US embassy cable - 05NDJAMENA666

UNCLAS  NDJAMENA 000666 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ODIP, AMGT, CD, Bilateral Issues 
SUBJECT: EVICTING FORMER AMBASSADOR SOUBIANE 
 
 
1. (U)  This is an action cable (see last para.) 
 
2. (SBU)  SUMMARY:  The former Chadian Ambassador to 
the US continues to occupy the official Residence in 
Washington and has maintained control of the official 
vehicle despite the arrival of the new Ambassador, 
Chad's Foreign Minister and Presidential Advisor for 
International Affairs told the Ambassador April 26. 
Foreign Minister Yamassoum said the Government of 
Chad has revoked former Ambassador Ahmet Soubiane's 
Chadian diplomatic passport and formally advised the 
Department of State of his recall.  The issue of his 
refusal to vacate the official Residence and return 
the vehicle is becoming disruptive to the good 
relationship between the two countries.  The Chadian 
officials expressed President Deby's strong desire 
for a quick resolution.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3. (SBU)  Minister of Foreign Affairs Nagoum 
Yamassoum requested the Ambassador to meet in his 
offices April 26 to discuss regaining control of the 
official Residence of the Chadian Ambassador and the 
Embassy's official vehicle in Washington.  The 
Presidential Adviser for International Affairs, Ahmad 
Allam-mi, was present.  The Minister told the 
Ambassador that President Deby had expressed a strong 
desire to see the present stalemate ended and his new 
envoy, Ambassador Bechir, installed in the official 
residence.  Ambassador Bechir, presently visiting 
N'Djamena, made a brief appearance in the meeting. 
 
4. (SBU)  The Chadian Ambassador in Washington has 
hired a lawyer and is pursuing the issue in court, 
the Foreign Minister said.  Allam-mi observed that 
the DC court would probably determine it does not 
have jurisdiction over a case involving a diplomatic 
mission.  The Minister said that Chad believes it is 
the duty of the United States as host country to help 
the Embassy recover its property.  He said the GOC 
was offended with the idea of being reduced to filing 
a court case like a private citizen, with no 
guarantee of success.  "Since when does someone who 
has gone into rebellion against his own government 
use that government's resources to fight with?" he 
added. 
 
5.  (SBU)  Presidential Advisor Allam-mi said that 
President Deby is quite concerned that this situation 
is being allowed to persist.  The Government of Chad 
is asking that the Government of the United States 
take action, in the context of the Vienna Convention, 
to resolve a transgression of the inviolability of an 
official diplomatic residence. "The point has come 
where we need you to take some action.  We do not 
wish this issue to become a political crisis. 
President Deby wants our relations to keep moving 
ahead." 
 
6. (SBU)  Sitting back and speaking more informally, 
Allam-mi added that the GOC has formally advised the 
State Department that former Ambassador Soubiane has 
been recalled and Ambassador Bechir is Deby's 
diplomatic representative.  Soubiane's diplomatic 
passport has been revoked and no new Chadian passport 
has been issued.  The GOC wants a quiet solution to 
the problem, one that doesn't involve them having 
Soubiane and his children turned out on the street. 
That would likely lead to a duel in the press, in 
which the GOC would be obliged to publicize evidence 
it holds showing malfeasance and misuse of GOC funds 
by Soubiane.  No doubt it would also be necessary to 
explain the GOC's view that the State Department had 
been uncooperative in finding a solution, Allam-mi 
continued.  "We prefer a less inelegant solution." 
 
7. (SBU)  Growing more animated, the Minister asked 
if Chad could send gendarmes to assure the security 
of GOC property.  "Should the GOC request Uniformed 
Secret Service intervention to eject an intruder?" he 
 
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said. 
 
8. (SBU)  Ambassador Wall assured the Minister that 
U.S. respect for the Vienna Convention was not in 
question.  Though he understood well the GOC's 
concern with an unusual situation, and knew that U.S. 
authorities were also concerned, these were matters 
of law, and it was wise that the Chadian Mission had 
retained an attorney.  The court action was the right 
way to proceed.  It would not be possible for the 
State Department to instruct the police to evict the 
former Ambassador.  Under U.S. law this was a civil 
matter that would have to be resolved in the courts. 
With regard to the official vehicle, since it is 
registered to the Embassy and Soubiane is 
demonstrably no longer a functionary of the embassy 
but rather a private citizen, the next step appeared 
to be to seek a court order to seize the vehicle and 
return it to its owner. 
 
9. (SBU)  Allam-mi replied that the GOC understood 
Soubiane had applied, or would soon apply, for 
political asylum.  "Why not move him to wherever 
applicants for asylum are held?" asked Allam-mi.  "Is 
he not in violation of his visa?"  Soubiane made 
political statements against his government and it 
was perfectly normal that he be recalled, he added. 
The issues regarding misuse of funds were the GOC's 
problem, but the issue of a squatter in a diplomatic 
residence would best be handled in diplomatic 
channels, from the GOC's point of view. 
 
10. (SBU)  COMMENT: This was an unusually negative 
exchange, and both the Minister and Allam-mi were 
clearly under orders to convey Presidential 
displeasure.  They are certainly right that neither 
the U.S. nor the GOC would benefit from making this a 
politicized press case, which is what Soubiane is no 
doubt seeking.  In addition, it is not out of the 
question that Embassy N'Djamena might well be subject 
to diplomatic harassment such as a slow-down in fuel 
tax exonerations, less enthusiastic protection of the 
Chancery, or slow visa approvals.  In an environment 
of constantly improving cooperation, this would be 
unfortunate, and appears avoidable. 
 
11. (SBU)  We are not in a position to know the legal 
situation, but it seems reasonable that the GOC could 
file with the police for eviction of an unauthorized 
tenant and recuperation of a stolen vehicle, if it 
has not already done so.  Our understanding is that, 
acting in coordination with an agent from the DS 
Washington Field Office and perhaps an agent of the 
Secret Service Uniformed Division, the police would 
 
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be able to carry out the action with no injury to the 
Vienna Convention.  However Washington decides to 
proceed, it appears from today's meeting that the 
longer the situation is allowed to persist, the more 
the issue will become a matter of face for the GOC 
(and by extension, the embattled President Deby) and 
the less flexibility we can expect on the part of the 
GOC. 
 
12. (U)  Action Request: Please provide guidance for 
replying to the Minister's questions on next steps to 
evict Soubiane. 
 
WALL 
 
 
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