DPKO ASG ANNABI MAKES TRANSITION PROGRESS WITH AU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 001003

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/FO, AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AF/E, EUR/RPM, D
(SMITH),IO/UNP.
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO SU AU
SUBJECT: DPKO ASG ANNABI MAKES TRANSITION PROGRESS WITH AU


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.


1. (SBU) Summary: The UN is cautiously optimistic that
planning for transition of the African Union Mission in Sudan
(AMIS) to a UN mission is on better footing following
consultations with AU Peace and Security Commissioner Amb.
Said Djinnit and his team, UN ASG for Peacekeeping Operations
Hedi Annabi told a group of partner Ambassadors April 13.
Annabi has received a visa for Sudan and is scheduled to meet
Sudanese President Bashir April 15. Annabi asked for partner
pressure to keep the AU on track with transition and to
persuade the Sudanese government to allow transition planning
to proceed. The UN agreed to provide enhanced technical
assistance to the AU to bolster AMIS during the transition
period, but Annabi cautioned that injecting NATO assistance
too early could render transition more difficult politically.
The AU and UN are to release a joint communique citing
agreement to expedite transition planning and strengthen AMIS
in the interim. End summary.


2. (U) Ambassadors or their representatives from the U.S.,
UK, EC Delegation, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Canada,
Italy, and the Netherlands were present at the briefing.

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HEADWAY MADE IN ADDIS
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3. (SBU) Annabi told the assembled partners that there was
some doubt in New York on the level of cooperation to be
expected from the AU for transition planning despite the
March 10 AU Peace and Security Council (PSC)'s clear decision
for joint planning. While body language of some AU officials
(i.e. AU Commission Chairperson Konare) still leaves room for
doubt, Annabi said, discussions with Peace and Security
Commissioner Djinnit and his team clarified matters.


4. (SBU) Annabi said that Djinnit agreed on the need to
expedite transition planning and engage in more regular
consultations between Addis and New York, as well as in
Darfur. Annabi expressed satisfaction with commitments he
received from Djinnit that the AU will join the UN on the
transition planning/assessment mission. He stated that his
trip to Addis was a useful investment and noted that the AU
and UN would release a joint communique on the visit which
would express agreement on the need to expedite planning as
well as to enhance AMIS in the interim.


5. (SBU) Asked if the AU team still appears to be considering
a joint operation or a continued AMIS operation with UN
logistical assistance to be serious options as Konare seemed
to have indicated to SYG Annan in New York, Annabi said that
the only issue Djinnit raised was how to organize and conduct
planning while also strengthening AMIS (Note: Konare was not
in town for Annabi's trip. End note). According to Annabi,
Konare's options were framed to avoid a scenario of UN-Sudan
confrontation should there be no peace agreement and the
situation on the ground in Darfur continues to deteriorate.
Still, Annabi said, SYG Annan conveyed the point that these
scenarios are impractical.


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HOPE FOR A BASHIR NOD FOR TRANSITION PLANNING
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6. (SBU) Annabi said that he and his team received Sudanese
visas earlier that day and were promised a meeting with
President Bashir for April 15. Annabi plans to deliver a
message from UNSYG Annan to Bashir and to meet with other
Sudanese officials to try to bridge the divide on transition
planning. The Sudanese need to be reassured that the UN does
not want to impose itself on Sudan and is not a Trojan Horse
for a Western invasion, Annabi noted. Annabi commented that
Sudan has experience with the UN and needs to stop acting
like the UN is a strange animal. We want a peacekeeping
operation and need Sudan's cooperation, he said.


7. (SBU) Annabi indicated that he seeks an affirmative nod
from Bashir before he proceeds with organizing the transition
planning mission. He declared himself not fully optimistic
that he would get the acquiescence he sought, and asked
partners to apply pressure on Sudan. Annabi said that, once
Bashir gives a green light, it will take a few days to deploy
a mission. The UN team would spend two weeks on the ground
and another week to compile a report for the UNSC.

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KEEP THE PRESSURE ON
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8. (SBU) Asked by Ambassador what partners can do to
facilitate the conduct of the planning mission, Annabi called
for individual and collective pressure on the AU to reinforce
the positive spirit in which the AU team now appears to
display with respect to joint planning. Annabi also
requested that partners work to reassure the GNU regarding UN
intentions. Annabi said that UNSYG Annan intends to contact
the Arab League Secretary General, President Obasanjo,
President Mbeki and other key African leaders to assist with
the GNU. He noted that he met with Ethiopian Minister of
State Tekeda while in Addis to enlist PM Meles' leverage on
Bashir.

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PLEA TO STRENGTHEN AMIS TO FACILITATE TRANSITION
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9. (SBU) Annabi emphasized that, if a future UN PKO in Darfur
is to be based on AMIS, partners must do everything possible
to strengthen AMIS in the interim. Rehatting alone has been
proven in Sierra Leone not to work, Annabi cautioned. He
said it would be delusional to believe that the UN could
successfully re-hat AMIS as-is. Annabi added that bolstering
AMIS will also make transition more politically acceptable
for Africa, as a stronger AMIS stands less chance of giving
the impression of a UN rescue. He said that precise
requirements to bring AMIS up to par can only be determined
during the planning mission.


10. (SBU) Annabi assessed that the AU team in Addis has the
will to enhance AMIS and prepare transition, but has
incomplete know-how. While the UN has no mandate or funding
to provide equipment to AMIS, it can strengthen its
assistance cell in Addis and offer technical assistance in
areas such as Joint Operations Center (JOC) set-up, logistics
and communications (Note: These are many of the same areas
where a NATO contribution is being considered. Peace and
Security Commissioner Djinnit will meet with partners April
17 to discuss partner assistance to the JOC. End note).


11. (SBU) Annabi asked that partners ensure potential UN
troop contributing countries live up to their commitments and
also to encourage Rwanda or Nigeria to provide an extra
battalion to AMIS now that Senegal and South Africa have
fallen through. Annabi noted that the mandate of a UN
mission will have direct bearing on UN ability to attract
military and civilian contributions. He said that the UN
plans a mission significantly larger than AMIS, but intends
to compensate for lack of even higher numbers by ensuring
mobility and rapid reaction capability. Annabi said that,
while the UN wants to retain the African character of the
mission, there will undoubtedly be call for other regions to
contribute. He noted a particular need for advanced
specialized capability only possessed by Western forces.


12. (SBU) Annabi was cautious on the potential contribution
of NATO to enhance AMIS. He said that UNSYG Annan supports a
role for NATO, but expressed concern on the timing of NATO
involvement. Annabi said that, while there are things NATO
and the EU can do to enhance AMIS, talking about NATO
presence at this stage complicates securing Sudanese
cooperation on transition planning.

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TEXT OF AU-UN COMMUNIQUE
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13. (U) On 12 and 13 April, 2006, teams from the African
Union Commission and the United Nations Secretariat met in
Addis Ababa to discuss the implementation of the AU Peace and
Security Council communique of 10 March 2006, and United
Nations Security Council Resolution 1663 (2006) of 24 March,
pertaining to the envisaged transition to a United Nations
operation in Darfur.


14. (U) The two teams agreed to work together to expedite
planning for the envisaged transition to a United Nations
operation in Darfur and, in the meantime, to strengthen the
AU Mission in Sudan. They also agreed to establish
mechanisms for coordination and joint planning, in
consultation with the Government of Sudan and other parties
concerned.


15. (U) The AU delegation was led by Commissioner for Peace
and Security Said Djinnit, and included the Head of AMIS,

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Baba Gana Kingibe, as well as senior staff from the Peace and
Security Department and the Darfur Integrated Task Force.
The United Nations team was led by Assistant Secretary
General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hedi Annabi, and
included the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary
General for Sudan, Taye Zerihoun, as well as staff from DPKO
and UNMIS.
HUDDLESTON