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U.N. council backs Chad's govt against rebels
Mon 4 Feb 2008, 19:07 GMT
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(Refiles to fix typo in Sarkozy in penultimate paragraph)
(Adds background, details from statement)
By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 4 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Monday urged countries to support Chad's government against rebels intent on toppling it, giving a green light to France and other countries eager to answer Chad's pleas for help.
"The Security Council calls upon member states to provide support in conformity with the United Nations charter as requested by the government of Chad," the council said in a nonbinding statement read by Panama's ambassador, Ricardo Alberto Arias, the current council president.
The final wording was chosen to satisfy Russia, which had objected to an initial French draft calling on U.N. members to support the government of Chadian President Idriss Deby "by all necessary means" -- a veiled reference to military aid.
The drafting process began on Sunday during an extraordinary meeting of the council called by France and its three African members -- South Africa, Burkina Faso and Libya.
The statement also urged "all states in the region ... (to respect) their common border." Council diplomats said the first draft had named both Sudan and Chad but this was dropped after several countries raised objections.
Khartoum has accused Chad of backing rebels in its western region of Darfur, while Chad has charged that Sudan supports Chadian rebels.
Thousands of civilians fled Chad's capital N'Djamena on Monday after rebel forces pulled back from a two-day assault, but the rebels said they would attack again to try to topple Deby.
The rebels, who call Deby's 18-year rule corrupt and dictatorial, warned N'Djamena's population to flee their homes. They said their withdrawal from the city late Sunday was "tactical" and that they were regrouping for another attack.
The council also gave its support to an African Union decision to ask Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the president of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, to help broker a compromise in Chad.
GREEN LIGHT FOR FRANCE
Chadian Ambassador Mahamat Adoum asked the council in a handwritten letter on Sunday for "all aid and assistance needed to help (Chad) end this aggression."
French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert was asked repeatedly if France was prepared to provide military assistance to Chad's government. He did not rule it out.
"I guess there will be some requests by the government of Chad addressed to some U.N. member states, to all member states," he said. "The Security Council allows the member states ... to answer the requests for help."
France insists it is neutral in the conflict and has used its military contingent there to evacuate hundreds of French and other foreign nationals. But French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said French forces could intervene more directly if the Security Council gave its blessing. Sarkozy had already ordered French fighter jets to monitor the border with Sudan to make sure there is no "foreign incursion."
"The French have the expertise and the lead on this issue," said U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad. "Should they decide to do more, they have the support of the Security Council."
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