ENGAGING THE AU ON AMIS REHAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 000054 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/UNP, AF/SPG, AF/RSA AND AF/W PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2016 TAGS: PREL KPKO MARR PHUM PINS AU SU SG SUBJECT: ENGAGING THE AU ON AMIS REHAT REF: A. STATE 001351 (NOTAL) ¶B. 05 STATE 226663 (NOTAL) Classified By: CDA ROBERT P. JACKSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) On January 9, Charge delivered Ref A demarche to Senior Minister for Foreign Affairs Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, who said that Senegal has decided to support rehatting the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to make it a UN peacemaking (Chapter 7) operation. Gadio said that he and President Wade recently discussed this with African Union Chairman Konare, who reportedly would prefer to keep AMIS as an AU undertaking. ¶2. (C) Charge also took the opportunity to express condolences on the recent death of a Senegalese peacekeeper and to say that the U.S. hoped that Senegal would remain in Darfur under UN auspices. Gadio responded that although Senegal already has 2,000 soldiers in AU and UN peacekeeping operations, it is examining the possibility of sending additional troops to Darfur, "where they are badly needed." ¶3. (C) Asked if Sudanese President Bashir is seeking the AU Presidency (Ref B),Gadio opined that Bashir is and that it East Africa,s turn. However, Senegal has decided to support an extension of Nigerian President Obasanjo,s mandate. JACKSON