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OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHAN #0779 2141250
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021250Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0169
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000779 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU - AMBASSADOR COURVILLE 
NSC FOR DIRECTOR PITTMAN 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF/FO 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF/E CKOLLMAR 
DEPT FOR DS/DSS/ITA DROTHSTEIN 
PARIS FOR D'ELIA 
PRETORIA FOR POLCOUNS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM MOPS EAID PHUM PINR ASEC CN
SUBJECT:  BACAR'S DEFIANCE LEAVES AU FEW OPTIONS IN THE COMOROS 
 
REF: ANTANANARIVO 685 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  (U) Little has changed in the Union of the Comoros in recent 
days (reftels).  African Union (AU) Envoy Francisco Madeira again 
threatened Anjouan island renegade, Mohamed Bacar, and again offered 
an ultimatum.  In a press statement July 28, Madeira said, "Bacar's 
boat is sinking and anyone left aboard should jump off or else risk 
going down with him."  Madeira emphasized that the refusal to allow 
free elections and to accept AU observers, as well as ongoing 
intransigence with regard to the Union Government, has isolated 
Bacar's position. 
 
¶2.  (U) Commenting on Bacar's recent demands for talks, Madeira 
insisted Anjouan's self-imposed leader has no constitutional right 
to sit with the democratically-elected Union President Ahmed Sambi, 
nor the elected island presidents of Grande Comore and Moheli.  The 
AU Envoy highlighted the fact that Bacar professes to accept the 
Union Constitution, but in reality only respects the law when it 
suits his interests. 
 
¶3. (U) Bacar's response was predictable, identifying the AU, Union 
Government, international community, and anyone else as responsible 
for the current crisis.  The renegade leader of Anjouan has again 
invited Union President Sambi and the other island presidents to 
meet for negotiations.  Bacar's spokesperson insists, sometimes, 
that the June 10 election was legitimate and binding (Note:  Bacar 
rigged the vote, winning 90 percent with 10 percent participation. 
End Note).  Other times, Bacar's people say an Anjouan island 
election can be held, but federalist institutions and arrangements 
must be resolved first. 
 
¶4. (U) Following Madeira's scathing report, the AU Peace and 
Security Council (PSC) convened July 31 to issue a communique (text 
follows) extending the mandate of the AU Electoral and Security 
Mission to the Comoros for one month through August 31.  The PSC 
pledged to meet as soon as possible to review the situation on 
Anjouan, based on a report to be submitted by the chairperson of the 
AU Commission after consultation with the countries in the region. 
The Union Government has not yet responded publicly. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: It took several failed negotiations for the AU 
envoy to accept what the Union Government has been telling him for 
months: Bacar is not part of the solution; he is the problem.  The 
Comoros remain in perpetual "wait mode" while the AU again conducts 
internal consultations.  With negotiations exhausted, the AU has few 
options at its disposal to maintain credibility on this issue.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
¶6. (U) START TEXT OF COMMUNIQUE: 
 
The Peace and Security Council of the African Union, at its 84th 
meeting held on 31 July 2007, adopted the following decision on the 
renewal of the mandate of the African Union Electoral and Security 
Assistance Mission to the Comoros: 
 
Council, 
 
¶1. Recalls decision PSC/MIN/Comm.1 (LXXVII) adopted at its 77th 
meeting held in Durban, South Africa, on 9 May 2007, authorizing the 
deployment of the African Union Electoral and Security Assistance 
Mission to The Comoros (MAES), for an initial period running from 13 
May to 31 July 2007; 
 
¶2. Decides to extend the mandate of MAES for an additional period of 
one month, until 31 August 2007; 
 
¶3. Further decides to meet as soon as possible to review the 
situation in the Comorian Island of Anjouan, on the basis of a 
report to be submitted by the Chairperson of the Commission after 
consultation with the countries of the region. 
 
END TEXT 
 
SIBLEY