US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1073

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 001073 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, EPET, DJ 
SUBJECT: CODEL PAYNE MEETING WITH FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO 
DJIBOUTI 
 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Erinn C. Reed for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) Summary: Congressman Donald Payne and HIRC Ted Dagne 
met with French Ambassador to Djibouti, Philip Selz, 9 August 
2004 during a visit to the Horn of Africa region.  Poloff and 
Charge Gribbin accompanied.  Payne and Selz discussed the 
recent French decision to transport aid into Darfur and the 
U.S./French cooperation in Djibouti.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) Payne commented that the aims of the USG and France 
were the same, increase stability and improving the lives of 
the people of the region.  He also said he looked forward to 
cooperation between the U.S. and France in Chad and Sudan. 
Payne continued that there was disappointment in the American 
legislature at the lack of a sense of urgency concerning 
Darfur throughout the international community.  Elaborating 
on that point he commented that many in the international 
community feel that 30 days is to soon a deadline for a 
resolution without realizing that this problem has been going 
on for over a year.  Payne said that he was glad to see the 
French willing to help and perhaps that would get the 
international community to start acting. 
 
3. (C) Selz replied that France agrees with the Security 
Council's resolution but does not think the 30 day deadline 
will be met because the Sudanese government doesn't want to 
reign in the Janjawide.  Selz continued that the French feel 
it is more important that the month deadline result in a 
change of orientation and attitude among the Sudanese 
government.  He said from there we can hope that it begins 
taking action against the Janjawide in order to establish 
peace and provide humanitarian aid.  Selz repeated that the 
time frame given by the Security Council resolution is short. 
 Payne commented that the same message had been given to the 
Government of Sudan by Secretary Powell and UN Secretary 
General Kofi Annan over the pass few months, in reality 
giving it much more than 30 days to act. 
 
4. (U) On the French/American cooperation in Djibouti, Selz 
commented that though their reasons for having a presence in 
Djibouti differed the two countries share the same objective 
in the Global War on Terror.  Selz said one aspect of the 
Franco-American relations that could be improved was the 
exchange of intelligence regarding terrorism and security 
issues.  He stated that with the small amount of information 
given by the American military regarding a threat, it is 
difficult to appraise and evaluate the threat to the French 
population.  Selz commented that due to the nature of the 
threat in this region, the security situation could be 
slightly jeopardized by the lack of coordination between the 
armed forces present.  However, Selz did applaud the 
coordination that has been started among the donor countries 
in Djibouti on the education and health development programs. 
 
5. (C)  When asked what economic interests France had in 
Djibouti, Selz responded that aside from the French military 
community there were a number of import/export and 
transshipping companies and Total Oil, one of the three major 
oil suppliers in Djibouti.  Selz commented that all three 
companies will be facing a large problem posed by the 
Government of Djibouti's order to move to the new port 
facility within one year.  Selz said there is a lack of 
discussion between the Government and the companies.  He said 
he expected big problems in the coming months regarding this 
issue. 
RAGSDALE