LIBYA: TRI-LATERAL DIPLOMACY IS THE WAY FORWARD ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TRIPOLI 000719 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, AF/C, AND AF/SPG E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/11/2018 TAGS: PREL PBTS UN CD SU LY SUBJECT: LIBYA: TRI-LATERAL DIPLOMACY IS THE WAY FORWARD ON CHAD-SUDAN CONFLICT REF: A. A. STATE 88188 ¶B. B. NDJAMENA 334 TRIPOLI 00000719 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Chris Stevens, CDA, Embassy Tripoli, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Dr. Ali Treiki, Secretary for African Affairs in the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation (MFA-equivalent),is optimistic that Chad and Sudan can be brought to the table to make peace through Libya's tri-lateral efforts. Treiki said the "Group of Three" (Treiki and the Chadian and Sudanese foreign ministers) is "the only effective group," contrasting it against the Contact Group (CG),which he characterized as "not being neighbors, like we are, to the conflict." While Libya plans to attend the CG meeting in Asmara on September 12, Treiki thought that agreements reached in Sirte and Tripoli over the past two years have a better chance of success than the Dakar agreement signed in March 2008. Treiki dismissed the African Union peacekeepers as poorly trained and undisciplined. He preferred that a joint Chadian-Sudanese force be deployed to Darfur after Presidents Deby and Bashir make peace. Libya strongly opposes the recent charges brought against President Bashir in the International Criminal Court (ICC),and Treiki predicted most African and Arab countries will withdraw from the Treaty of Rome if the indictment goes forward. Treiki invited Special Envoy Williamson to visit Tripoli in early-to-mid October. We think a visit next month could be useful. End Summary. LIBYA'S TRI-LATERAL DIPLOMACY SUPERCEDES DAKAR PROCESS ¶2. (C) CDA met with MFA's Dr. Ali Treiki just one day after Libya celebrated the auspicious 9th anniversary of the September 9, 1999 Sirte Proclamation, which launched the African Union and is seen here as the road to a "United States of Africa." Libya feels that the conflict between Sudan and Chad is an African problem that demands an African solution. Treiki was optimistic that the peace process is moving forward and Libya will attend a meeting of the Contact Group (CG) in Asmara on September 12. Treiki said the CG plays an important role, but he thought it was relatively ineffective because it is comprised of states that are too far removed from the conflict to understand the complex issues involved. Instead, in Treiki's view, the "Group of Three" -- consisting of Dr. Treiki and the foreign ministers from Chad and Sudan -- is the body that will bring results. He highlighted the distance from Dakar and Asmara to the Sudan/Chad border, saying that Libya alone shared a frontier with the conflict. ¶3. (C) Treiki also opposed a proposed Arab League meeting in Doha on the issue, again saying that African problems should be dealt with in Africa. He was optimistic that Libya can broker and implement a viable solution with both parties soon. President Deby, he says, is "keen to cooperate" and Chad will work with Libya "regardless of [Deby's] relationship with the government in Sudan." Treiki confirmed that he has ongoing contact with rebel leaders -- most of whom have returned to Darfur and Chad -- but thinks that demobilization requires that both governments reconcile their differences first. ¶4. (C) Libya, he said, views peace in Darfur as essential for the security of Chad. Unfortunately, the international peacekeepers in Darfur are "poorly trained" and "are the worst troops from each nation." Libya believes that a stable settlement will require a bilateral peacekeeping force consisting of both Chadian and Sudanese troops who will have more incentive to keep peace. BASHIR AND THE ICC ¶5. (C) Part of Treiki's confidence in Libya's chances for a breakthrough stems from his assessment that Bashir is ready for peace. The CDA asked if the recent charges brought against Bashir by the ICC had anything to do with his readiness, to which Treiki responded, "No, no, no. It is not true that this helps. It is very bad. We should have avoided it; it will hurt the peace process." In general, Libya feels strongly that genocide cases should be tried within the Sudanese judicial system. Speaking on behalf of all Arabs and Africans, he said that they all stood in opposition to the ICC. According to Treiki, Arabs won't recognize a conviction in front of the court and he expects most African and Arab states to withdraw from the Treaty of Rome if the Bashir indictment goes forward. He twice asked if we knew "who was behind the charges." COOPERATION WITH THE US ¶6. (C) Treiki signaled that his window of opportunity to broker peace will be short-lived because he will take up a new responsibility next spring. After two stints as Foreign Minister and three as Libya's PermRep in New York, Treiki is looking forward to a new UN tour, this time as the African representative to the UNGA. Though he will not start his duties until June of 2009, he plans to travel to the US for TRIPOLI 00000719 002.2 OF 002 consultations as early as March. He expressed gratitude for his ongoing dialogue with A/S Frazer, and gave an impressive recitation of his friends in the US government dating back 40 years. He asked the CDA to extend an invitation to Special Envoy Williamson to visit Tripoli in early- or mid-October. ¶7. (C) Comment: Libyan Leader Muammar al-Qadhafi sees himself as a major player in African issues and Dr. Treiki is his point man on the conflict between Chad and Sudan and the situation in Darfur. We strongly support a visit to Tripoli by Special Envoy Williamson to Tripoli in October, if the timing can be worked out. End Comment. STEVENS