Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 64621 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06NDJAMENA1112, SENATOR OBAMA MEETS WITH PRESIDENT DEBY

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06NDJAMENA1112.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06NDJAMENA1112 2006-09-06 16:04 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Ndjamena
VZCZCXRO2665
RR RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #1112/01 2491604
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061604Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4316
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0037
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 001112 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICAWATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF ASEC CD SU
SUBJECT: SENATOR OBAMA MEETS WITH PRESIDENT DEBY 
 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: President Deby stressed to Senator Obama 
the negative impact that continued violence in Darfur would 
have on regional security, and expressed his support for a 
United Nations Peacekeeping operation to pave the way for the 
implementation  of the Darfur Peace Agreement.  Deby also 
acknowledged the close bilateral cooperation between Chad and 
the United States on counter-terrorism initiatives.  In 
response to President Deby's justification of his decision to 
suspend Chevron and Petronas' operations for alleged 
non-payment of taxes, Senator Obama noted the importance of 
governments' honoring their contractual obligations, and 
expressed his hope that an amicable solution could be reached 
between the disputing parties.  END SUMMARY. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
SENATOR OBAMA'S VISIT AT THE PRESIDENCY 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
2.  (SBU) On September 1, Senator Barack Obama met with 
President Deby to discuss key regional and bilateral issues. 
Obama thanked the President for Chad's cooperation with the 
United States and the international community on the 
humanitarian response to the Darfur crisis, as well as 
efforts on counter-terrorism.  He stressed to the President 
that the focus of his trip was to examine the current 
conditions of the Sudanese refugees in Chad  and determine 
ways to avert further violence in the region.  The Senator 
also stated his interest in discussing other issues of 
bilateral concern. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - 
DEBY'S VIEWS ON DARFUR 
- - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
3.  (SBU) President Deby thanked the Senator for visiting 
Chad and for his interest in the impact of the Darfur crisis 
on Chad.  He explained that the crisis in Darfur had had a 
profound impact on the economic, environment, and political 
security of Chad.  The presence of Sudanese refugees was a 
significant environmental burden in Eastern Chad, as refugees 
meant increased competition for resources in the region. 
According to Deby, local communities, as well as the refugee 
population, were suffering; the international community, 
while providing assistance, needed to do more to assist the 
Chadian communities that were affected by the refugee inflow. 
 
 
4.  (SBU) At the same time, the spillover of conflict from 
Sudan into Chad was apparent with continued cross-border 
raids of Janjaweed militias, who were targeting refugee 
populations as well as local Chadian communities.  President 
Deby pointed out that the Janjaweed militias had already 
inflicted casualties on Chadian communities, and created a 
large number of Chadian IDPs in the region.  While the rains 
may have temporarily restricted their movement, the coming 
months would undoubtedly bring more cross-border attacks 
against the Chadian population.  He also noted that Chad's 
decision to host Sudanese refugees and actions to mediate 
between the Government of Sudan and Sudanese rebel movements 
made it a target of military action by the Sudanese 
government.  Deby said that the April 13 attacks in N'Djamena 
by Chadian rebels was an effort by the GOS to destabilize the 
country, bring in a regime favorable to Khartoum, and inflict 
harm on Sudanese refugees in Chad. 
 
5.  (SBU) The President told Senator Obama that the 
implementation of Darfur Peace Agreement would create an 
environment for the eventual return of refugees back to 
Darfur, and help to stabilize the region.  While imperfect, 
the DPA was the best chance for peace in the region, and the 
international community should help the GOS and supporters of 
Minni Minawi to peacefully implement the agreement.  He noted 
that the international community should also not neglect to 
bring in those rebel movements who refused to sign the DPA. 
Deby asserted that without the inclusion of non-signatories 
in the framework of the DPA, fighting in the region would 
continue. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
SUPPORT FOR UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
6.  (SBU) President Deby expressed his strong support for the 
presence of an United Nations Peacekeeping force in Darfur. 
He argued that the presence of an international force with a 
robust mandate would permit the implementation of the DPA, 
and bring in the DPA non-signatories, who would be more 
willing to accept an accord with the presence of a UN force. 
Whereas the current African Union observer mission was 
 
NDJAMENA 00001112  002 OF 002 
 
 
ill-equipped and incapable of maintaining security in the 
region, a UN force would have the ability to secure the 
region and give hope to refugees seeking to return home, and 
Chadians on the other side of the border who were fearing 
further attacks from Sudan. 
 
7.  (SBU) When the Senator asked how the international 
community could convince Khartoum to accept an international 
force, Deby said that Africans already accepted a UN presence 
in Darfur with a resolution agreed to in the AU Summit in 
Banjul, and the international community already agreed to 
deploy a peacekeeping force with the passage of UN Security 
Council Resolution 1706.  The question now was whether the 
international community would allow concerns of sovereignty 
of the Sudanese government to influence their decision to 
bring peace to the region.  The African Union lacked the 
material means to bring peace to the region, the United 
Nations did not.  Deby asserted that the international 
community should insist that the Sudanese accept a 
peacekeeping force, as it was the only way to end the crisis 
in Darfur. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
CHAD'S COOPERATION ON COUNTER-TERRORISM 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
8.  (SBU) President Deby turned to bilateral efforts to 
combat terrorism, and noted that cooperation between the 
United States and Chad in the area of counter-terrorism was 
excellent.  The GOC was appreciative of U.S. training efforts 
of the country's PSI batallion.  He did note that the 
Chadians still required equipment, and had submitted requests 
in the past year to U.S. authorities.  Senator Obama assured 
President Deby that if a request was submitted, then the 
Pentagon would be reviewing it. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
CHEVRON/PETRONAS TAX DISPUTE 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
9.  (SBU) President Deby ended the meeting by discussing the 
GOC's recent actions taken against oil consortium members 
Chevron and Petronas.  The President told Senator Obama that 
the Chadian government was trying to ensure that Chad 
benefited from the country's oil production.  To that end, 
Chad was pursuing negotiations with the oil consortium to 
include the GOC as a member of the consortium, and had 
established a national commission to begin the process. 
However, according to Deby, the Chadian people could not 
benefit from the country's oil as long as consortium members 
Chevron and Petronas refused to pay taxes it owed to the GOC. 
 The President said that while Chevron and Petronas asserted 
to have a legal basis, in the form of a agreement signed by 
certain GOC ministers, for not paying income taxes, the GOC 
could not recognize such an agreement, as it was not approved 
by the country's National Assembly.  Deby contended that his 
decision to suspend Chevron and Petronas from the consortium 
was an attempt by the Chadians to reduce the "economic 
inequality" between the GOC and the Consortium. 
 
10.  (SBU) Senator Obama told President Deby that while he 
could not speak for the U.S. nor Chevron, two principles 
needed to be considered: that the Chadian people should 
benefit from the country's natural resources, and that 
contracts needed to be observed.  Chad, noted the Senator, 
could benefit from foreign investment, but if the rules of 
the country's business environment changed, foreign investors 
would be more hesitant to enter Chad's economy.  He expressed 
his hope that the GOC and the parties could resolve the issue 
amicably, and that the GOC would develop a business 
environment where contracts were respected. 
 
11.  (U) This message was cleared by Senator Obama's staff. 
 
12.  (U) Tripoli Minimize Considered. 
JAMES