US embassy cable - 05PARIS5386

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 005386 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, CD, NG, FR 
SUBJECT: FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER'S VISITS TO CHAD AND NIGER 
 
REF: PARIS 5352 
 
Classified By: Political M/C Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY:  According to an MFA official, Foreign 
Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy's stops in Chad and Niger late 
in July allowed him to (1) exchange views with Chad President 
Deby on Sudan issues (France to provide refugee-related 
support to Chad; Deby skeptical of the international 
community's support for certain Sudanese leaders; Deby 
concerned about Libya's interference in Chad) and (2) provide 
humanitarian assistance to Niger (in part to bring media 
attention to France's engagement in Niger).  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C)  In an August 4 meeting largely devoted to Mauritania 
(reftel), GOF MFA DAS-equivalent Bruno Foucher commented on 
Foreign Minister Douste-Blazy's visits to Chad and Niger 
during the July 28-30 period, which also included a stop in 
Sudan (which is not within Foucher's area of responsibility). 
 
CHAD 
---- 
 
3.  (C)  President Deby intended to meet with GOF leaders on 
July 26 in Paris but cancelled that trip because of 
paramilitary operations in northern Chad involving Libya, 
Foucher stated.  These operations involved Libyan insurgents 
who were supporting Chadian rebel elements.  Foucher said 
that the GOC seized 16 trucks loaded with fuel that was 
intended to support the rebel forces.  These activities 
required Deby to remain in Chad rather than visit Paris. 
 
4.  (C)  Foucher said that Douste-Blazy spent only two hours 
in Chad on July 28 and that his sole event there was a 
40-minute meeting with Deby at the latter's office.  Foucher 
said that the two discussed the following topics, none of 
which was covered in great depth because of the brevity of 
the meeting: 
 
--  Bilateral relations:  Douste-Blazy and Deby discussed 
bilateral relations only in passing, Foucher said, with 
little of substance being expressed by either side.  Foucher 
indicated that both sides expressed an intention to continue 
cooperative relations between France and Chad. 
 
--  Sudan/Refugees:  Douste-Blazy stressed to Deby France's 
understanding of the burdens on Chad imposed by Sudanese 
seeking refuge there.  (Foucher said Sudanese refugees in 
Chad numbered about 220,000.)  Foucher said that one of 
Douste-Blazy's priorities was to make clear that France was 
providing support to Chadians affected by the refugee crisis 
and not simply helping the refugees.  In this regard, 
Douste-Blazy pledged 900,000 euros to assist Chad with 
refugee-related problems and a similar amount to aid the 
Sudanese refugees themselves. 
 
--  Darfur:  Foucher said that Deby criticized certain 
aspects of the way the "international community" was handling 
the Sudan/Darfur crisis.  Notably, he told Douste-Blazy that 
the international community was mistaken in supporting a 
number of local "war lords."  According to Deby, did not 
represent the situation on the ground, and although the 
international community might view these individuals as 
leaders, in reality some had little control over the fighters 
whom they ostensibly commanded.  Foucher said that Deby's 
criticism seemed directed primarily at the U.S. and UK. 
 
--  Terrorism:  Deby told Douste-Blazy that Chad, along with 
other Sahel countries, was worried about terrorism.  He noted 
Chad's cooperation with the U.S.  He expressed the need for 
increased regional cooperation with France on terrorism. 
 
--  Libya:  Foucher said that Deby asserted that Libya was 
constantly seeking to create problems for Chad.  Deby noted 
that Libya continued to support rebel elements in Chad and 
that Libya had assisted some of these rebels by transporting 
them in Libyan helicopters. 
 
--  Human Rights:  Douste-Blazy raised human rights with 
Deby, in the context of several journalists under detention 
in Chad.  Douste-Blazy reminded Deby of the importance France 
placed on the freedom of the press.  Foucher said that Deby 
replied that Chad valued this freedom as well. 
 
NIGER 
----- 
 
5.  (C)  Foucher said that Douste-Blazy's visit to Niger was 
for humanitarian relief purposes only.  He delivered 35 tons 
of relief supplies.  Confirming what the French press said at 
the time of the visit, Foucher said that Douste-Blazy's stop 
in Niger and the way it was orchestrated were in part 
intended to show the press that France was engaged in Niger 
(and, by extension, the region) and that this engagement 
pre-dated the current humanitarian crisis in Niger.  Foucher 
noted that several French relief programs had been in the 
works since the latter part of 2004 and that France has for 
several months intended to provide assistance in the wake of 
Niger's problems with drought and locusts.  Foucher said that 
Douste-Blazy engaged in no political discussion while in 
Niger. 
 
6. (U) TRIPOLI, KHARTOUM, MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
STAPLETON