EUROPEAN SUPPORT FOR AN AU PROTECTION FORCE FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 003055 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2014 TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF PARM MOPS EAID EUN USEU BRUSSELS SUBJECT: EUROPEAN SUPPORT FOR AN AU PROTECTION FORCE FOR DARFUR REF: SECSTATE 153857 Classified By: Political Counselor Kyle Scott. Reason: 1.4(B)(D) (C) Mission delivered reftel points to Roger Moore, DG Development Acting Director Horn of Africa, East and Southern Africa, and Joaquim Salqueiro, DG Development Officer for Sudan. We also followed up with Christoph Heusgen, who heads Hirep Javier Solana's Policy Unit. Moore stated the EU supports, as it has in the past, the deployment of an African Union protection force. Whether this develops into a broader AU force, he continued, depends wholly on AU initiative. He thought it likely that the EU would provide funds as long as the political will could be maintained. The contribution of forces by the EU, however, remains questionable; neither Moore nor Salquiero seemed willing to discuss this as a possibility. Heusgen told us it was highly unlikely. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED McKinley