. Most of the talking was done by the Congolese, Gabonese and Senegalese representatives under the chairmanship of Chadian FORMIN Faki. Libyan representative Trekki intervened usefully from time to time to keep matters on track, as did the Eritreans. FORMIN Alor of Sudan was noticeably quiet until the very end when he concurred that the group ought to endorse the experts' report and move ahead. Alor told us privately that actually putting the subject monitoring operation in place would be "very difficult." We understand that the Sudanese military representatives had been quite vocal and aggressive during the experts' talks, so their silence during the plenary - in Alor's presence - was noteworthy. ¶6. (U) The following states and IOs were represented in Ndjamena: Chad, Libya (Dr Trekki),Sudan (FORMIN Alor), Congo/B (FORMIN Ikouebe)),Eritrea (FORMIN Saleh),Senegal, Gabon, United States, France, Canada, the UK, UN (SRSG Angelo),AU (Special Envoy Bassole),EU (Special Envoy Brylle),the OIC. ¶7. (U) Copies of the documents are being emailed to all concerned posts. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) We judge that the meeting achieved its core objectives of furthering confidence-building between Chad and Sudan, and maintaining the CG's deliberate progress toward a border monitoring and observation mission. On the ground there was no apparent dissonance between the Libyan "trilateral" effort and the CG's more general one. Host FORMIN Faki summed up the GOC's official view by stating that "confidence had been re-discovered" between Chad and Sudan. One key element of the meeting was the presence of the newly arrived Sudanese AMB to Chad in the Sudanese delegation, underling that the successful resumption of diplomatic ties could signal real forward progress in the sub-region. It was important that the CG, especially Libya and Sudan, was represented at senior levels and that observer countries and international organizations were there in force. Equally important was the elaboration of a calendar for future steps, including setting up an HQ under a Libyan military officer in Tripoli for the border monitoring mission in December; an additional Experts meeting in December or January; and the next CG plenum in January or February in Khartoum. ¶9. (C) Anything that reduces the possibility of an early resumption of the Chad-Sudan "proxy war" is welcome. This meeting did contribute to that goal. But much remains to be done to build enough real confidence between N'Djamena and Khartoum that would lead to a durable peace along their common border. END COMMENT. NIGRO