Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KHARTOUM181
2006-01-24 13:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

SUDAN: SRSG PRONK BRIEFS PRESS ON UN REHAT, ABUJA,

Tags:  PREL SU 
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VZCZCXRO0213
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0181 0241353
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241353Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1153
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000181 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/SPG
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN: SRSG PRONK BRIEFS PRESS ON UN REHAT, ABUJA,
EAST

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000181

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/SPG
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN: SRSG PRONK BRIEFS PRESS ON UN REHAT, ABUJA,
EAST


1. Summary: UN Special Representative (SRSG) for Sudan Jan
Pronk briefed the press on January 22. His statement and
the following Q&A focused mainly on the possibility of a UN
rehat of the AU force and the Abuja peace talks. He also
reported that UNMIS is monitoring the East and said the
recent SSDF-SPLM agreement of January 8 is positive. End
summary.

--------------
UN Rehat
--------------


2. During a January 22 press conference, SRSG Pronk made
several comments trying to indicate that the UN was not
pushing a rehatting of the African Union mission in Darfur.
He said if the AU confirms the decision to pursue that
course, the UN "might" have to do it. If the UN Security
Council takes that decision, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)
will need considerable time to prepare, Pronk said,
necessitating increased resources for the AU to continue
beyond March 31. For that reason he went to Washington and
Brussels to ask for support to the AU. Pronk said any move
to rehat is not part of a conspiracy against Sudan, as some
articles here in Sudan have stated, and reiterated that the
AU has done a good job. He added that the protection force
should be perhaps twice as big. Asked if Sudan would accept
a UN rehat, Pronk said only that he had not seen any
government statements on the issue. He also refused to take
a position on the possibility of Sudan chairing the AU.

--------------
Darfur Peace Process
--------------


3. Pronk said his main concern at the Abuja peace talks is
Mini Minawi's absence, which tells the two million
Darfurians in IDP and refugee camps that he is not serious.
He said he asked Washington and Brussels to pressure the
movements to seek a political solution. The government has
been tough but constructive, he added.


4. Pronk expressed concern that the report of the Panel of
Experts of the Security Council has stalled in committee.
Pronk said he had seen the two reports, which address
individuals who are a hindrance to peace and arms suppliers
to the parties in conflict, but noted that they need to be
taken up by the UNSC.

--------------
East, South
--------------


5. Pronk said that UNMIS is now on the ground in the East
and has told the Eastern Front that it needs to honor its
commitment to Libya as a mediator. He said the situation is
stable, with agreement that the SPLA will remain in Hamesh
Koreb for a period. UNMIS is optimistic that the Eastern
Front is willing to talk instead of fight. Regarding the
South, Pronk said the January 8 agreement between the SSDF
and SPLM is positive and achieves the difficult step of
power sharing.


6. The transcript of the press conference should be
available soon at http://www.unmis.org/english/weekly-p-
releases.htm.