VZCZCXRO0457
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #0583/01 3511541
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161541Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6650
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000583 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM MARR PINR EAID UN SU CD
SUBJECT: DEBY'S TONE MORE CONCILIATORY TOWARD SUDAN AND 
REBELS AT MILITARY PARADE 
 
REF: A. NDJAMENA 573 
     ¶B. NDJAMENA 547 
 
NDJAMENA 00000583  001.4 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  President Deby's December 10th speech 
marking Freedom and Democracy Day contained a more 
conciliatory tone toward the Government of Sudan and Chadian 
rebels than previously, even as he presided over a massive 
demonstration of the GOC's ongoing  military rearmament 
campaign.  Deby's repeated commitment to detente with Sudan 
and the olive branch he extended to the rebels, plus his 
remarks in support of the electoral reform process and 
scheduled 2009 legislative elections, as well as his public 
recognition of the importance of progress in Chad's 
agricultural and livestock sectors and basic infrastructure 
to Chad's economy, were welcome.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
SOFTER TONE TOWARDS OPPONENTS AND LESS FOCUS ON SUDAN 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2. (U) President Idriss Deby celebrated his 18th anniversary 
in power with a major Freedom and Democracy Day celebration 
on December 10th that featured an impressive display of 
Chad's weaponry, large quantities of champagne, dancing, 
fireworks, and a speech notable for its relatively 
conciliatory tone toward Sudan and the Chadian rebels and its 
focus on issues other than security.  Although Deby referred 
to the February 2008 attack on N'Djamena and the need for 
better military equipment to prevent future attacks, he 
emphasized his commitment to the two agreements intended to 
bring peace and stability to Chad: the August 13th (2007) 
Accord with opposition parties and the Syrte Accord (October 
25, 2007) with Chadian rebels.  As he has in past speeches, 
he referred to the Chadian rebels as mercenaries paid by 
Sudan.  However, in a noteworthy departure from past 
speeches, he appealed to them to forsake their guns so that 
Chad's resources could be devoted instead to development, and 
called on traditional and religious leaders to prevent and 
resolve conflicts. 
 
¶3. (U) Sudan and its aggression against Chad, which have 
dominated other recent Deby speeches, featured a lot less 
prominently in this one.  Deby devoted most of his May 2008 
discourse to Sudan's aggression against Chad, Bashir's 
intention to destroy Chad, and Deby's own commitment to take 
whatever measures might be necessary to thwart Sudan's 
hostile actions,  In contrast, in his latest speech, Deby 
stated "Chad has no intention whatsoever to conquer or attack 
a neighboring country," and asserted that Chad is pursuing 
peaceful diplomacy based on "consultation, dialogue, and a 
permanent search for compromise." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
EMPHASIS ON CHAD'S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶4. (U) Deby also spoke more expansively about Chad's 
development than he has in the past.  In his December 31, 
2007 speech, he merely referred (albeit several times) to the 
GOC's development program; his current discourse elaborated 
on this.  He promised to tackle corruption  He noted the need 
for basic infrastructure, which he said Chad would fund 
either from its own resources or with assistance from its 
development partners.  He touted N'Djamena's oil refinery 
(currently under construction) and related activities as 
steps toward Chad's economic independence, and asserted that 
Chad's oil income has essentially financed Chad's growth and 
fight against poverty.  However, he went on to say that the 
country must not forget its "key" agricultural and livestock 
sectors.  Deby signalled the need to invest in these sectors 
in order to modernize them and thus guarantee Chad's food 
security.  Finally, the President appealed to the Chadian 
diaspora to return to Chad and join the fight against 
poverty. 
 
¶5. (U) Deby also took this opportunity to note that the 
recent adoption of election-related laws had set the country 
on course to hold parliamentary elections soon (Ref A). 
 
¶6. (SBU) Deby's repeated commitment to detente with Sudan and 
the olive branch he extended to the rebels, plus his remarks 
in support of the electoral reform process and scheduled 2009 
legislative elections, as well as his public recognition of 
the importance of progress in Chad's agricultural and 
livestock sectors and basic infrastructure to Chad's economy, 
were welcome. 
 
 
 
NDJAMENA 00000583  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶7. (U) Tripoli Minimize considered. 
NIGRO