This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
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FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2465
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
DARFUR COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION GENEVA
UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001546
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, AF/SPG, D, DRL, H, INR, INR/GGI,
PRM, USAID/OTI AND USAID/W FOR DAFURRMT; LONDON AND PARIS
FOR AFRICAWATCHERS; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL,
ADDIS/NAIROBI/KAMPALA FOR REFCOORDS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PREF CD SU
SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON DARFUR: CHADIAN VIEWS ON REPARING
SLM DIVISIONS
REF: A. STATE 190682
B. WALL/SNYDER TELCONS OF OCTOBER 14 AND 15
1. (SBU) Summary: In a meeting with the Ambassador on
October 15 to share USG ideas on organizing an all-inclusive
conference for the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), Foreign
Minister Allam-mi Ahmad welcomed U.S. assistance for the
conference and said Chad already is working on the
preparation of an all-inclusive meeting. According to
Allam-mi, Chad wants to arrange a meeting of SLM leaders in
N'Djamena to reconcile them before the end of October. This
gathering would also serve as a preparatory meeting and
determine the lists of participants, agenda, and date for an
all-inclusive conference in Abeche to be held on or about
November 15. Allam-mi expressed concern that our proposal
for a preparatory meeting on November 8 in Nairobi was too
far away in both time and location. The Chadians propose the
preparatory group be kept small and include Chad, the United
States, E.U., France, the U.N. and perhaps, Nigeria. Alam-mi
would like Chad to take responsibility for the preparations,
but the African Union would also participate. Chad remains
highly interested in cooperating with us on the conference.
End Summary.
2. (SBU) On October 15, Ambassador Wall and P/E officer met
with Chadian Foreign Minister Allam-mi Ahmad to discuss our
proposal to bring together the Sudan Liberation Movement's
(SLM) leadership for a U.S.-hosted meeting in Nairobi on
November 8. Ambassador Wall delivered the details of the
proposal per reftel and noted the Deputy Secretary's interest
in opening the conference. Allam-mi responded that the
Chadians have already been working on reconciling SLM's
leaders. He noted that Secretary General Mini Minawi insists
on holding the conference that he has organized on October 22
without Chairman Abdelwahid Nour. Allam-mi said the Chadian
Government was surprised that Abdelwahid came to Chad after
breaking previous promises to do so. Alam-mi said President
Idriss Deby proposed the all-inclusive conference idea during
a meeting with Abdelwahid on October 14.
3. (SBU) Allam-mi outlined the following proposal. Chad
would host a small, preparatory meeting in N'Djamena with
about 20 SLM leaders to include Chairman Abdelwahid,
Secretary General Mini Minawi, Vice Chairman Khamis Abdullah,
SIPDIS
field commanders, and others to include civil society
leaders. Chad, the United States, European Union, France,
the United Nations, and Nigeria would be invited. Chad hoped
the United States could use its influence over the SLM
members, particularly Mini, to encourage his participation.
Allam-mi envisions that the reconciliation meeting and
subsequent all-inclusive conference will aim to unify the
movement's leadership to generate a cohesive negotiating
platform for the Abuja talks. The goal is not to dethrone
SLM's leadership, although Allam-mi said that the appearance
of a charismatic leader could give the rebel movement
direction.
4. (SBU) Alam-mi noted that the preparatory committee will
establish the lists of participants, agenda, and the date for
the all-inclusive meeting to be held in Abeche, Chad. The
committee would continue to work and put in place a program
for the conference. Allam-mi said that the Abeche conference
could be held on or about November 15. Chad and selected
members of the international community would attend the
opening and then let the SLM work on its issues on its own,
perhaps with a facilitator.
5. (SBU) The Foreign Minister hoped that U.S. support could
include transportation, financial help, and U.S. Embassy
involvement. However, Allam-mi is concerned that USG
assistance might not materialize. He recalled that the
United States had agreed to pay the transportation costs for
the rebel movements for the 2004 N'Djamena Cease-fire
Agreement talks, but had never paid the bill. He said he is
still getting calls about the unpaid bill from the aviation
company.
6. (SBU) Ambassador Wall probed Allam-mi for his thoughts
on holding the meeting in Nairobi on November 8. Allam-mi
said that that Nairobi is too far away in distance and
November 8 is too long to wait. He stated that a preparatory
meeting in N'Djamena will save time. In his opinion,
isolating the SLM leadership in Nairobi is not a good idea
because it weakens the ability of key players to influence
them, including their nearby members and family. In
addition, movement members travel to and from the field
through Chad and it may be easier to get them to N'Djamena,
where the SLM already has two houses for its members.
- - - -
COMMENT
- - - -
7. (SBU) In principle, Allam-mi said Chad agrees with the
concept of our proposal, but prefers the meeting to be held
in N'Djamena in the interest of time, and to some extent,
efficiency. Chad believes it is important to hold a meeting
before November 8 and to keep it in a location where key
partners have influence over the players, in effect, Chad.
The Chadians are also keen on limiting the involvement -- or
interference -- of too many international community members,
preferring to work with those with a direct, and positive,
influence over the SLM. Having appealed to us before for
closer cooperation on Darfur, the Chadians are very
interested in working with us on our proposal.
WALL
NNNN