SUBJECT: EU/SUDAN: FMS THREATEN SANCTIONS, PLEDGE

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 003195

SIPDIS

AF FOR TSMITH/MBITTRICK; USAID FOR PPC/DCO, RMT DARFUR
RHOAD, AF FOR KALMQUIST

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID SU EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: EU/SUDAN: FMS THREATEN SANCTIONS, PLEDGE
MORE MONEY


1. In a meeting of the General Affairs and External
Relations Council (GAERC)
on July 26, EU FMs threatened sanctions if Sudan does not
soon comply with
international expectations on Darfur. The GAERC Conclusions
(available at
http://ue.eu.int/) offer a very critical assessment of
progress on the ground,
and call for a UNSCR "with a view to further actions,
including imposing
sanctions" if the GOS does not immediately fulfill its
commitments. Although
not imposing sanctions immediately, Dutch FM Bernard Bot,
representing the EU
Presidency, highlighted that "the EU will follow events very
closely and, in
light of further developments, will take action." EU Member
States agreed to
continue an "active dialogue" with the Sudanese government
and militia groups,
Bot said. He also referred to "active policy negotiations"
with the UN, AU,
and US on the issue. He said that FMs had agreed to follow
the path of the
UN's agreement with Khartoum, which allows Sudan 90 days to
improve the
situation.


2. Though Bot emphasized the EU's demand for better
containment of the rebels,
he gave recognition to some of the recent measures the
Sudanese government has
taken to improve the situation -- e.g. the deployment of a
police force with
four thousand officers, increased access for nearly 120
monitors, and the
arrest of rebel leaders. To determine if sanctions need to
be applied, the EU
will rely heavily on the reports of the monitors, as well as
on the report of
SYG Annan's special representative. If necessary, the
ministers will meet
again to determine the nature of the sanctions, "in light of
the situation in
the field." Bot also announced an additional 12 million
Euros for the AU
observer mission in Sudan, bringing the total EU contribution
for humanitarian
relief efforts in Sudan to 213 million Euros.


3. European Commission DG AIDCO officials assured USEU
Development Counselor
that in view of the urgency, funds will be disbursed to the
African Union's
bank account by the end of this week.

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