VZCZCXRO6723
OO RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHKUK RUEHMA
RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNJ #0601/01 3491547
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151547Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7513
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000601 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/C 
STATE FOR S/USSES 
OSD FOR DASD HUDDLESTON 
NSC FOR GAVIN 
LONDON FOR POL - LORD 
PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PREF MARR SU CD
SUBJECT: CHAD-SUDAN DETENTE "ON TRACK," CHAD REBELS IN 
SUDAN IN DISARRAY, ACCORDING TO GOC SENIOR OFFICIALS 
 
REF: A. NDJAMENA 591 
     ¶B. NDJAMENA 562 
     ¶C. NDJAMENA 536 
 
------------------ 
SUMMARY AND COMMENT 
------------------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) FORMIN Moussa Faki Mahamat told Ambassador December 
11 that the Chad-Sudan bilateral effort aimed at 
normalization of relations by ending their proxy war was 
"still on track," but going slower than the GOC would like, 
Faki said that the GOS apparently had duly "cantoned" some 
Chad rebels (Erdimi's and Nouri's) north of El Geneina, but 
that other Chad rebels were making aggressive moves south of 
El Geneina (Adoum Yakoub's and Brahim Irila's).  Faki said 
that the Sudanese had proposed and that he had accepted to go 
to Khartoum to "verify" that the GOS had completed the 
"cantoning" of the Chad rebels as soon as possible. National 
Mediator Abderamane Moussa told Ambassador December 14 that 
Chad rebels still in Sudan were "weak" and "discouraged;" 
deeply divided among themselves; and no longer believed they 
could be victorious against the Chad armed forces. "They are 
no longer capable of real offensive operations against us," 
Moussa said.  The National Mediator said that as far as 
Sudanese fears regarding armed JEM rebels in Chad were 
concerned, the GOC was ready to welcome Sudanese delegations 
to "verify" that JEM had no bases of operation in Chad and 
were too weak themselves to mount a serious threat to 
Sudanese security. 
 
¶2.   (SBU)  FORMIN Faki's readiness to go to Khartoum to 
"verify" GOS compliance with the important (in Chadian terms) 
confidence-building measure (CBR) of cantoning Chad rebels in 
Sudan appears to be a change in the agreed sequence of 
bilateral CBRs but a welcome one.  A Faki visit to Khartoum 
would have at least symbolic significance and might lead to 
faster substantive progress on detente between the two 
feuding neighbors.  Both the National Mediator's description 
of the status of Chad rebels in Sudan and his description of 
JEM in Chad tracks with current and previous reporting in 
various channels, including ours.  END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. 
 
----------------- 
CHAD-SUDAN DETENTE 
"STILL ON TRACK" 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  (SBU) FORMIN Moussa Faki Mahamat told Ambassador December 
10 that the Chad-Sudan bilateral effort aimed at 
normalization of relations by ending their proxy war was 
"still on track," but progressing more slowly than the GOC 
would like.  Faki confirmed that he was in frequent, nearly 
daily, contact with his Sudanese counterpart, Dr. Ghazi, by 
telephone. 
 
---------------- 
SOME CHAD REBELS 
"CANTONED" 
---------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Faki said that it appeared that the GOS had duly 
"cantoned" some Chad rebels north of El Geneina, at Mado 
(PHONETIC) and Djebel Mou (PHONETIC), northeast of Mellitt, 
about 200 kilometers from the border in North Darfur state. 
These rebels were associated with Timan Erdimi's UFR and 
Mahamat Nouri's UFDD groups, according to Faki. 
 
-------------------- 
OTHERS STILL ACTIVE 
------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  But Faki noted that other Chad rebels apparently 
were not responding to GOS direction and were making 
aggressive moves south of El Geneina. Faki said that south of 
El Geneina Chad rebels were operating against Chad 
aggressively, including laying mines.  Faki said these rebels 
 
NDJAMENA 00000601  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
were associated wit Adoum Yakoub's and Brahim Irila's FPRN 
group. 
------------------------- 
FAKI READY TO GO TO SUDAN 
------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Faki said that the Sudanese had proposed and that 
he had accepted to go to Khartoum to "verify" that the GOS 
had completed the current confidence-building measure -- the 
cantoning of Chad rebel fighters far from the border and 
calling their leaders to Khartoum.  Faki said he was ready at 
any time to go to Khartoum for this purpose. 
 
----------------------------- 
NATIONAL MEDIATOR SAYS 
CHAD REBELS WEAK, DISCOURAGED 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7.  National Mediator Abderamane Moussa told Ambassador 
December 14 that Chad rebels still in Sudan were "weak" and 
"discouraged;" deeply divided among themselves; and no longer 
believed they could be victorious against the Chad armed 
forces. "They are no longer capable of real offensive 
operations against us," Moussa said.  The National Mediator 
said that as far as Sudanese fears regarding armed JEM rebels 
in Chad were concerned, the GOC was ready to welcome Sudanese 
delegations to "verify" that JEM had no bases of operation in 
Chad and were too weak themselves to mount a serious threat 
to Sudanese security. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) FORMIN Faki's readiness to go to Khartoum to 
"verify" GOS compliance with the important (in Chadian terms) 
confidence-building measure (CBR) of cantoning Chad rebels in 
Sudan appears to be a change in the agreed sequence of 
bilateral CBRs but a welcome one.  A Faki visit to Khartoum 
would have at least symbolic significance and might lead to 
faster substantive progress on detente between the two 
feuding neighbors.  Both the National Mediator's description 
of the status of Chad rebels in Sudan and his description of 
JEM in Chad tracks with previous reporting in various 
channels, including ours.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶9.  (U)  Minimize considered. 
NIGRO