P 190028Z JUN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
INFO AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO PRIORITY

UNCLAS STATE 063557 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV MA SADC
SUBJECT: SADC DEMARCHE ON MADAGASCAR 
 
REF: ANTANANARIVO 444 
 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 2. 
Info only for Antananarivo. 
 
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OBJECTIVES 
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¶2. (U) Department requests embassies in SADC member states to 
demarche host governments at the highest appropriate level 
prior to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) 
meeting in South Africa on June 20 to pursue the following 
objectives: 
 
-- Express appreciation for SADC,s strong stance against the 
unconstitutional change of power in Madagascar. 
 
-- Stress our aim to support SADC, the AU, the Francophonie 
and the UN in coordinated efforts to create a consensual, 
negotiated process leading to elections before the end of 
¶2009.  Emphasize elections as the only legitimate way to 
return Madagascar to constitutional order. 
 
-- Stress that Ravalomanana,s statements about the 
possibility of a "SADC Brigade" restoring him to power, a 
suggestion which has been recently reinforced by statements 
from the leaders of Swaziland and Zimbabwe, and in the recent 
COMESA Summit Communique, are unrealistic and unhelpful. 
 
-- Explain our conviction that support for the forceful 
reinstatement of Marc Ravalomanana is an impediment to 
promoting political dialogue and change in Madagascar, as it 
removes any incentive for Ravalomanana or his supporters to 
work seriously towards early new elections, as has been 
demonstrated over the past three months since SADC suspended 
Madagascar as a member. 
 
-- To support the peaceful resolution of this crisis, suggest 
that SADC issue a statement strongly and unambiguously 
calling for all Malagasy parties to rejoin the negotiating 
table, with no reference to an alternative military option. 
This will help unlock the way forward to elections before the 
end of 2009. 
 
-- Reinforce our agreement with the June 16 AU/UN/OIF 
statement, asserting that the international community will 
not support a unilateral solution to end this crisis, and 
that any such effort is not likely to succeed.  Negotiations 
have been suspended temporarily, but the international 
community will remain engaged in hopes that each of the four 
political movements will use this opportunity to reconsider 
their positions, and return to negotiations prepared to 
compromise. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶3. (SBU) Democratically-elected President Ravalomanana was 
forced to resign from office March 17, issuing a decree that 
unconstitutionally passed his powers to the highest-ranking 
military officers.  These officers were in turn forced by 
mutinous lower-ranking military officials to transfer power 
to former Mayor Andry Rajoelina via another unconstitutional 
decree.  Rajoelina has declared himself "President" of the 
High Transition Authority, named a cabinet, and disbanded the 
National Assembly and the Senate.  International mediators 
from the African Union, the United Nations, and the 
Francophonie (OIF) have since attempted for forge a 
compromise and generate a plan for democratic elections, but 
formally suspended negotiations on June 16 between 
Madagascar,s four main political movements (ref.)  They fear 
that the upcoming SADC Summit will produce another 
unrealistic and unhelpfully rigid SADC statement.  The 
mediators have since called for the four political movements 
to reconsider their positions. 
 
¶4. (U) Department greatly appreciates assistance and 
engagement from posts on this issue. Please report results of 
this effort via front-channel cable to AF/E as soon as 
possible. 
 
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POINT OF CONTACT 
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¶5. (U) Please contact AF/E Maria Beyzerov at (202) 647-6453 
or via email for any additional information required to meet 
our objectives. 
 
 
CLINTON