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DE RUEHC #8780 0340355
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TO RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY 1965-1968
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR PRIORITY 1882-1885
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 6981-6984
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 9147-9150
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE PRIORITY 4762-4765
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 4233-4236
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1914-1917
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 2692-2695

S E C R E T STATE 008780 
 
NOFORN 
 
SIPDIS 
KINSHASA PLEASE PASS TO BRAZZAVILLE 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY (CAPTION) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PREF SU CD
SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS ON CHAD-SUDAN RELATIONS 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 106 
 
Classified By: AF Acting A/S Karl Wycoff 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 3 and 
¶4. 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶2. (S/NF) Department requests that Embassy Khartoum and 
Embassy N'Djamena 
urge the Governments of Chad and Sudan to cease support of 
opposing rebel 
groups and continue to work toward normalized relations.  The 
USG remains 
committed to the Dakar agreement and normalized relations 
between Chad and 
Sudan, and we remain concerned about the negative impact of 
continued 
support of armed groups on our policy objectives in the 
region.  Department 
also requests Embassy Tripoli and Embassy Brazzaville, 
Libreville, Dakar, 
and Asmara to use points below to encourage the Government of 
Libya and the 
rest of the Contact Group to play a positive role in defusing 
tensions 
between the two countries. End Summary. 
 
 
OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Department asks Embassy Khartoum and Embassy 
N'Djamena to pursue 
the following objectives with the Governments of Chad and 
Sudan at the 
highest appropriate levels: 
 
-- Note USG concern about continued cross-border support by 
the 
Governments of Chad and Sudan for each other's rebel groups. 
Point out 
that the recent reported unification of Chadian rebel groups 
and 
continued clashes in Darfur involving the Justice and 
Equality Movement 
(JEM) has led many to believe both governments are assisting 
in the 
activities of these rebel groups, respectively. 
 
-- Urge both Chad and Sudan to cease any support for armed 
groups in 
the region.  Highlight impact of continued violence in 
humanitarian and 
economic terms, undermining their countries' ability to 
pursue economic 
development.  This conflict distracts valuable domestic 
resources and 
attention away from pressing social and economic needs. 
 
-- Encourage both Chad and Sudan to continue the constructive 
dialogue 
that took place in the last Dakar Agreement Contact Group 
meeting in 
N'Djamena in November 2008, and take further steps to 
implement the 
Dakar agreement and normalize relations. 
 
-- Note USG support for the Dakar Agreement and meetings 
among the 
Contact Group countries as a means to prevent a further 
deterioration 
of relations between Chad and Sudan, develop a longer-term 
peace 
building process, and bring stability to the region. 
 
-- Point out that the USG is urging Chadian and Sudanese 
rebel groups to 
lay down their arms and maintain a peaceful dialogue with the 
Governments 
in N'Djamena and Khartoum.  Especially at this fragile time 
of building a 
solid peace process and upcoming talks in Doha, continued 
violence is 
irresponsible and unhelpful. 
 
-- (For N'Djamena): Encourage Chad to take steps to reach out 
to Chadian 
rebel groups to deter an imminent rebel attack.  Note that 
while the Sirte 
process continues to remain a framework for peaceful 
negotiations with Chadian 
rebel groups, we encourage the Government of Chad to explore 
other avenues of 
dialogue.  We would be interested to know if there is a 
structure/format for 
talks that the GoC would be comfortable with. This effort 
must be coupled 
with renewed efforts to implement the August 13, 2007 accord, 
laying the 
groundwork for credible legislative and communal elections, 
and initiatives 
to promote good governance in Chad.  Reiterate that USG is 
pressing the 
Chadian rebels to lay down their arms and enter into the 
political process. 
 
-- (For Khartoum): While the USG believes that JEM and all 
other Darfur 
rebel groups should be part of a political settlement in 
Darfur, we do 
not support JEM military action in Sudan and, as recently as 
this week, 
have condemned their attacks in Darfur. 
 
-- Urge the parties to respect the security of humanitarian 
personnel 
working in the region, and respect the human rights of 
civilian populations. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Department also asks Embassy Tripoli pursue the 
following 
objectives at appropriate levels: 
 
-- Recognize the Government of Libya's past positive role in 
facilitating 
the November 2008 exchange of ambassadors between Chad and 
Sudan and 
playing an integral role in previous Contact Group meetings. 
 
-- Encourage Libya to play a positive role in mitigating the 
impact of 
recent allegations by Chad and Sudan of cross-border support, 
and 
consider a potential Head of State summit among Chad, Sudan, 
and Libya, 
as well as a Contact Group meeting in the near term. 
 
-- Note the mutual interest of all members in the 
international community 
in improving Chad-Sudan relations. Ask Libya how the USG and 
the 
international community can be helpful in this process and to 
brief us 
on Libya's own efforts with N'Djamena and Khartoum. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Department also asks Embassies Brazzaville, 
Libreville, Dakar, 
and Asmara to pursue the following objectives at appropriate 
levels: 
 
-- Note USG concern with apparent signs of deteriorating 
relations between 
Chad and Sudan, and continued indications of cross-border 
support. 
 
-- Ask whether the Contact Group plans to hold a meeting in 
the coming 
weeks to discuss ways to defuse the current tensions and 
continue efforts 
to facilitate the normalization of relations between Chad and 
Sudan. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶6. (S/NF) The recent decision of Chadian rebel groups 
(currently based in 
Sudan) to form a new alliance, the United Resistance Front 
(UFR), and 
select prominent Zaghawa rebel Timan Erdimi as their leader 
has renewed 
fears of a rebel attack into Chad.  While there are 
conflicting reports 
on whether Chadian rebels have begun to move toward the 
Chad-Sudan border, 
Chad's intelligence chief has asserted that the Government 
will be able to 
repel any rebel advances.  In comparison to the last attack 
against the 
Chadian regime in February 2008, President Deby is stronger 
militarily, 
and continues to receive intelligence and logistical support 
from France. 
However, should the UFR be successful in launching attacks in 
Chad, clashes 
between Government and rebel forces will jeopardize our 
humanitarian 
operations in eastern Chad and complicate US efforts to bring 
peace to 
Darfur. 
 
¶7. (S/NF) We continue to receive reports that cross-border 
support still 
continues, in spite of recent attempts by the Government of 
Libya and members 
the Dakar Agreement Contact Group to encourage both sides to 
normalize relations. 
The GoS and Sudanese Presidential Assistant Minni Minawi have 
noted that Chadian 
military officials have provided material support to the 
Justice and Equality 
Movement in the latest round of fighting in Muhajiriya and 
near El-Fasher. 
Both governments have already begun the public campaign of 
accusing each other 
of supporting the activities of Chadian and Sudanese rebel 
groups. 
 
¶8. (S/NF) The United States and France have pressed both 
Khartoum and N'Djamena 
to cut support for the others' rebel forces.  Acting Deputy 
Assistant Secretary 
Wycoff has been in telephone contact with key rebel leaders 
to press them to enter 
into political talks with Deby.  The unification of the Chad 
rebels indicates 
that new efforts are needed to prevent a rebel incursion into 
eastern Chad.  To 
that end, the Department believes joint demarches to Khartoum 
and N'Djamena will 
be a strong first step in highlighting our concern about 
continued cross-border 
support and renewed tensions between the two governments. 
 
¶9. (S) In addition, given Libya's prominent role in 
influencing relations with 
Chad and Sudan, it is critical that Libya take a leading role 
in trying to ease 
the current round of tense exchanges between Khartoum and 
N'Djamena.  Finally, 
the Department still views the Contact Group as a viable 
mechanism to ensure 
that Chad and Sudan are openly communicating in the presence 
of regional 
partners, and would like Contact Group member states to 
support all efforts 
to ensure cross-border hostilities do not threaten the 
stability of the region. 
 
 
REPORTING DEADLINE 
------------------ 
 
¶10.  (U) Embassy should report results of efforts by cable to 
AF/C Desk Officer 
Jitu Sardar and AF/SPG by February 4. 
 
POINT OF CONTACT 
---------------- 
 
¶11.  (U) Please contact AF/C desk officer Jitu Sardar at 
(202) 647-4966 or via 
e-mail for any necessary further background information or 
argumentation to meet 
our objectives. 
 
¶12. (U) Due to technical difficulties, this action request 
will be sent to 
Tripoli septel. 
CLINTON