This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2465
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
DARFUR COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA

UNCLAS  NDJAMENA 001546 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, AF/SPG, D, DRL, H, INR, INR/GGI, 
PRM, USAID/OTI AND USAID/W FOR DAFURRMT; LONDON AND PARIS 
FOR AFRICAWATCHERS; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL, 
ADDIS/NAIROBI/KAMPALA FOR REFCOORDS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PREF CD SU
SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON DARFUR: CHADIAN VIEWS ON REPARING 
SLM DIVISIONS 
 
REF: A. STATE 190682 
 
     ¶B. WALL/SNYDER TELCONS OF OCTOBER 14 AND 15 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  In a meeting with the Ambassador on 
October 15 to share USG ideas on organizing an all-inclusive 
conference for the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), Foreign 
Minister Allam-mi Ahmad welcomed U.S. assistance for the 
conference and said Chad already is working on the 
preparation of an all-inclusive meeting.  According to 
Allam-mi, Chad wants to arrange a meeting of SLM leaders in 
N'Djamena to reconcile them before the end of October.  This 
gathering would also serve as a preparatory meeting and 
determine the lists of participants, agenda, and date for an 
all-inclusive conference in Abeche to be held on or about 
November 15.  Allam-mi expressed concern that our proposal 
for a preparatory meeting on November 8 in Nairobi was too 
far away in both time and location.  The Chadians propose the 
preparatory group be kept small and include Chad, the United 
States, E.U., France, the U.N. and perhaps, Nigeria.  Alam-mi 
would like Chad to take responsibility for the preparations, 
but the African Union would also participate.  Chad remains 
highly interested in cooperating with us on the conference. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On October 15, Ambassador Wall and P/E officer met 
with Chadian Foreign Minister Allam-mi Ahmad to discuss our 
proposal to bring together the Sudan Liberation Movement's 
(SLM) leadership for a U.S.-hosted meeting in Nairobi on 
November 8.  Ambassador Wall delivered the details of the 
proposal per reftel and noted the Deputy Secretary's interest 
in opening the conference.  Allam-mi responded that the 
Chadians have already been working on reconciling SLM's 
leaders.  He noted that Secretary General Mini Minawi insists 
on holding the conference that he has organized on October 22 
without Chairman Abdelwahid Nour.  Allam-mi said the Chadian 
Government was surprised that Abdelwahid came to Chad after 
breaking previous promises to do so.  Alam-mi said President 
Idriss Deby proposed the all-inclusive conference idea during 
a meeting with Abdelwahid on October 14. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Allam-mi outlined the following proposal.  Chad 
would host a small, preparatory meeting in N'Djamena with 
about 20 SLM leaders to include Chairman Abdelwahid, 
Secretary General Mini Minawi, Vice Chairman Khamis Abdullah, 
 
SIPDIS 
field commanders, and others to include civil society 
leaders.  Chad, the United States, European Union, France, 
the United Nations, and Nigeria would be invited.  Chad hoped 
the United States could use its influence over the SLM 
members, particularly Mini, to encourage his participation. 
Allam-mi envisions that the reconciliation meeting and 
subsequent all-inclusive conference will aim to unify the 
movement's leadership to generate a cohesive negotiating 
platform for the Abuja talks.  The goal is not to dethrone 
SLM's leadership, although Allam-mi said that the appearance 
of a charismatic leader could give the rebel movement 
direction. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)   Alam-mi noted that the preparatory committee will 
establish the lists of participants, agenda, and the date for 
the all-inclusive meeting to be held in Abeche, Chad.  The 
committee would continue to work and put in place a program 
for the conference.  Allam-mi said that the Abeche conference 
could be held on or about November 15.  Chad and selected 
members of the international community would attend the 
opening and then let the SLM work on its issues on its own, 
perhaps with a facilitator. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The Foreign Minister hoped that U.S. support could 
include transportation, financial help, and U.S. Embassy 
involvement.  However, Allam-mi is concerned that USG 
assistance might not materialize.  He recalled that the 
United States had agreed to pay the transportation costs for 
the rebel movements for the 2004 N'Djamena Cease-fire 
Agreement talks, but had never paid the bill.  He said he is 
still getting calls about the unpaid bill from the aviation 
company. 
¶6.  (SBU)  Ambassador Wall probed Allam-mi for his thoughts 
on holding the meeting in Nairobi on November 8.  Allam-mi 
said that that Nairobi is too far away in distance and 
November 8 is too long to wait.  He stated that a preparatory 
 
 
meeting in N'Djamena will save time.  In his opinion, 
isolating the SLM leadership in Nairobi is not a good idea 
because it weakens the ability of key players to influence 
them, including their nearby members and family.  In 
addition, movement members travel to and from the field 
through Chad and it may be easier to get them to N'Djamena, 
where the SLM already has two houses for its members. 
 
- - - - 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  In principle, Allam-mi said Chad agrees with the 
concept of our proposal, but prefers the meeting to be held 
in N'Djamena in the interest of time, and to some extent, 
efficiency.  Chad believes it is important to hold a meeting 
before November 8 and to keep it in a location where key 
partners have influence over the players, in effect, Chad. 
The Chadians are also keen on limiting the involvement -- or 
interference -- of too many international community members, 
preferring to work with those with a direct, and positive, 
influence over the SLM.  Having appealed to us before for 
closer cooperation on Darfur, the Chadians are very 
interested in working with us on our proposal. 
WALL 
 
 
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