Cablegate: Qadhafi Hosts Sarkozy Following Departure of Bulgarian

TelegramRestricted by caption. UNCLASSIFIED TRIPOLI 00000641

O 261520Z JUL 07

FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2473

INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA IMMEDIATE 0150

RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC

RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 2831

UNCLAS TRIPOLI 000641

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL PHUM EINV ENRG FR LY

SUBJECT: QADHAFI HOSTS SARKOZY FOLLOWING DEPARTURE OF BULGARIAN

NURSES

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Just one day after six foreign health

workers accused of intentionally spreading HIV left Libya for

Bulgaria, French President Nicholas Sarkozy arrived in Tripoli

on July 25 for wide-ranging discussions with Libyan leader

Muammar Qadhafi. Sarkozy and Qadhafi reportedly discussed

construction of a nuclear water desalination plant, as well as

enhanced cooperation in immigration, border security, health

care, and defense procurement. Unconfirmed press reports claim

the two leaders also broached the subject of Darfur. END

SUMMARY.

LIBYA-FRANCE MEMORANDUM ON CIVILIAN NUCLEAR POWER

2. (U) President Sarkozy arrived the day after six foreign

medics accused of infecting over 400 Libyan children with HIV

departed the country in a French jet accompanied by Mrs.

Sarkozy, who reporteldy brokered their release. According to

press accounts, Sarkozy and Qadhafi signed an MOU concerning the

peaceful uses of nuclear power, committing France to finance

construction of a long sought-after nuclear water desalination

plant in Libya. (NOTE: Senior GOL officials have long lobbied

for U.S. financing for a similar project, arguing such a

"tangible reward" is necessary to convince the Libyan people of

the utility of Libya's renouncing its WMD program. Diplomatic

sources in Tripoli say that the Libyans have approached many

governments, including France, Russia, China, and South Korea,

with requests for both a nuclear desalination plant and a

nuclear medicine center. END NOTE.)

3. (U) In addition, the two reportedly discussed cooperation

to limit the number of illegal migrants across the

Mediterranean, including a head of state conference to be held

in early 2008. Sarkozy and Qadhafi also discussed French

assistance to Libya's health sector, echoing promises contained

in a July 23 memorandum (signed by EC Commissioner for External

Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner) that the EU would upgrade a

Benghazi hospital to a regional center of excellence.

4. (SBU) Libyan press also reported that Sarkozy and Qadhafi

discussed Darfur, just days after Sarkozy reportedly dispatched

FM Kouchner to New York to lobby for quicker UNSC action on

peacekeeping deployment.

QADHAFI HOLDS MEETING AGAINST BACKDROP OF U.S.-DAMAGED TRIPOLI

PALACE

5. (SBU) Qadhafi -- accompanied by Prime Minister Al-Mahmoudi,

Foreign Minister Shalgham, U/S for European Affairs Obeidi, and

U/S for African Affairs Treiki -- met for several hours with

Sarkozy and his delegation (which included FM Kouchner and

diplomatic adviser Levitte, but not Mrs. Sarkozy) at Qadhafi's

Bab Azziziya compound in Tripoli. (NOTE: Part of the compound

was damaged by U.S. fighter planes during the April 1986

Operation El Dorado Canyon bombing campaign, and the GOL has

kept it in its damaged state and erected a statue in front of it

displaying a fist crushing a US fighter plane. Libyan media --

and Qadhafi himself -- refer to Operation El Dorado Canyon as

"the failed U.S.-Atlantic aggression on the Great Jamahiriyah."

END NOTE.) The GOL bussed foreign ambassadors to the compound

to meet Qadhafi and Sarkozy and join the state dinner, which was

held outside in front of the damaged building. Local papers

gave front-page coverage to the Sarkozy visit, including one

with the headline: "The Brother Leader Welcomes President

Nicolas Sarkozy in front of the House that Remained Standing in

the Face of the Failed American-NATO Enmity" (referring to the

1986 bombings of Tripoli). "

STEVENS