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FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4978
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000595 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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: DECL: 06/14/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS EAID PHUM PINR ASEC CN
SUBJECT: COMOROS ELECTION POSTPONED AS BACAR SEIZES POWER 
 
REF: A. SIBLEY - RAINEY TELCON 6/14 
 
     ¶B. ANTANANARIVO 585 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires George N. Sibley for reasons 1.4B,D 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Shortly after inaugurating himself 
"President" of Anjouan on the morning of June 14, Colonel 
Mohamed Bacar resumed his position at the presidential 
palace.  A high-level Comoran delegation will arrive in Addis 
Ababa June 14 to lobby the African Union (AU) to hold an 
extraordinary session of the Peace and Security Council, 
likely seeking to expand the AU forces' mandate in the 
Comoros to include military options.  The Ministry of 
External Affairs formally confirmed the widely held 
expectation that the Anjouan elections rescheduled for June 
17 will not be held until June 24 at the earliest.  The two 
U.S. officers slated to observe elections in Anjouan will 
therefore stay in Antananarivo for the time being.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
BACAR RE-INAUGURATES HIMSELF "PRESIDENT" 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2. (SBU) Shortly after inaugurating himself "President" of 
Anjouan on the morning of June 14, Colonel Mohamed Bacar 
resumed his position at Anjouan's presidential palace. 
Contacts in Anjouan report Bacar is open to negotiating with 
the Union Government on issues such as free travel of Comoran 
citizens between the islands, as long as talks do not include 
the legitimacy of his presidential seat. 
 
JUNE 17 ELECTIONS POSTPONED AGAIN 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶3. (SBU) A high-level Comoran delegation composed of Vice 
President Idi Nadhoim, Minister of External Relations Ahmed 
Ben Said Jaffar, and Chief of Cabinet at the Ministry of 
Defense Commandant Bastoi are expected to arrive in Addis 
Ababa June 14 to lobby the AU to hold an extraordinary 
session of the Peace and Security Council.  Post believes the 
delegation, slated to stay in Addis Ababa through June 20, 
will ask the AU to expand its mandate in the Comoros to 
include military options should Bacar's forces refuse entry 
to AU forces seeking to secure elections.  Post has informed 
Ambassador Courville's staff in Addis Ababa of Vice President 
Idi's visit should she wish to meet with the delegation (REF 
A). 
 
¶4. (SBU) Senior Union Government officials remained in 
intense meetings with Union President Sambi throughout the 
day.  Separately, UNDP Resident Representative Opiah Kumah 
and the Director of the Gendarmes in Moroni indicated near 
certainty there would be no elections on Anjouan on June 17 
as the airport in Anjouan is closed, and the situation there 
remains unstable.  This decision was confirmed officially by 
the Ministry of External Relations, which announced the next 
elections to be June 24.  These will include the run-off 
elections on Grande Comore and Moheli, as well as the first 
round elections -- if possible -- on Anjouan.  Should the 
Anjouan elections be held, Bacar will no longer be allowed to 
run. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Charge Sibley ordered the two U.S. officers slated 
to observe elections in Anjouan to stay in Antananarivo for 
the time being given the cancellation of elections in Anjouan 
June 17.  Embassy Antananarivo still intends to send at least 
two U.S. Embassy observers to Moroni for the second round of 
elections on Grande Comore June 24. 
 
¶6. (C) COMMENT:  With Bacar back in the presidential palace, 
some Comoran citizens are starting to question the 
credibility of President Sambi and his Union Government.  The 
16 losing candidates in Grand Comore's presidential elections 
are reportedly threatening to boycott the second round of 
elections June 24 if President Sambi is unable to resolve 
problems in Anjouan.  Residents of Anjouan complain the Union 
Government does not care for them, while some residents of 
Moheli and Grande Comore are accusing Sambi of either 
 
ANTANANARI 00000595  002 OF 002 
 
 
incompetence or complicity with Bacar.  From our perspective, 
Sambi does not lack the will to confront Bacar, but he does 
lack the means to wrest control from an armed force defending 
a small island.  Bacar has thrown the future of the Union of 
the Comoros into question and challenged the will and the 
ability of the international community to provide a timely 
resolution.  END COMMENT. 
 
SIBLEY