A TOP U.S. ENVOY MET CHAD'S PRESIDENT IDRISS DEBY ON MONDAY TO DISCUSS INSECURITY IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNTRY BUT APPEARED TO MAKE NO IMMEDIATE HEADWAY IN A DISPUTE THAT THREATENS TO HALT ITS OIL OUTPUT, REUTERS REPORTED. U.S. DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS, DONALD YAMAMOTO, MET WITH DEBY. CHAD HAS SAID IT WILL STOP ITS OIL PRODUCTION AT THE END OF APRIL UNLESS THE WORLD BANK UNBLOCKS FROZEN OIL PRODUCTION ROYALTIES OR AN EXXON MOBIL-LED CONSORTIUM IN THE COUNTRY PAYS AT LEAST $100 MILLION TO CIRCUMVENT THE FREEZE. THE WORLD BANK SUSPENDED LOANS TO CHAD IN JANUARY AND FROZE AN ESCROW ACCOUNT CONTAINING CHADIAN OIL REVENUES BECAUSE IT SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD BROKEN AN AGREEMENT TO ENSURE OIL PROFITS WERE SAVED FOR A LONG-TERM PLAN TO FIGHT POVERTY. DEBY HAS SAID CHAD NEEDS QUICKER ACCESS TO THE REVENUES -- SOME OF WHICH WERE MEANT TO BE SAVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS UNDER THE ORIGINAL WORLD BANK-BACKED DEAL -- TO HELP BOLSTER NATIONAL SECURITY AGAINST THE REBEL ATTACKS.
