TALKING POINTS ON CHAD-SUDAN RELATIONS FOR

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 009857

SIPDIS
KINSHASA PLEASE PASS TO BRAZZAVILLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PREF SU CD
SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS ON CHAD-SUDAN RELATIONS FOR
EMBASSY TRIPOLI

REF: A. (A.) KHARTOUM 106

B. (B.) STATE 8780

Classified By: AF Acting A/S Karl Wycoff


1. (U) This is an action request for Embassy Tripoli only.
Request
was sent earlier to other embassies in Reftel (B),but
technical
difficulties precluded Department from sending to Embassy
Tripoli at that
time. Please see paragraph 3 and 4.

SUMMARY
--------------


2. (S/NF) Department requests that Embassy Khartoum and
Embassy N'Djamena
urge the Governments of Chad and Sudan to cease support of
opposing rebel
groups and continue to work toward normalized relations. The
USG remains
committed to the Dakar agreement and normalized relations
between Chad and
Sudan, and we remain concerned about the negative impact of
continued
support of armed groups on our policy objectives in the
region. Department
also requests Embassy Tripoli and Embassy Brazzaville,
Libreville, Dakar,
and Asmara to use points below to encourage the Government of
Libya and the
rest of the Contact Group to play a positive role in defusing
tensions
between the two countries. End Summary.


OBJECTIVES
--------------


3. (SBU) Department asks Embassy Khartoum and Embassy
N'Djamena to pursue
the following objectives with the Governments of Chad and
Sudan at the
highest appropriate levels:

-- Note USG concern about continued cross-border support by
the
Governments of Chad and Sudan for each other's rebel groups.
Point out
that the recent reported unification of Chadian rebel groups
and
continued clashes in Darfur involving the Justice and
Equality Movement
(JEM) has led many to believe both governments are assisting
in the
activities of these rebel groups, respectively.

-- Urge both Chad and Sudan to cease any support for armed
groups in
the region. Highlight impact of continued violence in
humanitarian and
economic terms, undermining their countries' ability to
pursue economic
development. This conflict distracts valuable domestic
resources and
attention away from pressing social and economic needs.

-- Encourage both Chad and Sudan to continue the constructive
dialogue
that took place in the last Dakar Agreement Contact Group
meeting in
N'Djamena in November 2008, and take further steps to
implement the
Dakar agreement and normalize relations.

-- Note USG support for the Dakar Agreement and meetings
among the
Contact Group countries as a means to prevent a further
deterioration
of relations between Chad and Sudan, develop a longer-term

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peace
building process, and bring stability to the region.

-- Point out that the USG is urging Chadian and Sudanese
rebel groups to
lay down their arms and maintain a peaceful dialogue with the
Governments
in N'Djamena and Khartoum. Especially at this fragile time
of building a
solid peace process and upcoming talks in Doha, continued
violence is
irresponsible and unhelpful.

-- (For N'Djamena): Encourage Chad to take steps to reach out
to Chadian
rebel groups to deter an imminent rebel attack. Note that
while the Sirte
process continues to remain a framework for peaceful
negotiations with Chadian
rebel groups, we encourage the Government of Chad to explore
other avenues of
dialogue. We would be interested to know if there is a
structure/format for
talks that the GoC would be comfortable with. This effort
must be coupled
with renewed efforts to implement the August 13, 2007 accord,
laying the
groundwork for credible legislative and communal elections,
and initiatives
to promote good governance in Chad. Reiterate that USG is
pressing the
Chadian rebels to lay down their arms and enter into the
political process.

-- (For Khartoum): While the USG believes that JEM and all
other Darfur
rebel groups should be part of a political settlement in
Darfur, we do
not support JEM military action in Sudan and, as recently as
this week,
have condemned their attacks in Darfur.

-- Urge the parties to respect the security of humanitarian
personnel
working in the region, and respect the human rights of
civilian populations.


4. (SBU) Department also asks Embassy Tripoli pursue the
following
objectives at appropriate levels:

-- Recognize the Government of Libya's past positive role in
facilitating
the November 2008 exchange of ambassadors between Chad and
Sudan and
playing an integral role in previous Contact Group meetings.

-- Encourage Libya to play a positive role in mitigating the
impact of
recent allegations by Chad and Sudan of cross-border support,
and
consider a potential Head of State summit among Chad, Sudan,
and Libya,
as well as a Contact Group meeting in the near term.

-- Note the mutual interest of all members in the
international community
in improving Chad-Sudan relations. Ask Libya how the USG and
the
international community can be helpful in this process and to
brief us
on Libya's own efforts with N'Djamena and Khartoum.


5. (SBU) Department also asks Embassies Brazzaville,
Libreville, Dakar,
and Asmara to pursue the following objectives at appropriate
levels:

-- Note USG concern with apparent signs of deteriorating
relations between
Chad and Sudan, and continued indications of cross-border
support.

-- Ask whether the Contact Group plans to hold a meeting in
the coming
weeks to discuss ways to defuse the current tensions and

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continue efforts
to facilitate the normalization of relations between Chad and
Sudan.

BACKGROUND
--------------


6. (S/NF) The recent decision of Chadian rebel groups
(currently based in
Sudan) to form a new alliance, the United Resistance Front
(UFR),and
select prominent Zaghawa rebel Timan Erdimi as their leader
has renewed
fears of a rebel attack into Chad. While there are
conflicting reports
on whether Chadian rebels have begun to move toward the
Chad-Sudan border,
Chad's intelligence chief has asserted that the Government
will be able to
repel any rebel advances. In comparison to the last attack
against the
Chadian regime in February 2008, President Deby is stronger
militarily,
and continues to receive intelligence and logistical support
from France.
However, should the UFR be successful in launching attacks in
Chad, clashes
between Government and rebel forces will jeopardize our
humanitarian
operations in eastern Chad and complicate US efforts to bring
peace to
Darfur.


7. (S/NF) We continue to receive reports that cross-border
support still
continues, in spite of recent attempts by the Government of
Libya and members
the Dakar Agreement Contact Group to encourage both sides to
normalize relations.
The GoS and Sudanese Presidential Assistant Minni Minawi have
noted that Chadian
military officials have provided material support to the
Justice and Equality
Movement in the latest round of fighting in Muhajiriya and
near El-Fasher.
Both governments have already begun the public campaign of
accusing each other
of supporting the activities of Chadian and Sudanese rebel
groups.


8. (S/NF) The United States and France have pressed both
Khartoum and N'Djamena
to cut support for the others' rebel forces. Acting Deputy
Assistant Secretary
Wycoff has been in telephone contact with key rebel leaders
to press them to enter
into political talks with Deby. The unification of the Chad
rebels indicates
that new efforts are needed to prevent a rebel incursion into
eastern Chad. To
that end, the Department believes joint demarches to Khartoum
and N'Djamena will
be a strong first step in highlighting our concern about
continued cross-border
support and renewed tensions between the two governments.


9. (S) In addition, given Libya's prominent role in
influencing relations with
Chad and Sudan, it is critical that Libya take a leading role
in trying to ease
the current round of tense exchanges between Khartoum and
N'Djamena. Finally,
the Department still views the Contact Group as a viable
mechanism to ensure
that Chad and Sudan are openly communicating in the presence
of regional
partners, and would like Contact Group member states to
support all efforts
to ensure cross-border hostilities do not threaten the
stability of the region.


REPORTING DEADLINE
--------------


10. (U) Embassy should report results of efforts by cable to

STATE 00009857 004 OF 004


AF/C Desk Officer
Jitu Sardar and AF/SPG by February 4.

POINT OF CONTACT
--------------


11. (U) Please contact AF/C desk officer Jitu Sardar at
(202) 647-4966 or via
e-mail for any necessary further background information or
argumentation to meet
our objectives.
CLINTON