DARFUR PEACE AGREEMENT: AU PSC REAFFIRMS AMIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BANJUL 000411

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG, AF/RSA, D:T.SMITH
LONDON, PARIS, ROME: FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO AU SU SO
SUBJECT: DARFUR PEACE AGREEMENT: AU PSC REAFFIRMS AMIS
TRANSITION TO UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATION

REF: ADDIS ABABA 1738

Classified By: ERIC WONG, TDY POLITICAL OFFICER. REASON: 1.4 (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY. The African Union's Peace and Security
Council (PSC),meeting on June 27 at the ministerial level at
the AU Summit in Banjul, heard briefings on Somalia and
election preparations in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
but issued a sole communique focusing on Darfur Peace
Agreement (DPA) and the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS). The PSC
calls for the AU to identify persons or groups "undermining
the DPA" and for "targeted measures" to be taken against
them. Contrary to previous expectations, the PSC did not
formally adopt the draft CONOPS for AMIS, although it did
approve "additional tasks and the new mandate of AMIS"
stemming from the DPA. Noting Sudan's recent public
rejection of a UN operation, the PSC nevertheless reaffirmed
previous PSC decisions "on the transition from AMIS to a UN
peacekeeping operation" and underscored that the mandate for
AMIS would end on September 30 -- even though UN planners
have said a transition to a UN operation could not occur
until January 2007. Convening a pledging conference for AMIS
is key, as it currently has funding only through the end of
July. END SUMMARY.

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AU AFFIRMS UN TRANSITION, BUT DEFERS APPROVAL OF CONOPS
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2. (U) On June 27, a ministerial-level meeting of the AU PSC,
held at the AU Summit in Banjul, noted Sudan's recent public
rejection of the transition of the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS)
to a UN peacekeeping operation, but nevertheless reaffirmed
previous PSC decisions "on ending the mandate of AMIS by 30
September 2006 and on the transition from AMIS to a UN
peacekeeping operation." Although widely expected to
formally adopt the new concept of operations (CONOPS) for an
enhanced AMIS, following the AMIS Force Commander's
presentation of the draft revised conops to the AU PSC's
Military Staff Committee on June 23, the PSC settled on a
more measured approach: giving only "interim" approval of
"additional tasks and the new mandate of AMIS, including the
protection of civilians within existing strength and
capacity" but deferring final approval of the CONOPS to "the
appropriate time, in the light of any decision on a
transition to the UN and the availability of logistical and
financial support." The PSC welcomes the convening of a July
18 pledging conference on AMIS, but specifically notes that
it is intended to mobilize resources needed only "from 1
April to 30 September 2006," not beyond.


3. (SBU) In a June 26 briefing to AU partners in Addis Ababa,
AU Darfur Integrated Task Force head Ambassador Ki Doulaye
Korentin noted that the revised CONOPS calls for nearly
doubling the current size of AMIS: increasing AMIS troop
strength to 10,500, and increasing total AMIS personnel
(i.e., including civilian police and administrative staff) to
13,000.


4. (C) According to AU Commission Peace and Security
Department Director Geofrey Mugumya, Sudanese FM Lam Akol
addressed the PSC meeting and reiterated that Sudan opposed a
UN operation but supported enhancing AMIS. The PSC also
heard the Chadian PermRep discuss allegations of Sudanese
incursions.

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IDENTIFY AND SANCTION THOSE WHO UNDERMINE DPA
--------------


5. (SBU) Like the previous May 15 PSC communique on Darfur,
the June 27 communique specifically identifies DPA
non-signatories ("the SLM/A of Abdulwahid El Nour and the JEM
of Khalil Ibrahim"),but calls instead for "targeted
measures, including travel ban and assets freeze, against all
persons or groups undermining the DPA, obstructing its
implementation, or violating the Comprehensive Ceasefire."
(NOTE: In a discussion with poloffs, AU Director Mugumya
observed that the new language, revised from DPA
non-signatories to those "undermining the DPA," was broader,
as it could thus refer to DPA signatories as well. END
NOTE.) The PSC also requests that the AU establish "the list
of all such persons or groups" and forward it to the UN

BANJUL 00000411 002 OF 004


Security Council.


6. (U) The PSC failed to decide whether DPA non-signatories
should participate in the DPA Ceasefire Commission or Joint
Commission, an issue which brought the June 23 inaugural
meeting of the Joint Commission to a standstill (reftel),
noting only "the need to conclude, in consultation with all
stakeholders, the modalities for their effective functioning."

-------------- ---
WELCOME PARTNER ASSISTANCE IN DPA IMPLEMENTATION
-------------- ---


7. (U) While not explicitly mentioning either AU Chairperson
Konare's recent letter to NATO SYG Scheffer (which reaffirmed
the AU's request for limited NATO support to AMIS),or the
USG initiative to provide a three-person implementation
verification team (discussed with both AU principals and
partner representatives) in Darfur, the PSC "welcomes the
offers made by AU partners to assist the Commission and the
parties in the implementation process of the DPA."


8. (U) Current members of the 15-member AU PSC include:
Algeria, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo-B, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal,
South Africa (chair),and Uganda.


9. (C) COMMENT: While the AU PSC reiterates that the mandate
for AMIS will end on September 30, UN officials (ranging from
working level logistics planners to USYG for Peacekeeping
Operations Jean Marie Guehenno) have repeatedly stressed that
transition to a UN peacekeeping operation will require six
months -- or January 2007 at the earliest. The uncertainty
surrounding the actual timeframe for UN transition depends
largely on when Sudan provides its approval, but it also
raises questions about the financial viability of AMIS,
should AMIS need to be extended or if the pledging conference
for AMIS is delayed. According to Addis Ababa-based European
Commission officials, AMIS currently has funds only through
the end of July. The EU is spending 28 million Euros monthly
on AMIS, drawn from the EC's 250 million-Euro African Peace
Facility (APF); 50 million additional Euros have been
requested to cover expenses through September. EC officials
note that additional funds exist in the APF but may be
difficult to reprogram for AMIS: 28 million Euros in the APF
are reserved for general capacity-building of the African
Union; another 30 million Euros in the APF are earmarked by
the EC for possible AU missions in Somalia or the Democratic
Republic of Congo. END COMMENT.


10. (SBU) Text of June 27 AU PSC communique, as provided June
28 by AU Commission Conflict Management Director El-Ghassim
Wane, follows below:

BEGIN TEXT.

27 JUNE 2006
BANJUL, THE GAMBIA
PSC/MIN/Comm(LVIII)

COMMUNIQUE OF THE 58th MEETING OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY
COUNCIL

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union
(AU),at its 58th meeting, held at ministerial level, on 27
June 2006, in Banjul, The Gambia, adopted the following
decision on the situation in Darfur:

Council,


1. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson of the
Commission on the situation in Darfur (PSC/MIN/2(LVIII));


2. Urges the signatory parties to the Darfur Peace Agreement
(DPA to fully honor their commitments and to take all
required measures to that effect, including refraining from
attacks and violations of the comprehensive ceasefire,
restraining alleged armed militia, releasing detainees and
child soldiers, and initiating joint activities regarding the
implementation of the DPA;


3. Takes note of the steps already taken by the Chairperson
of the Commission towards the implementation of the DPA,

BANJUL 00000411 003 OF 004


including the establishment of an implementation team within
the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) and of a
support team at the AU Headquarters. Council welcomes the
offers made AU partners to assist the Commission and the
parties in the implementation process of the DPA;


4. Welcomes the launching of the activities of both the
restructured Ceasefire Commission, in El-Fasher, on 13 June
2006, as well as of the Joint Commission, in Addis Ababa, on
23 June 2006. Council stresses the need to conclude, in
consultation with all stakeholders, the modalities for their
effective functioning;


5. Welcomes further the signing by several political leaders,
military commanders and other groups from the Sudan
Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) of Abdulwahid El Nour and
the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) of Khalil Ibrahim of
a Declaration of Commitment to the DPA and their pledge to
fully cooperate in the implementation of its provisions.
Council recognizes them as partners in the peace process and
requests the Commission, working closely with the signatory
parties to the DPA, to develop practical modalities for their
effective involvement;


6. Expresses concern at the activities spearheaded, from
within Darfur and outside, by the leadership of the SLM/A of
Abdulwahid El Nour and the JEM of Khalil Ibrahim and their
followers to undermine the DPA:


7. Decides to impose targeted measures, including travel ban
and assets freeze, against all persons or groups undermining
the DPA, obstructing its implementation, or violating the
Comprehensive Ceasefire;


8. Requests that the Chairperson of the Commission
establishes the list of all such persons or groups, in
consultation with the Joint Commission and all other
stakeholders, and communicate the same to all Member States,
as well as to other relevant members of the international
community, including, in particular, the UN Security Council,
which, in its resolution 1679 (2006) of 16 May 2006,
expressed its intention to consider taking, including in
response to a request by the African Union, strong and
effective measures, such as a travel ban and assets freeze,
against any individual or group that violates or attempts to
block the implementation of the DPA;


9. Takes note of the outcome of the UN/AU joint technical
assessment mission that visit the Sudan and Chad from 9 to 22
June 2006 and the position of the Government of Sudan
rejecting the proposed transition from AMIS to a UN
peacekeeping operation;


10. Reaffirms its decisions of 10 March and 15 May 2006 on
ending the mandate of AMIS by 30 September 2006 and on the
transition from AMIS to a UN peacekeeping operation. In this
regard, Council expresses its readiness to review the mandate
of AMIS in the event that the ongoing consultations between
the Government of the Sudan and the United Nations conclude
on an agreement for a transition to a UN peacekeeping
operation;


11. Takes note of the new AMIS Concept of Operations (CONOPS)
proposed by the Chairperson of the Commission and recommended
by the Military Staff Committee at its meeting of 23 June
2006, and decides to consider it at the appropriate time, in
the light of any decision on a transition to the UN and the
availability of logistical and financial support. In the
interim, Council approves the additional tasks and the new
mandate of AMIS, including the protection of civilians within
existing strength and capacity, as proposed on the CONOPS;


12. Welcomes the convening in Brussels, on 18 July 2006, of a
pledging conference to mobilize the necessary financial and
logistical resources for the sustenance of AMIS from 1 April
to 30 September 2006. Council urges the AU partners to
provide on that occasion the requisite support and further
urges all Member States to attend the conference and to make
their own contributions in support of AMIS, including by
seconding, at their own expense, qualified personnel to the
Mission;


13. Reiterates its strong condemnation of all human rights

BANJUL 00000411 004.2 OF 004


violation in Darfur, including gender based violence;


14. Appeals to the Member States and the international
community at large to provide increased humanitarian
assistance to the affected people in Darfur and to the
refugees in Chad;


15. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

END TEXT.
STAFFORD