28. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1
[Omitted here is material unrelated to the conflict between Chad and Libya.]
6. Ceasefire Agreement in Chad: Chad and Libya have agreed to resume talks aimed at resolving the conflict in northern Chad, largely as a result of Sudanese mediation. In a joint announcement February 18, both countries agreed to a ceasefire, the resumption of diplomatic relations, a withdrawal of the Chadian complaint before the UN Security Council, and promised to arrange meetings between Libyan and Chadian leaders in the near future.2
Prospects for a durable settlement are uncertain. Although the Chadian rebels rely heavily on Libya for support, they retain some independence and could decide to ignore Libya’s call for a ceasefire. Libya’s intentions are also unclear. The Libyans may only be trying to present an image of reasonableness to the OAU ministerial conference now convening in Tripoli.
Chad has little choice but to negotiate. The ceasefire announcement followed shortly after the fall of the government’s last major northern garrison, Faya-Largeau. Over the past three weeks, 40 percent of Chad’s 5,000 man army has been killed or captured in the northern fighting.
[Omitted here is material unrelated to the conflict between Chad and Libya.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 19, Evening Reports (State): 2/78. Secret. Carter initialed the memorandum and wrote “Cy” in the upper right-hand corner.↩
- On February 6, Chad suspended diplomatic relations with Libya over suspicions of Libyan support for rebel insurgents. In a February 13 memorandum to Carter, Vance wrote: “Chad has decided to take its case against Libyan aggression to the UN Security Council. It claims that Libya has, first of all, occupied Chadian territory which is disputed by the two countries, and secondly, that Libya is supporting and encouraging Chadian rebels currently waging the offensive in northern Chad. The African members of the Security Council have asked to postpone a formal meeting on the Chadian complaint until all possibilities of an ‛African’ solution through the OAU have been exhausted.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 19, Evening Reports (State): 2/78) The joint Libya-Chad-Sudan communiqué issued on February 18 in Tripoli announced that Qadhafi and Malloum would meet on February 23. (Telegram 272 from Tripoli, February 22; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780180–0838, D780082–0298. For a summary of the February meetings between representatives of Chad and Libya, with Sudanese mediation, see Keesing’s Contemporary, Archives, 1978, pp. 28976–28977.↩