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RUEHAN/AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO 0046
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RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2020 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM MA MZ
SUBJECT: CHISSANO ON MADAGASCAR: MUST PRESSURE THE FRENCH 
 
REF: 09 MAPUTO 1042 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Todd Chapman for reasons 1.4 (b+d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  SUMMARY:  In a January 21 meeting, Former President 
and SADC Special Negotiator for Madagascar Joachim Chissano 
told the Charge that he commended the United States for its 
position on Madagascar, suspension of AGOA, and termination 
of the MCC Compact.  Chissano said that SADC leaders decided 
in the January 14 Troika meeting in Maputo to ask France to 
stop supporting TGV, allowing for progress towards a 
transitional government.  Chissano believes the key to 
breaking the current stalemate is halting France's support of 
TGV.  Chissano believes that only when TGV is convinced that 
French support is weakening will he reconsider his options. 
Therefore, Chissano believes that Paris should be the focus 
of USG and European engagement on Madagascar.  It is evident 
from this meeting that Chissano remains well-informed and 
committed to continued engagement as a mediator in 
Madagascar.  With the recent support he received from SADC 
leaders, Chissano is available for further consultation with 
USG officials, something he said he would welcome.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------- 
CHISSANO COMMENDS U.S. POSITION 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C)  On January 21, the Charge and Poloff met with 
President Chissano and his former Foreign Minister Leonardo 
Simao about the Madagascar political situation.  Chissano 
supported the U.S. position on the suspension of Madagascar's 
AGOA eligibility and the MCC compact and appreciated his 
interaction with USG interlocutors at the Addis meeting in 
early January.  The Charge provided Chissano with a copy of 
AF DAS Karl Wycoff's January 15 interview from America.gov 
and Chissano said he valued USG support for the SADC position 
and him personally. 
 
--------------------------- 
AU PROPOSAL SAID TO BE FAIR 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C)  Chissano did not detail AU Commission Chairman Jean 
Ping's proposal delivered January 21 in Antananarivo, but 
said it defines a fair distribution of prominent positions 
within the proposed transitional government in an effort to 
build consensus.  Chissano noted that his assistant from the 
Foreign Ministry (MINEC), Nuno Tomaz was in Antananarivo with 
Chairman Ping.  Chissano said that the international 
community should continue to work together to persuade all 
movements to adhere to the principals of the agreements made 
in Maputo and Addis and develop a credible transition plan. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
EUROPEANS NEED TO BE STRONGER AGAINST TGV 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C)  Chissano was visibly frustrated by  France's 
position in support of TGV.  He said French expatriates in 
Madagascar have established a direct link to President 
Sarkozy and convinced him that the best course for French 
interests is to support TGV.  Chissano explained that as long 
as TGV was confident of French support, he would continue to 
be inflexible towards the other three movements and continue 
pushing for non-inclusive elections.  The French are 
attempting to persuade the international community that TGV's 
proposed elections will be representative of the "voice of 
the people," a claim which Chissano said he, SADC and the AU 
rejected. 
 
¶5.  (C)  When asked about any other ideas about next steps or 
new approaches, Chissano said that, besides France, Rajoelina 
(TGV) also listens to Germany, which has not been 
sufficiently involved in the political situation in 
Madagascar.  He suggested that the Germans engage to also 
recommend consensus-building between TGV and the other 
movements.  Chissano commended the EU for "turning off the 
tap" of assistance to Madagascar.  He mentioned that in 
recent negotiations the EU found itself in the difficult 
position of partially supporting the SADC and AU position on 
Madagascar, while at the same time not wanting to anger the 
 
MAPUTO 00000075  002 OF 002 
 
 
French. 
 
¶6.  (C)  While declaring TGV to be the main reason for the 
stalemate, he asserted that the other three movements are 
also sometimes being inflexible in their demands, 
particularly in regards to ministerial positions in the new 
transitional government.  For example, Chissano said Zafy's 
demands for the Ministries of Energy and Mines were a 
non-starter.  Chissano commented that in the recent 
discussions in Maputo, the three movements feared giving away 
too many powerful ministries to TGV, but Chissano tried to 
point out to them that these ministerial assignments would be 
of a short duration and should not be the cause for deterring 
a lasting political solution. 
 
¶7.  (C)  Turning to the SADC Troika meeting on January 14 in 
Maputo following President Guebuza's inauguration, Chissano 
said that there was agreement for SADC to quietly contact the 
French and formally ask them to halt their support for TGV. 
The SADC leaders were resolved to maintain SADC engagement 
and to call for all movements to stick to what was agreed to 
in Maputo and Addis. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
COMMENT: CHISSANO FRUSTRATED, MOSTLY WITH FRANCE 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶8.  (C)  Chissano, clearly frustrated with the pace of the 
Madagascar negotiations, believes that only when TGV is 
convinced that French support is weakening will he reconsider 
his options.  Therefore, Chissano believes that Paris should 
be the focus of USG and European engagement.  He never took a 
direct shot at Ping, but only commented that the AU proposal 
was very similar to the Maputo agreements and he looked 
forward to learning of the result of his meetings.  If 
Chissano felt slighted by the AU in Addis in early-January, 
he did not make those feelings apparent.  It is evident from 
this meeting that Chissano remains well-informed and 
committed to continued engagement as a mediator in 
Madagascar.  With the recent support he received from SADC 
leaders, Chissano is available for further consultation with 
USG officials, something he said he would welcome. 
CHAPMAN