British and French Sound Out Tanzanians on

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 000253

SIPDIS

Department for S/WCI AND AF/RSA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/07/15
TAGS: PREL KAWC SU TZ
SUBJECT: British and French Sound Out Tanzanians on
Sudan Tribunal Concept

REF: A) Dar es Salaam 206, B) State 18243,

C) Dar es Salaam 155, D) State 11751

Classified by Charge d'Affaires Michael S. Owen for
reasons 1.4(B) and (D)


1. (C) The French Deputy Chief of Mission in Tanzania
raised the alternative proposals for a Sudan Tribunal
during a February 3 courtesy call at the US Embassy.
Apparently acting on instructions, French DCM Terence Wills
asked Poloff what position we thought Tanzania was likely
to take in the Security Council with regard to the two
competing concepts for a Sudan Tribunal. Wills said that
he had discussed the question with the Foreign Ministry's
Director for Multilateral Affairs Liberata Mulamula, and
that the Tanzanian's seemed "embarrassed" to have to decide
between the US and the UN proposals. Wills said that the
Tanzanians claimed to be among the founders of the
International Criminal Court (he noted that was an
exaggeration) and said that they did not want to take a
position that would undermine the ICC. Nonetheless, they
were tempted by the US proposal for a joint UN/AU tribunal,
to be stationed in Arusha, which would both build AU
capacity and cushion Arusha from the economic shock of the
ICTR's eventual drawdown.


2. (C) Charge met French Ambassador Emmanuelle d'Achon at
a social event later the same day, and d'Achon sounded a
similar note, seeking latest USG thoughts and saying she
thought it "unlikely" the GOT would come out strongly in
favor of the AU tribunal concept.


3. (C) UK High Commissioner Andrew Pocock met with Charge
the following day and immediately raised the same issue.
Pocock also said he had discussed the issue with the GOT
Foreign Ministry and sensed Tanzanian hesitation in
supporting the AU tribunal. He said he hoped there was
"flexibility" in the USG position, and above all hoped we
could avoid a veto on this issue in the Security Council.


4. (C) Wills, d'Achon, and Pocock all asked what positions
we thought Tanzania would eventually take on the Security
Council, and how far the US would be willing to compromise.
We refrained from divulging details of the Embassy's
discussions with Ambassador Mulamula (Reftels A and C),but
observed that on this issue, as on many others, the
Tanzanians strongly supported the AU and favored
strengthening the AU. We gave no indication of US
willingness to concede our position on this issue.


5. (C) Comment: The British and French have obviously
received instructions to weigh in forcefully on this issue
with the GOT (and no doubt elsewhere),so we can expect
them to exert significant pressure on the Tanzanians to
sign on to an ICC referral. End comment.

OWEN