EUFOR/MINURCAT: FRENCH PLEASED WITH TRANSITION TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000362

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2019
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM PREF CD CT FR
SUBJECT: EUFOR/MINURCAT: FRENCH PLEASED WITH TRANSITION TO
PURELY UN OPERATION

Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor William Jordan, 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: France is pleased with the transition from
EUFOR/MINURCAT to the UN's MINURCAT successor operation in
Chad and C.A.R., MFA Chad/C.A.R. deskoff Vincent Alexandre
reported on March 11. The transition was going smoothly
mainly because force generation problems had been overcome.
FM Bernard Kouchner plans to visit Chad on March 14-15 for
ceremonies marking the transition, although he will not visit
C.A.R. Alexandre warned that refugee camps in Chad may have
to deal with a new influx of refugees from Sudan following
the ICC indictment of Sudan's President Bashir and Sudan's
expulsion of NGOs providing assistance in Darfur. He also
urged donors to continue funding the DIS (Detachement Integre
de Securite) component of MINURCAT. Alexandre said that
current tension between Presidents Deby (Chad) and Bozize
(C.A.R.) was likely based on mutual suspicion that each was
not doing enough to control the rebel groups in their
respective countries. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) MFA Chad/C.A.R. desk officer Vincent Alexandre on
March 11 reviewed the process whereby the current
EUFOR/MINURCAT operation in Chad and C.A.R. would transform
into the UN's MINURCAT successor operation. Alexandre said
that the transition was going about as well as one could hope
and that the GOF was, so far, pleased with how this had gone.
The GOF had been seriously concerned in December 2008 but
Alexandre said that the force generation process had taken
place smoothly, relieving many of the French concerns. He
said it now appeared that Ghana and Malawi would provide
forces that would allow for a smooth transition through March
15, the date for the hand-over. A unit from Togo, he said,
would likely provide the 300 personnel to be stationed in
C.A.R.


3. (C) European willingness to maintain forces in the field
was also helping ease the transition. Mentioning a figure of
2,000 in total, Alexandre said that France, Ireland, and
Poland had all agreed to keep their forces in place as the
new units moved in. Moreover, many of these forces would
form a part of the new MINURCAT. Others would gradually
withdraw as the new MINURCAT units arrived. Alexandre noted
that MINURCAT was at present short of helicopters but was
actively seeking a contribution. He commented that this was
to be expected as helicopters were always desired for PKOs
but were in chronically short supply.


4. (C) French FM Bernard Kouchner planned to travel to Chad
March 14-15 and would be present at the transition ceremonies
on March 15, along with other dignitaries from countries or
organizations involved in MINURCAT. Kouchner would also hold
bilateral talks with the Chadians and others during the
visit. Alexandre reported that Kouchner would not visit
C.A.R.


5. (C) Regarding C.A.R., Alexandre said France was glad
that the international community had included C.A.R. within
the new MINURCAT's mandate. He noted that there was some
skepticism about the need to continue operations in C.A.R.,
which France had long favored. Alexandre said that recent
outbreaks of violence in C.A.R. demonstrated the need for a
continued international presence there, and he said that some
of the skepticism was overcome when other countries saw
France's interest in including C.A.R. and that France was
committed to staying militarily engaged in significant
numbers in the operation as a whole.


6. (C) Alexandre signaled a growing fresh concern -- that
potentially large numbers of new refugees would enter Chad
from Sudan/Darfur, as a result of worsening conditions in
Darfur resulting from Sudan's expulsion of NGOs in
retaliation for the ICC indictment of President Bashir.
Alexandre said that an influx of refugees could place
significant new strains on MINURCAT.


7. (C) Alexandre said that it was very important for
funding to continue for the training and deployment of the
DIS (Detachement Integre de Securite) police units. He said
that the trust fund established to support the DIS was
approaching depletion and that new funding would soon be
necessary. He hoped that donor countries would re-commit to
supporting the DIS.


8. (C) When asked whether there seemed to be new tensions
mounting between Chad's President Deby and C.A.R.'s President

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Bozize, Alexandre said he was aware of nothing specific, and
he noted, gesturing with his hand, that relations between the
two were like a roller-coaster. He said that a rise in
tensions often indicated that one (or both) was not happy
about the other's failure to control rebel groups ensconced
in the other's country. Alexandre thought that such might be
the case if indeed they were irritated with each other at
present.






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