UNMEE, CHAD/SUDAN, DJIBOUTI/ERITREA: MFA DAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001038 SIPDIS EUCOM PLEASE PASS AFRICOM ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2018 TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO PBTS ETTC EFIN KTFN PTER ET ER, BE, UK, RS, SU, CD, DJ, FR SUBJECT: UNMEE, CHAD/SUDAN, DJIBOUTI/ERITREA: MFA DAS COMMENTS REF: A. STATE 58446 ¶B. PARIS 1023 (NOTAL) ¶C. PARIS 1036 (NOTAL) ¶D. STATE 56630 ¶E. PARIS 1005 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, 1.4 (b/d ). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: MFA AF/C/E DAS-equivalent Helene Le Gal said that she understood that Belgium would draft a letter on behalf of the UNSC to be sent to Eritrea and Ethiopia to determine their views on UNMEE's future, which could indicate a preferred course of action should one or both reject cooperating with UNMEE, which she believed likely. Le Gal reported that the MFA and Presidency had resolved last week's differences over Chad/Sudan and the current sanctions issue. The French Embassy in Washington and the French UN mission have been instructed to suggest working with the P-3 and then with the P-5 to seek sanctions within the framework of a political dialogue in both Chad and Sudan. On the Eritrea/Djibouti border dispute, Le Gal said that Eritrea had rejected France's offer to serve as an intermediary between the two countries to facilitate dialogue in order to resolve the issue, and had rejected similar offers from Qatar, the AU, and the Arab League. Le Gal said MFA AF A/S-equivalent Jean de Gliniasty would try to telephone AF A/S Frazer on June 2 to discuss the Chad/Sudan issue and Eritrea. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) MFA DAS-equivalent Helene Le Gal (Central and East Africa) covered a range of issues on June 2. We had shared with her ref A points on UNMEE, and we asked for an update on last week's friction between the MFA and French Presidency on Chad/Sudan policy (refs B and C). She also offered comments on the Djibouti/Eritrea border dispute. UNMEE -------------- ¶3. (C) Le Gal said that the GOF shared the U.S. view of UNMEE as set forth in ref A and the need to take action. However, she said that there had been apparent agreement in New York to allow Belgium to craft a letter, to be sent by the UNSC to Eritrea and Ethiopia and soliciting their views on UNMEE and possible next steps. Le Gal said that the GOF would like to see this process go forward, as it would allow both parties to state officially their positions on UNMEE. This could provide some indication of a possible next course of action, which could include ending the UNMEE mandate and considering a successor operation. Le Gal said that she expected one or, more likely, both to reject any further cooperation with UNMEE, which would allow the UNSC to pursue other options, such as those suggested by the U.S. in ref A. Le Gal repeated that the GOF agreed with the U.S. position stated ref A but wanted to allow the two sides to respond "on the record" to the UNSC letter. Chad/Sudan/Sanctions -------------- ¶4. (C) When asked about last week's disagreement between the MFA and French Presidency on Chad/Sudan (refs A and B, NOTAL),Le Gal said that a final interagency meeting took place on May 30 and that the MFA and Presidency smoothed over their differences. Following the meeting, Le Gal said the MFA had instructed the French Embassy in Washington and France's UN delegation on how to proceed on the sanctions issue (refs D and E). First, she said that France would suggest that the issue be worked at the P-3 level, with consultations at P-5 to follow. Second, the French would propose that any sanctions be linked to a political dialogue/process in Sudan, similar to the one already in operation in Chad. Sanctions should be directed against Chadian and Sudanese rebel groups, and also against those PARIS 00001038 002 OF 002 supporting them in Chad and in Sudan, and should serve as a form of pressure to encourage political dialogue. ¶5. (C) Le Gal said (without specifying) that France would propose adding to the list of those to be sanctioned "a couple" of names of those believed to be involved in financing JEM. She repeated that there should be some parallel between the sanctions being imposed on Sudanese parties and those being imposed on Chadian parties, with the goal being to promote political dialogue in both countries. Djibouti/Eritrea -------------- ¶6. (C) Le Gal said that Eritrea had just rejected a French offer to serve as an intermediary with Djibouti to resolve their border dispute. Le Gal explained that France had indicated a willingness to facilitate a dialogue between Djibouti and Eritrea. Eritrea had refused this offer, and had refused what Le Gal said were similar efforts by Qatar, the Arab League, and the AU to promote a peaceful resolution to the confrontation. As she had in the past, Le Gal said that there was "no merit" to the substantive part of the issue on the demarcation of the frontier, which she said old documents and treaties defined clearly. Le Gal said Eritrea's rejection of France's offer left France uncertain as to what the GOF should do next to try to assist the parties. Gliniasty to Phone A/S Frazer -------------- ¶7. (C) Le Gal said that Gliniasty was planning to call AF A/S Frazer later on June 2, to discuss with her the Chad/Sudan sanctions issue (no doubt in an effort to convey definitively the GOF views on that issue, following last week's confusion),as well as to exchange views on what to do about Eritrea. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON