Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04BRUSSELS3813
2004-09-09 14:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

SUDAN: EU SUPPORTS KEY ELEMENTS OF UNSC RESOLUTION

Tags:  EAID PREL SU UNSC USEU BRUSSELS 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 003813 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2014
TAGS: EAID PREL SU UNSC USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: SUDAN: EU SUPPORTS KEY ELEMENTS OF UNSC RESOLUTION

REF: SECSTATE 193217

Classified By: POL M/C KYLE SCOTT. REASON: 1.4(b)(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 003813

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2014
TAGS: EAID PREL SU UNSC USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: SUDAN: EU SUPPORTS KEY ELEMENTS OF UNSC RESOLUTION

REF: SECSTATE 193217

Classified By: POL M/C KYLE SCOTT. REASON: 1.4(b)(d)


1. (C) Summary. EU agrees on all main elements of UNSC
draft. EU not ready to declare situation genocide, but agree
it is "ethnic cleansing." Africa experts believe Pronk Plan
is fatally flawed, but believe it is important for
international community to stand together. They also worry
that it might take the AU as long as four months or more to
expand their current operation. EU ready to provide support
for a police unit, and asked for details on US plans to
deploy observers. Action request: para 7. End Summary.

GAERC Draft Conclusions Track Closely with UNSC
-------------- --


2. (C) Council officials shared with us the draft conclusions
on Sudan being prepared for the EU FMs meeting September
13-14. Although minor adjustments may still be made, we were
told the main elements are already agreed. They dovetail
with the main elements of our draft UNSC resolution,
including:
-- a call for a moratorium on all military air operations;
-- a statement of dissatisfaction with Sudanese
implementation of its commitments to disarm militia groups;
-- concerns about "continuing reports about massive human
rights violations, including systematic rape of women;
-- support for creation of an international commission of
inquiry;
-- willingness to further support an expansion of the AU
observer mission; and
-- a warning of possible sanctions against the GoS if no
tangible progress is made.

No Genocide, Wary of Pronk Plan
--------------


3. (C) EU Africa experts are not ready to declare that the
situation amounts to genocide, believing the UN is the
appropriate body to make that determination. In any case,
they are convinced that ethnic cleansing is underway. The
dividing line, as they see it, is linguistic: IDP camps are
populated almost entirely by those who do not speak Arabic as
their mother tongue.


4. (C) The Council's main Sudan-watcher, Christian Manahl,
told us he believes the Pronk plan is fatally flawed, because
the safe areas were negotiated unilaterally with the GoS,
without buy-in from the rebels. That has allowed the GoS to
argue that military operations were all aimed at expanding
the safe zones, and helped stall the Abuja talks as rebel
groups refuse to discuss safe zones they were never party to
creating in the first place.


5. (C) Manahl also worried that the AU lacked the capacity to
field a strengthened mission any time in the near future. He
predicted that even if the UN's proposals are adopted,
political haggling and logistical bottlenecks within the AU
would prevent them from deploying a significantly larger
mission until early next year at the earliest. Manahl
preferred that the AU take its time to prepare for a "proper"
PKO rather than rush toward a disaster.

EU Police Mission
--------------


6. (C) EU remains ready to field a police support mission,
but Manahl told us this idea is currently stalled. Much
would depend on the GoS response to the UN's proposals. The
GoS invited participation in a police monitoring mission, the
EU is ready to support with 25-150 people, depending on
needs.

Where Are the American Observers?
--------------


7. (C) Manahl noted that the Addis Ababa agreement had
authorized a maximum of 18 foreign observers. The EU
understood the US intended to supply half, with the EU
supplying the rest. The EU has currently has fielded 10
observers, but understands the US has only provided two or
three thus far. Manahl asked for additional information on
US planning, noting that the EU would be ready to supply more
observers to make up the 18-person limit if the US did not
intend to supply more observers. ACTION REQUEST: Please
advise.

SCHNABEL