US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI976

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000976 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CJTF-HOA PLEASE PASS MARCENT 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
STATE FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, PM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, PGOV, FR, DJ 
SUBJECT: VISIT OF FRANCE'S DEFENSE MINISTER TO DJIBOUTI: 
ANXIETY ABOUT U.S. PRESENCE 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
 1. (C) During Ambassador's 7/15 meeting with Minister of 
Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Ali 
Youssef, Ambassador raised the July 8-9 visit to Djibouti of 
France's Defense Minister, Michele Alliot-Marie. 
Alliot-Marie had met during her time in Djibouti with 
President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Djiboutian military 
officials.  She had also visited an education project France 
is funding in Obock and France's Ambassador to Djibouti had 
hosted a diplomatic reception in her honor. 
 
2. (C) Youssef told Ambassador that this visit was 
Alliot-Marie's third in the past two years.  That, he said, 
is unprecedented in the history of the Djiboutian-French 
post-independence relationship. He said Alliot-Marie sought 
"reassurances" from Djibouti on the continuity of 
Djibouti-French relations and seemed clearly worried about 
the implications for that relationship of the U.S. military 
presence at Camp Lemonier.  According to Youssef, 
Alliot-Marie was concerned that Djibouti intended to replace 
France's military presence with an American presence. 
 
3. (C) Youssef said his government made clear to Alliot-Marie 
that France and Djibouti enjoy a special relationship and 
that there was no intention to displace France's presence. 
The U.S. has a different focus and it is the war against 
terrorism.  He said Alliot-Marie also asked for, and got, 
Djibouti's agreement "in principle" to obtain a tract of land 
near Camp Lemonier on which to station aircraft and 
accommodate a contingent of service persons.  He said he 
thought she sought guarantees on this issue in order to lock 
in an option for France prior to start of U.S. - Djibouti 
negotiations on access renewal. 
 
4. (C) Youssef said Alliot-Marie's request was not the first 
for this tract of land.  Former French Ambassador to Djibouti 
Roussel had asked for the land in January prior to the end of 
his tenure as ambassador. Youssef said there is no written 
agreement between Djibouti and France for the parcel in 
question.  (Comment: Commander of French Forces in Djibouti, 
General Gerard Pons, has made clear to us the interest of 
France's military in obtaining use of a tract of land 
adjacent to Camp Lemonier -- described locally as 15 hectares 
-- on which to station some of its aircraft. End comment.) 
 
5.  (U) France has approximately 2,850 service men and women 
in Djibouti and Djibouti is France's largest military 
presence outside France. In August, 2003, it agreed to pay to 
Djibouti 30 million euros annually (approximately $36 
million) for use of military facilities in country.  The 
agreement is for ten years. 
 
6. (C) Ambassador raised with Youssef the composition of 
Djibouti's delegation for talks on renewal of the U.S. access 
agreement.  Youssef said the composition of Djibouti's 
delegation would depend on where talks are held.  If they are 
held in Washington, Ambassador Olhaye would be the 
negotiator.  If they are held in Djibouti, the composition 
would need to be determined. He said it would be preferable 
to hold talks in Washington, in order to maintain 
confidentiality of discussions, for facilitation of language 
 
SIPDIS 
issues, and because Olhaye has had greater experience in 
working with and understanding Americans.  (Comment: 
Youssef's statements would tend to indicate that Washington 
should consider taking the lead and proposing that locale as 
best venue for these negotiations. End comment.) 
 
7. (U) Khartoum minimize considered. 
RAGSDALE