WORKING WITH CHINA TO SECURE A UN PEACEKEEPING

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 001666 SIPDIS SIPDIS USUN FOR AMB. BOLTON AF FOR A/S FRAZER IO FOR A/S SILVERBERG NSC FOR DR. COURVILLE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO PHUM SU CH UN AU SUBJECT: WORKING WITH CHINA TO SECURE A UN PEACEKEEPING RESOLUTION IN DARFUR REF: A. USUN NEW YORK 1349 (NOTAL) ¶B. KHARTOUM 1459 ¶C. KHARTOUM 1474 ¶D. USUN NEW YORK 1149 ¶E. KHARTOUM 996 Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CAMERON HUME, REASON: 1.4(B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Post welcomes USUN's suggestion to work with China on securing a UNSC resolution for peacekeeping in Darfur. We believe such an approach is best made in New York, but we are ready to work with our Chinese colleagues in Khartoum, and encourage similar U.S.-PRC discussions in Washington and Beijing. Chinese embassy staff here follow Darfur issues with interest (Ref E),and based on our observations, we believe an approach to China would be more fruitful than an approach to Russia or Qatar. China's views on Darfur are also likely to carry greater weight with the Sudanese Government than those other Arab or African countries, as both SYGR Pronk and USYG Guehenno have noted (Refs B, C). ¶2. (C) Sudan's President Omer al-Bashir has repeatedly and publicly rejected the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in Darfur. To change course, the international community must persuade Bashir by a mixture of pressure and reassurance. The United States is approaching the point in its relationship with Sudan where additional pressure ceases to be productive. China, however, has both the ability to exercise greater pressure and the credibility to provide reassurances. China buys 71 percent of Sudan's exports, and ranks as Sudan's largest foreign investor. Moreover, despite China's reliance on Sudanese oil -- estimated at between seven and ten percent of China's petroleum imports -- China has signaled it is willing work with the United States on a UNSC Darfur resolution (Refs A, D). ¶3. (C) Working with the United States on Darfur can create an opportunity for China to highlight its role as a responsible stakeholder. It would also open a new field of cooperation in U.S.-China relations, while recognizing China's legitimate economic interests in Sudan. Simply knowing that China is drafting a peacekeeping resolution with the United States and other UNSC members -- possibly including Russia and Qatar, in later stages -- may be enough to convince Bashir that his options are limited. Knowing that China is helping to determine the nature and extent of a UN peacekeeping mandate may well reassure him that his worst fears will not be realized. A joint U.S.-China resolution might even emerge as Sudan's preferred alternative to a more expansive UKUN draft, with its language regarding the ICC's prosecution of the Lord's Resistance Army. Post stands ready to help USUN however possible. HUME