VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAN #0040 0161412
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161412Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0870
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0957
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000040 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM PINR CN
SUBJECT: COMOROS REQUESTS FOLLOW-UP ON BILATERAL TALK REQUESTS 
 
 
REF: A) ANTANANARIVO 34 AND PREVIOUS 
 B) 07 ANTANANARIVO 399 
 
¶1. (U) Ambassador Marquardt met with Acting Foreign Minister Mourad 
Said Ibrahim January 11 for a review of bilateral relations in the 
wake of A/S Frazer's visit, which had focused on the Anjouan crisis 
(REF A).  After reaffirming the mutual hope that USG involvement 
will assist in resolving that crisis, the Minister's discussion 
focused on perceived lack of follow-up to the April 19 USG-Comoros 
bilateral talks in Moroni (REF B).  Ibrahim noted (erroneously) that 
the Union Government has received no feedback from the U.S. -- 
positive, negative or otherwise -- since it presented a number of 
important projects during the bilateral talks; he inquired about 
their status:  "Is this a dead letter?" 
 
¶2. (U) The Ambassador assured Ibrahim that Comoros' requests have 
not been forgotten, quite the contrary, in fact, as we work hard to 
mobilize additional USG resources for his country.  He explained 
that the talks had been useful in identifying Comoros' most pressing 
needs, to help us draw our own conclusions on ways to help by 
matching them with USG programs and available funding.  The 
Ambassador promised to send a letter detailing current and future 
U.S. programs in the Comoros, including the USAID distance learning 
project launched in November, CJTF-HOA school 
construction/rehabilitation projects underway, and a pending 
micro-enterprise project.  He explained the USG is poised to invest 
USD 500,000 into Comoros' education sector and hopes to support a 
feasibility study on tapping geothermal energy from volcanic Mount 
Karthala.  The Ambassador also expressed his commitment to attract 
and mobilize U.S. private sector investment through the African 
Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), encouraging Ibrahim and the GOC 
to start preparing now for the day AGOA arrives -- and also 
explaining that resolution of the Anjouan crisis will greatly help 
establish AGOA eligibility.  The Ambassador also stated the 
Department's intention to station one diplomat, reporting to 
Antananarivo, in Moroni for three weeks out of every month; this may 
help lay the groundwork eventually to reopen an Embassy in Moroni. 
Finally, the Ambassador noted that preparations for the return of 
the Peace Corps to Comoros are underway, pending available funding 
in the FY09 budget. 
 
¶3. (SBU) COMMENT:  There is an undercurrent of disappointment within 
the Government of Comoros that has festered since the USG was unable 
to follow through on the USD two million we pledged at the 2005 
Donors Conference in Mauritius.  The acting Minister - subbing for 
Foreign Minister Jaffar, who was away shopping in the Persian Gulf 
for financial and military assistance for Anjouan -- apparently drew 
the "bad cop" role allowing others, including President Sambi, to 
focus on the positive in talks with A/S Frazer and the ambassador. 
(Bio note:  Ibrahim's "day job" is Justice Minister; as the son of a 
respected former Comoran President and grandson of the last Sultan 
of Grande Comore, he has a truly princely bearing and no lack of 
confidence.)  Shortly we will send a letter to the GOC detailing USG 
programs in the works and reassuring them that we will continue to 
seek ways to be helpful to their development.  We doubt any of this 
will come up during Jaffar's visit this week focusing on Anjouan, 
but would stress that this negative undercurrent nonetheless remains 
strong.  END COMMENT. 
 
MARQUARDT