Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PARIS2151
2008-11-25 10:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

TOGO: PRESIDENT FAURE GNASSINGBE'S VISIT TO PARIS

Tags:  PREL KDEM PGOV SNAR TO BN FR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8974
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHFR #2151/01 3301012
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 251012Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4917
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 1461
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002151 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2018
TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV SNAR TO BN FR
SUBJECT: TOGO: PRESIDENT FAURE GNASSINGBE'S VISIT TO PARIS

REF: A. COTONOU 408

B. COTONOU 420

Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Young, 1.4 (b/d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002151

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2018
TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV SNAR TO BN FR
SUBJECT: TOGO: PRESIDENT FAURE GNASSINGBE'S VISIT TO PARIS

REF: A. COTONOU 408

B. COTONOU 420

Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Young, 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Togo President Faure Gnassingbe's visit to
Paris the week of November 17 was largely uneventful but
allowed the two sides to touch base, and provided France the
opportunity to remind Faure of the importance of carrying out
democratic reform and holding meaningful dialogue with the
opposition, notably Gilchrist Olympio's UFC. Faure told the
French that he had to take care in treading a delicate path
between "extremists" such as Olympio on one side, and
"hardline" RPT elements on the other, and that the task was
not always easy. Faure expressed concern about two problems
-- Togo's involvement in drug trafficking (Faure praised
cooperation with the USG on drugs) and the situation in
Benin, concerning which he, along with other African leaders,
were beginning to question some of President Boni Yayi's
recent decisions. The French view Faure as having matured
while in office and seem reasonably confident that he will do
his best to implement reform in Togo. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Remi Marechaux, an AF Counselor at the French
Presidency, on November 24 discussed Togo President Faure
Gnassingbe's visit to Paris the previous week. He said that
the visit had been scheduled to take place in 2009 but was
moved up because a favorable time slot became available.
Faure met with President Sarkozy on November 20. This event
was, as to be expected, scripted, with Sarkozy expressing
support for Faure's continued efforts to promote democracy in
Togo. Both sides acknowledged progress Togo had made with
the IFIs, notably the IMF and Paris Club, with Faure quite
effusively thanking the French for their support and Sarkozy
encouraging further progress on Togo's part, with continued
GOF support in the offing.

Democratization and the Opposition
--------------

3. (C) Marechaux said that the two sides delved deeper into
current issues when Marechaux and Bruno Joubert, President
Sarkozy's Deputy Diplomatic Advisor and Marechaux's direct
boss, called on Faure at his hotel. The French again

encouraged Faure to continue democratization efforts in Togo
and to reach out to the opposition in an effort at
inclusiveness. Faure said that he was committed to Togo's
continuing democratization, noting the successful legislative
elections that had taken place and his hope that those
elections augured well for the next presidential election.
However, Faure told the French that he felt squeezed -- on
the one hand, the opposition, and notably Gilchrist Olympio
(UFC),were "extremists" who did not seem to have much
willingess to compromise. On the other hand, Faure felt
himself pressured by the RPT "hardline" that did not want to
see him making any concessions to the opposition. Marechaux
said that Faure was quite explicit in identifying his
half-brother Kpatcha as being part of the "hardline group"
that was, in Faure's words, "always ready to stab me in the
back," although Marechaux said that Faure was speaking more
figuratively than literally.


4. (C) Marechaux said that Faure indicated to the French
that Gilchrist Olympio never seemed satisfied, always
rejecting whatever Faure might offer and always pressing for
more. Marechaux said that he agreed in part with Faure in
the sense that Olympio was tactically inept, always rejecting
the current proposal and at the same time expressing regret
that he had not agreed to the previous one. "This seems to
be his invariable pattern," Marechaux observed, "and he
always ends up being out of step." There was therefore no
real movement on the opposition's part to engage with the
government, even though Faure seemed willing to bargain.
Marechaux, while not praising Faure, said that he could
understand some of his frustrations with Olympio and the
opposition more generally. Marechaux regretted that Olympio
seemed to be so much a prisoner of the past and the history
of the Olympio and Gnassingbe families, although he
understood how difficult it must be for Olympio to deal with
Togo's president, the son of the man who killed his father.

Narcotics
--------------

5. (C) Marechaux said that Faure, in his meeting with
Joubert and Marechaux, confided that he was quite troubled by
Togo's apparent involvement in narcotics trafficking, even if
Togo served mainly as a transit point and not a locus of
consumption. Marechaux said that Faure highly praised
anti-narcotics assistance provided by the USG, especially
documentary evidence that demonstrated Togolese involvement
in trafficking. Marechaux said that Faure showed a list
based on USG-supplied information that named senior members
of Togo's military as being involved in the drug trade.

PARIS 00002151 002 OF 002


Marechaux said that he and Joubert encouraged Faure to take
action against the traffickers and that this was not a
"victimless crime," even if the drugs simply passed through
Togo. Trafficking was a very insidious, dangerous, and
corrupting influence on any country, and the French urged
Faure to be wary. They said that France would be willing to
help sensitize Togolese in positions of influence to this
reality.

Benin
--------------

6. (C) Faure was also concerned about Benin, which he said
he believed was sliding downward. Marechaux told us that the
French as well were concerned about Benin and, more
specifically, the issue of President Yayi's leadership.
Marechaux said that Yayi's political coalition seemed to be
coming undone (as reflected in reftels) and that Yayi himself
was not acting very constructively with respect to his
erstwhile political allies. Marechaux noted what he
described as another disturbing development -- Yayi seemed to
be engaging in ethnic and regional politicking within Benin,
which Marechaux said was not a wise move. Marechaux said
that these were among the Benin-related topics Faure asked to
discuss with the French. Marechaux observed that concern
about Benin was acute because Benin was among the "success
stories" in Africa and that backsliding on its part would be
a particular disappointment because it had risen relatively
far. Marechaux said that Presidents Compaore (Burkina Faso)
and Bongo (Gabon) had also raised Benin with the French, the
latter reportedly via a recent long telephone conversation
with the French Presidency. (NOTE: It was unclear from
Marechaux's comments whether Bongo spoke to Sarkozy or
another official at the Presidency. END NOTE.).

Assessment of Faure
--------------

7. (C) When asked, Marechaux said that the French had a
generally favorable impression of Faure and believed that he
had significantly matured since becoming President. He was
not a prisoner of the past and seemed open minded and
committed to the reformist path that was Togo's only way out.
Marechaux was much impressed by Faure's willingness to
acknowledge Togo's drug problem and the apparent involvement
of certain senior military figures. He was also impressed by
Faure's open acknowledgment of the difficulties posed by
Kpatcha and the other hardliners. Marechaux said that "maybe
Faure has turned out to be a bit better than we had any
reason to expect him to be." That said, Marechaux indicated
that he had few illusions about the challenges facing Faure
and Togo. But he seemed relieved that Faure, so far, was an
improvement on his father.



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