TANZANIA ON SUDAN AMIS TO UNMIS TRANSITION TIMING

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 001320

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR TSHORTLEY; IO/UNP FOR BHARRIS AND DBRENNAN; USUN
FOR EBRUNO; AF/E FOR BYODER, DMALAC AND EREDDICK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2016
TAGS: PREL KPKO SU TZ
SUBJECT: TANZANIA ON SUDAN AMIS TO UNMIS TRANSITION TIMING
AND CONSENT

REF: STATE 123408

Classified By: DCM D. Purnell Delly for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Tanzania is in full agreement with the need to
transform AMIS to UNMIS and sees the period of October
through December 2006 as a time of transition, Ambassador
Liberata Mulamula, Director of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs' (MFA) Multilateral Division, told Poloff on August

2. Mulamula asked why October 1 is proposed for the
transition when the African Union (AU) extended the mandate
for AMIS to the end of the calendar year when it met in
Banjul in July. Poloff replied that the funding for AMIS
ends September 30 and inquired how the AU would fulfill an
unfunded mandate. Mulamula said from October 1 through
December 31 the following should occur: prepare the UN force;
strengthen AMIS to sustain it until the UN force is deployed;
and continue efforts to convince Sudan to accept the
transition. Mulamula also commented that, political
considerations aside, October 1 may be optimistic due simply
to time constraints.


2. (C) When asked how Sudan may be persuaded to accept the
transition, Mulamula recommended that the international
community call on countries with direct influence on Sudan to
convince it that the UN is incorporating AMIS and is not an
occupying force. Mulamula also suggested stressing that the
transition is in the interest of stabilizing the Darfur
region and ending the humanitarian crisis there. Mulamula
said that Government of Tanzania (GOT) officials talk with
Sudanese officials and that deadlines "scare them off."
Instead, Mulamula suggested fostering confidence in the
international community and the UN force. When asked about
the timing of the transition should Sudan give its consent
between September 30 and December 31, Mulamula said the
transition should happen immediately upon consent by Sudan
and not wait for December 31. In a July 31 meeting, Vitus
Njiku, head of the MFA's Security Council Unit suggested to
Poloff that if Bashir sees that something is at stake, he may
be more likely to consent to the transition.


3. (C) Mulamula was exceedingly clear that the GOT supports
the transition. Mulamula said that AMIS is not capable of
doing what it is asked to do and described it as ineffective,
thin on the ground, ill-equipped and having low morale
because people are not being paid.
RETZER