CHAD AND SUDAN MAKE PEACE, SIGN AGREEMENTS FULL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000029 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/C STATE FOR S/USSES OSD FOR DASD HUDDLESTON NSC FOR GAVIN LONDON FOR POL - LORD PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PREF SU LY CD SUBJECT: CHAD AND SUDAN MAKE PEACE, SIGN AGREEMENTS FULL NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS AND BORDER SECURITY JAN 15 REF: A. NDJAMENA 028 ¶B. NDJAMENA 021 ¶C. NDJAMENA 011 -------------- SUMMARY AND COMMENT -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Chad and Sudan have made a peaceful end to their proxy war, signing agreements in N'Djamena January 15 to formally normalize bilateral relations and to reinforce border security arrangements, which they spelled out in a joint communique. Chad and Sudan pledged to end all support for armed rebel groups and to eliminate them from their respective territories, which means JEM must leave Chad and Chad armed rebel groups must leave Sudan. ¶2. (SBU) These agreements mark the successful end of eight months of quiet bilateral negotiations by Chad FORMIN Faki and Sudan chief envoy Dr. Ghazi, which the USG and other partners of Chad supported and encouraged as the best path toward peace after five years of fighting through armed rebel clients. This bilateral track succeeded, after all other tracks -- multilateral and trilateral -- failed, because the bilateral track permitted greater frankness and transparency between the two nations and because the evolution of events in the sub-region dictated a change of course to both Presidents, Deby and Bashir, who adjusted their geo-political and internal priorities accordingly. It now remains to be seen if and how this welcome development can be made translated into further rapid her progress on a durable Darfur peace, as USG Special Envoy Gration and AU/UN Chief Joint Mediator Bassole seek to accomplish. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. -------------- TEXT OF JOINT COMMUNIQUE -------------- ¶3. (U) Begin informal Embassy translation of text: Final Joint Communique A Sudanese delegation led by Dr. Ghazi Salahaddine Atabani, Special Adviser to President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bachir for Darfur, was in N'Djamena on Friday, January 15, 2010. The delegation had meetings with a Chadian delegation headed by FONMIN Moussa Faki Mahamat on concrete steps to normalization of relations between Chad and Sudan. The two delegations finalized and signed an Accord on normalization between the two countries, as well as an Additional Protocol on Securing the Border. The two delegations agreed to pursue establishment of measures to put an end to any presence of, support for or action by hostile armed groups operating in respective countries. The two countries agreed to take appropriate steps to make their common border secure and to maintain regular contact in the aim of realizing their goals. The two parties call on armed groups to accept the call for peace issued by their respective governments. The two delegations congratulated each other for the spirit of understanding and sincerity that characterized all of the bilateral engagements undertaken since October 2009. The Sudanese delegation thanks the President of the Republic of Chad, his government, and the Chadian people for their warm and fraternal welcome, which they enjoyed throughout the lengths of their several stays in N'Djamena. Signed in N'Djamena January 15, 2009. NDJAMENA 00000029 002 OF 002 -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (SBU) These agreements mark the successful end of eight months of quiet bilateral negotiations by Chad FORMIN Faki and Sudan chief envoy Dr. Ghazi, which the USG and other partners of Chad supported and encouraged as the best path toward peace after five years of fighting through armed rebel clients. This bilateral track succeeded, after all other tracks -- multilateral and trilateral -- failed, because the bilateral track permitted greater frankness and transparency between the two nations and because the evolution of events in the sub-region dictated a change of course to both Presidents, Deby and Bashir, who adjusted their geo-political and internal priorities accordingly. It now remains to be seen if and how this welcome development can be made translated into further rapid her progress on a durable Darfur peace, as USG Special Envoy Gration and AU/UN Chief Joint Mediator Bassole seek to accomplish. ¶5. (U) Minimize considered. NIGRO