VZCZCXRO3930
RR RUEHGI RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNJ #0131 0402325
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 092325Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4927
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1354
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0160
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 1307
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0131
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0400
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 2901
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1645
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2105
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0049
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0383
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0905
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0956

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL EPET IR CD
SUBJECT: CHAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Meets President 
Deby 
 
¶1. (U)  According to a Chadian presidential webpage 
article, Iranian Foreign Minister Mountasher Mountaki 
met with President Deby earlier this week (February 4). 
Webpage photos show the Iranian foreign minister with 
President Deby at the Zakouma Game Preserve in 
southeastern Chad.  The Iranian foreign minister and 
President Deby are accompanied by an Iranian aide, 
Chad's Minister of Livestock and Resident Minister for 
the Salamat region Rakhis Manani and Chadian 
presidential translator Abakar Saleh.  The article 
reports that topics discussed by Deby and Mountasher 
Mountaki included the Darfur crisis and its spillover, 
such as attacks by (Chadian) "mercenaries on Khartoum's 
payroll" against civilian populations. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) There is a virtual absence of press coverage 
on the visit.  There is a passing reference in a local 
newspaper to the Iranian foreign Minister's presence at 
the Zakouma Park with President Deby February 4 and 
that Mountasher Mountaki had invited his "Chadian 
homologue" (Foreign Minister Al Allami) to visit Iran 
as, given Iran's extensive experience in the oil 
sector, it could be of assistance to Chad.  A reference 
is also made in a February 6 Jeune Afrique article on 
Western Sahara to the Iranian foreign minister's 
arrival in Morocco as part of an African tour that 
included visits to Libya and Chad.  Embassy officer was 
told February 8 by a senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
official that the visit was organized directly by the 
Office of the President.  He was not aware of the 
Minister of Foreign Affairs or any other MFA official 
having met with the Iranian foreign minister during his 
visit. 
 
¶3.  (U) According to official data, the Zakouma Game 
Preserve contains some 5,000 elephants, 8,000 giraffes, 
120 lions as well as large numbers of crocodile, water 
buffalo and pelicans.  It appears that the venue of 
Mountasher Mountaki's meeting with Deby at Zakouma was 
determined by the President's schedule rather than by 
design.  The Iranian Foreign Minister attended the 
ceremonial burning by Deby of the tusks of elephants 
slaughtered by poachers. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment:  In conversation with an Esso-led 
consortium lawyer on the eve of the Iranian foreign 
minister's arrival, the Ambassador was told of 
consortium members' concerns of the Iranian's visit. 
That, coupled with plans for the Algerian oil minister 
to visit Chad soon, and the rough treatment Esso is 
receiving from Chad's tax authorities, makes them worry 
that Deby may have something up his sleeve. 
 
¶5.  Minimize considered. 
WALL