Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PRETORIA548
2008-03-14 15:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Pretoria
Cable title:  

SOUTH AFRICA SUPPORTS FINAL PEACE EFFORT IN COMOROS

Tags:  PREL AU SF CN FR 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 000548 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: PREL AU SF CN FR
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA SUPPORTS FINAL PEACE EFFORT IN COMOROS

REF: A. MARQUARDT EMAIL OF 3/13/08

B. ANTAN 200 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Political Counselor Raymond L. Brown. Reasons 1.4(b) an
d (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 000548

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: PREL AU SF CN FR
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA SUPPORTS FINAL PEACE EFFORT IN COMOROS

REF: A. MARQUARDT EMAIL OF 3/13/08

B. ANTAN 200 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Political Counselor Raymond L. Brown. Reasons 1.4(b) an
d (d).


1. (C) South Africa is involved in "one final effort" to
resolve the Anjouan issue peacefully, according to Department
of Foreign Affairs Chief Director Graham Maitland. Maitland
confirmed to PolOff March 14 that South Africa had received a
letter from Anjouan's Colonel Bacar promising to hold
elections by May (ref A). Maitland, calling from Paris, said
he could not get into details about the latest talks on the
phone, but noted that President Mbeki was in touch with
Tanzanian President Kikwete on the initiative. Neither
Maitland nor his Deputy Rothkegel had copies of the Bacar
letter.


2. (C) A Pretoria-based French diplomat said that the French
Ambassador to South Africa had spoken with Advocate Mojanku
Gumbi, one of Mbeki's closest advisors. Gumbi reiterated
what President Mbeki said publicly in Mauritius March 12 --
that South Africa will not endorse an AU military operation
in Comoros. She insisted that ForMin Dlamini-Zuma's peace
efforts were not dead and that dialogue was still possible.
South Africa views Bacar's note to Dlamini-Zuma as a
"positive sign." Gumbi also mentioned the operational
problems with the planned AU military action, including the
lack of an exit strategy.


3. (C) The French Ambassador raised with Gumbi the idea of a
compromise: Bacar would allow the AU troops to deploy to the
harbor and airport now as a sign of "good will;" these troops
would then form the core of the AU group that would oversee
the May elections. Gumbi seemed initially skeptical, but
reportedly warmed to the idea. According to the French
Embassy, ForMin Dlamini-Zuma had been trying to call ForMin
Kouchner, but as of the morning of 13 March, they had not
made contact.


4. (C) COMMENT: While we cannot comment on Bacar's sincerity
or on a letter we have not seen, we note that South Africa is
particularly susceptible to last-ditch pleas for peace talks.
South Africa believes that every problem can be solved
through negotiations, drawing on their own peaceful
transition from apartheid to democracy. Just as Zimbabwe's
Mugabe and Cote d'Ivoire's Gbagbo outplayed Mbeki through
endless rounds of negotiations, Bacar may be seeking to do
the same. END COMMENT.
BOST