Cape Town — The American embassy in Paris reported to Washington three months after Malagasy president Marc Ravalomanana was deposed in 2009 that he was recruiting mercenaries in France, according to a diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks.
The cable, sent in June 2009, also said a French presidential adviser named as Remi Marechaux had denied rumours at the time that France was providing a military aircraft to the transitional government of Andry Rajoelina, who had seized power from Ravalomanana in March.
The sections of the cable published by WikiLeaks do not disclose further details about the alleged recruitment of mercenaries. At least nine paragraphs of the cable appear to have been excised by WikiLeaks, and the report on mercenaries is referred to only in a summary.
The cable headlines France's assurance to the U.S. embassy in Paris that it supported the development of a political consensus among Malagasy parties that would lead to new elections. France has faced repeated accusations that it backed Rajoelina's power grab.
The cable reported that Marechaux told the Americans that bilateral relations between France and Madagascar at the time were "in a 'gray zone,' with the new French Ambassador not yet having presented his credentials."
The cable said, however, that neither Rajoelina, Ravalomanana nor former president Didier Ratsiraka were "making any conciliatory gestures" and that "the international community needs to continue pressuring them."
It reported that France saw the Southern African Development Community's position at the time, as well as its naming of former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano as a mediator in the crisis, as "helpful."
Marechaux reportedly dissociated the French government from the activities of businessman Robert Bourgi, who has often been named by French newspapers as a lobbyist on Francophone Africa and a supporter of French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Marechaux "expressed discomfort" with Bourgi's "apparent involvement in Madagascar," the cable said. He said that "Bourgi was not in any way associated with the GOF [Government of France] and was interested only in exploiting his own opportunities."
The full text of the redacted cable, as published by WikiLeaks, follows:
CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 000848
NOFORN SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS KDEM PINR MA FR SUBJECT: MADAGASCAR: FRENCH SUPPORT POLITICAL CONSENSUS LEADING TO ELECTIONS
REF: A. EMBASSY ANTANANARIVO-KANEDA E-MAIL (JUNE 23) B. PARIS 815
Classified By: Acting Minister Counselor for Political Affairs Andrew Young, 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C/NF) SUMMARY: France continues to favor a political consensus among contending parties that would lead to credible elections, Presidential AF-advisor Remi Marechaux said on June 23. However, neither Rajoelina, Ravalomanana (who is recruiting mercenaries in France), nor Ratsiraka are making any conciliatory gestures. The international community needs to continue pressuring them. SADC's recent policy shift is helpful, as is its naming of Joaquim Chissano as SADC mediator for Madagascar; the next International Contact Meeting should take place in Antananarivo. Marechaux denied rumors indicating that France was providing a military plane to the HAT; he said that bilateral relations were in a "gray zone," with the new French Ambassador not yet having presented his credentials. Marechaux said that France was abiding by the EU's strictures against "no new non-humanitarian assistance," which the EU was enforcing strictly. The GOF is trying its best not to embroil itself in the dispute over control over Madagascar's embassy in Paris. Marechaux labeled French businessman and behind-the-scenes fixer Robert Bourgi as an opportunist with little experience in Madagascar, who was asked to involve himself by Franco-Malgache insider Patrick Lelu (phonetic). END SUMMARY.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
CONSENSUS LEADING TO ELECTIONS IS NECESSARY
2. XXXXXXXXXXXX
11. (C/NF) As had his colleague Romain Serman (ref B, paras 7-11), Marechaux expressed discomfort with private businessman and behind-the-scenes fixer Robert Bourgi's apparent involvement in Madagascar. He said that Bourgi had no prior experience with Madagascar but had been asked to get involved by Patrick Lelu (phonetic), a Franco-Malgache businessman and advisor to several leading Malgache figures. Marechaux said that Bourgi, looking for new business after the death of Gabon's President Bongo, was eager to seek new opportunities in Madagascar. Marechaux repeated that Bourgi was not in any way associated with the GOF and was interested only in exploiting his own opportunities.
BERRY
