US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI590

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000590 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/E, AND EUR 
PARIS FOR CHARLES NEARY 
CJTF HOA PLEASE PASS TO MARCENT DJIBOUTI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, FR, DJ 
SUBJECT: FRENCH AMBASSADOR ON FLAP WITH DJIBOUTI GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: DJIBOUTI 585 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
 1. (C) Ambassador held a long meeting April 20 with France's 
Ambassador to Djibouti, Philippe Selz to talk about 
French-Djibouti relations in light of the recent flap between 
the two countries over an outstanding matter involving the 
death in Djibouti in 1995 of Judge Bernard Borrel, a French 
national (see reftel).  In two harsh editorials April 19 in 
the government mouthpiece "La Nation", the French state was 
accused of using the death of the judge "to serve its own 
strategic interest."  The editorials also said that calling 
the death of Borrel a political assassination perpetrated by 
the highest ranking people in Djibouti "is actually a coup." 
France was also accused in the editorials of being the 
"originator of the Rwandan genocide" and of "trying to 
destabilize its former French colonies." 
 
2. (C) The diatribe continued with accusations in the 
editorials that France was "worried about its shrinking 
influence since Djibouti agreed to accommodate the American 
army," was looking down on "the installation in Djibouti of 
the world superpower," and was "irritated" by the fact "that 
American businesses might play a part in the Doraleh (port) 
project."  Djibouti's leaders, the editorial continued, "will 
not be intimidated by the gesticulations of a colonial power 
which, receiving ill will in Europe, returns to Africa to 
recharge its power."  The ferocity of the editorials raised 
eyebrows and provoked much local speculation on their 
implications. 
 
3. (C) Ambassador initiated the meeting with Selz, who told 
her that President Guelleh had indeed been extremely angered 
by an April 16 French broadcast that carried remarks by the 
attorney for Judge Borrel's widow implicating Guelleh in the 
death of the judge. (reftel)  He gave a history of the Borrel 
affair, and said he expected it to remain in the public 
spotlight for quite some time as a lingering irritant in 
France-Djibouti relations. (Note: Selz used the term 
"embarrassant" to describe the affair's continuing impact. 
End note) Selz explained that Borrel's widow, herself a 
judge, is pursuing the matter religiously on the 
circumstances of her husband's death and has taken solace in 
statements of a member of the Djibouti opposition who has 
implicated Guelleh. 
 
4. (C) Selz said Djibouti's government officially demanded of 
France a public statement which, in essence, would deny the 
involvement of Guelleh in the death of Borrel.  Selz said he 
tried to explain that France could not comment publicly on an 
ongoing judicial investigation nor could it muzzle the free 
French press.  He said he reinforced in remarks to his 
Djiboutian interlocutors that France's government had played 
no part in, nor was in a position to deny or confirm, the 
remarks made by Mrs. Borrel's attorney in the televised April 
16 broadcast.  He said he did consult with his government, 
however, and a statement was issued by the French Foreign 
Ministry on April 17.  That statement, shared by Selz with 
Ambassador, and unofficially translated by Embassy, is as 
follows: 
 
Begin text: The attorney for the Borrel family spoke 
yesterday evening on TF1 regarding a judicial proceeding that 
is currently in process.  It is not appropriate for the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to comment on this. 
- 
On the other hand, we are keen to reaffirm the excellent 
cooperation the Djiboutian authorities have given in this 
affair, notably in the realm of international fact-finding 
commissions. 
- 
In particular, each time the cooperation of Djiboutian 
authorities was requested, they have granted without delay. 
 
End text. 
 
5. (C) Selz told Ambassador that this statement did not 
satisfy the Djiboutian government.  He said he has asked his 
government to consider issuing another statement which he 
hoped would be sufficiently strong to cool down tensions here 
yet not compromise this ongoing judicial investigation. The 
language he has proposed states, inter alia, that on the 
basis of recently declassified information, there is no 
implication of the involvement of the Djiboutian government 
in the death of Judge Borrel.  This would leave open, Selz 
said, the question of whether additional declassified 
information would reveal otherwise.   Privately, Selz said, 
there are indications that Borrel's death may well have been 
a suicide, if one considers some of the evidence and 
observations of those familiar with the case. 
 
6. (C) Selz also said that he had asked Foreign Minister Ali 
Abdi Farah to explain the Government of Djibouti's reference 
in its presidential communique on the subject of Borrel 
(issued August 17) in which Djibouti accused France of a 
"strategy to divide" the country.  Selz said Farah responded 
that he did not know.  Selz then told Farah that his 
government will ask him to explain this point and needed to 
have that information.  Farah agreed to call Selz back, did 
so, and stated that the reference was to the previous 
government of France's efforts to support Afars over Issas. 
Selz remarked that the Djiboutians did not want to understand 
that governments, as well as policies, in France do change. 
 
7. (C) Ambassador told Selz she had been troubled by the tone 
of the editorials but also by the Government of Djibouti's 
attempt to draw into the discussion, on an explicit basis, 
the U.S. presence in Djibouti.  She said there is no 
relationship between the Borrel case and the U.S. presence 
and the statements could well be viewed as an effort to use 
the U.S. presence to place pressure on France in this case. 
She noted that the U.S. and France are continuing to work 
well together in Djibouti -- as they did in last week's flood 
relief efforts -- and fully expects that relationship to 
continue.  Selz stated that he also saw the reference as an 
attempt to put pressure on France.  He lamented, though, that 
the case is not likely to go away soon, therefore he is 
recommending that a direct phone call occur between the 
President of France and the President of Djibouti, but is not 
sure if, or when, this might happen. 
 
8. (C) Comment:  Selz seemed taken aback by Guelleh's 
reaction on the Borrel issue, admitting this was the 
strongest France has seen on any issue between the two 
countries.  We thought it important to reassure him on U.S. 
intentions and also to make clear to France our strong 
aversion to Djibouti's efforts to draw our presence here into 
the matter.  We think the issue will cool down on its own as 
there will be strong domestic economic pressure as well on 
Guelleh to keep ties with France open and clear.  Ambassador 
was told by a prominent Djiboutian business person that 
Guelleh was "not well-served" by his advisors in his 
"childish" public handling of the French broadcast. Some 
speculate that the President's wrath over the issue was 
little more than a "qat moment," which his handlers ran away 
with. End comment. 
RAGSDALE