US embassy cable - 05PARIS2901

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002901 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TO, FR 
SUBJECT: TOGO: MFA DIVIDED OVER GOF REACTION TO ELECTIONS 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Josiah Rosenblatt 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) At a National Day reception at the South African 
Embassy April 27, MFA PDAS-equivalent Elisabeth Barbier 
commented to Africa watcher on the situation in Togo, sighing 
wearily "one more crisis."  Referring to the MFA statement of 
April 25, which described the elections as having proceeded 
under "satisfactory conditions" with "isolated incidents," 
Barbier (protect) said that the French response had been too 
quick, and too favorable. 
 
2. (C) Asked whether the MFA statement had been driven by the 
Presidency, Barbier insisted that the statement had come from 
the MFA.  She would not be drawn out when we suggested that 
it had been approved either by Nathalie Delapalme, FM 
Barnier's Africa advisor, or by Barnier himself who, 
unprompted, used a press conference in Luxembourg April 25 to 
call the elections a success. 
 
3. (U) Several French papers published April 28 have 
criticized the MFA's characterization of the Togolese 
elections as a success.  Le Figaro, refers to the subsequent 
MFA statement on legal mechanisms for recourse as be on the 
"borders of reality."  Liberation, referring to France's ties 
with deceased President Eyadema asserts that Paris clearly 
aligned France with the regime, preferring Faure Gnassingbe 
as the best candidate to assure stability in Togo.  Le  Monde 
says that for decades Paris supported a regime which has 
ruined Togo, and says that Foreign Minister Barnier, instead 
of describing the elections as satisfactory, would have done 
better to follow the EU and the U.S. responses. 
 
4. (C) Queried about the security situation, Barbier 
expressed concern to Africa watcher about the attacks on 
French nationals following the election, but insisted that 
France was not planning to conduct an evacuation. 
WOLFF