AU CONSIDERING FOUR MILITARY OPTIONS FOR DRC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 004072

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/FO, AF/E, AF/C, AF/RSA.
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO MOPS EAID CG AF UNION
SUBJECT: AU CONSIDERING FOUR MILITARY OPTIONS FOR DRC

REF: ADDIS ABABA 922 (NOTAL)

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE TREAT ACCORDINGLY.


1. (SBU) Summary: Following the return of its reconnaissance
mission to the Great Lakes, the African Union (AU) is
considering four military options to support forcible
disarmament of ex-FAR and Interahamwe elements in the DRC.
The AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) is scheduled to meet
in mid-to-late December to decide upon a course of action.
The AU emphasizes that any approach will require close
coordination with MONUC and substantial financial and
logistical support from AU partners. End summary.

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RECON TEAM RECOMMENDS FOUR OPTIONS
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2. (SBU) AU Desk Officer for the Great Lakes Boubacar Biro
Diallo told Poloff on December 9 that the reconnaissance team
mandated by the PSC to investigate options and requirements
for forcible disarmament of the ex-FAR and Interahamwe in the
DRC will recommend four options to AU leadership:

-- Option 1: Reinforce the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) by
providing equipment and other necessary support. Diallo
noted that the AU believes the FARDC is well-trained but
lacks the capability to effect forcible disarmament without
additional support.

-- Option 2: Deploy 2,000 troops for a joint action with the
FARDC, dividing areas of responsibility. Diallo commented
that there is not yet a decision on whether those 2,000
troops would come from an African lead nation or a combined
AU member state contribution.

-- Option 3: Call for FARDC support of an AU-led action with
a preponderance of non-Congolese African troops. Diallo said
that there has also been no decision on the composition of an
AU-led force.

-- Option 4: Deploy an all-AU force without MONUC or FARDC
military support.


3. (SBU) Diallo, who led the mission for the AU, stated his
belief that the AU PSC will authorize one of the troop
deployment options. (Note: According to AU officials, South
Africa led the member state contingent on the reconnaissance
mission. Angola, Ethiopia and Nigeria also participated.
End note).

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PARTNER SUPPORT WILL BE SOUGHT
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4. (SBU) Diallo said that the reconnaissance team will brief
Peace and Security Commissioner Amb. Djinnit on its findings
December 18. The AU plans to formally brief key partners,
including the U.S., before a mid-to-late December PSC meeting
to decide upon AU action.


5. (SBU) The AU will require MONUC cooperation, including
information-sharing, as well as substantial financial and
logistical support from partners to pursue any of the
recommended options, Diallo noted.

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COMMENT
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6. (SBU) The AU and many of its major troop contributing
countries are stretched incredibly thin with AMIS in Darfur.
EC Delegation representatives in Addis Ababa have stated that
only 30 million euros of the African Peace Facility remains,
and that current thinking sees that amount divided evenly to
support AU action in the DRC and Somalia.


7. (SBU) Note: The EC is already considering a proposal to
fund staffing of the AU's office in Jowhar, Somalia.


8. (SBU) Given these constraints, the AU can be expected to
lean heavily on additional partners to pursue forcible
disarmament in the DRC. The AU appears to have moved beyond
the logic of "keeping up the pressure" gauged at prompting
more effective MONUC action and voluntary disarmaments
(Reftel) to instead seriously consider a more proactive role.

HUDDLESTON