DARFUR/ARAB LEAGUE: RESOLUTION PASSED TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 000791 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR D, AF/FO, AF/SPG AND IO KINSHASA PASS BRAZZAVILLE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KPKO SU AU UN SUBJECT: DARFUR/ARAB LEAGUE: RESOLUTION PASSED TO INCREASE AL SUPPORT TO AMIS FOR SIX MONTHS AFTER OCTOBER 1; SUDAN MUST APPROVE INTRODUCTION OF FOREIGN FORCES KHARTOUM 00000791 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires A. Steinfeld for reasons 1.5 (B) and ( D) ¶1. (C) Summary and comment: In the Arab League resolution adopted on Sudan and Darfur at the Khartoum Summit on March 29, the AL decided to increase support for AMIS, and "to bear the AU forces' expenditures in Darfur from six months starting from 10/01/06." Preambular language includes reference to the AU PSC resolution of 10 March, but not/not to UNSCR 1663. Both the resolution and the final communiqu stress that the introduction of "any other forces requires the pre-approval of the Sudan government." MFA Minister of State Sammani aggressively rejected UN rehatting in comments to Charge, while Iraqi FM Zebari told us that he thought the language relating to AL support for AMIS referred to the coming six months only. As expected, the Arab League gathering provided a friendlier context for Sudan than the AU summit 2 months ago; President Bashir was named head of the AL for the next year, and despite press reports that Sudan may not have gotten all it wanted from the meeting, it will no doubt spin this language as a significant victory. Having received a commitment by the AL to support AMIS forces financially (including beyond October 1),the Sudanese will argue that the lack of funding for an African peacekeeping force can no longer be used as a rationale in support of UN rehatting. End Summary and comment. -------------- The Documents and statements -------------- ¶2. (U) Arab League SYG Amre Moussa read the final Khartoum Communiqu at the end of the summit on March 29. Language on Sudan follows: -- We welcome and support the Comprehensive Peace Agreement reached in Sudan as well as the steps taken to implement this agreement. We call on all the concerned regional and international organizations to work towards restoring peace and stability in Sudan and to support and help in rehabilitation of the South and the war-affected areas. We also call on the international community and the donors to fulfill their obligations towards boosting the comprehensive development process in Sudan. -- We call on the parties to the conflict of Darfur peace talks to intensify their efforts to reach a final and comprehensive peace settlement to the conflict. We confirm our support and cooperation with the African Union in its efforts to maintain the cease fire and to solve the problem. Sending any other forces requires the pre-approval of Sudan government. We intend to increase the Arab force currently with in the African Union and we also intend to support it financially and logistically to enable it to carry on its duties. ¶3. (U) A separate resolution on Sudan was also approved by the Arab leaders. Relevant portions follow (full text at para . 7): -- Affirmation of continuation of the African Union efforts and accomplishment of its mission in handling Darfur crisis(.; affirmation of sending other forces to the region requires previous approval of the Government of the Sudan; demand of the Arab States to provide financial and material support for the African Union Mission to enable it to continue its duties and demand of the Arab African States to reinforce their participation in the AU forces and observers in Darfur region. -- To bear the AU forces, expenditures in Darfur from six months starting from 10/01/2006. -- To work on quick political and diplomatic moves with all parties concerned with the Darfur question and to give priority to the comprehensive peaceful solution. -- To call upon the negotiating parties in the Sudanese peace talks on Darfur in Abuja for working decisively and to expedite reaching a final comprehensive settlement agreement regarding Darfur crisis during the present round of negotiations. ¶4. (U) In his closing remarks as the new President of the KHARTOUM 00000791 002.2 OF 003 AL, President Bashir said that he "rejected the universalization" (as translated simultaneously during the speech) of a Darfur force. He thanked the AL for financing an AU troop presence, saying it showed brotherhood and solidarity. -------------- Sammani's take -------------- ¶5. (C) MFA Minister of State Sammani confirmed the text of a Reuters report (before we had seen and translated the actual resolution) that Sudan had indeed received a commitment from the AL to pay for an AU force in Dafur after/after October 1. When pressed on UNSCR 1663 and the AU request for rehatting, Sammani countered to "let it go." Rehatting would be counterproductive. The rebels' intransigence is simply growing as they await an international force. They are simply biding their time in Abuja. "We are not anti-UN, he said; we are part of the UN. But, all this talk of UN rehatting is simply not useful in terms of the Abuja negotiations." -------------- FM Zebari's take -------------- ¶6. (C) Iraqi FM Zebari provided Cairo poloff and Charge his version of what happened. In what he described as a very interesting closed meeting March 28 (principal plus one only),there had been spirited discussions of Darfur, Hamas, Syria/Lebanon and Iraq (septel on non-Darfur). On Darfur, he recounted that he had been the only official present to warn Bashir against his intransigence. Zebari said he told Bashir to take what happened to Saddam as an example: it made no sense to cross the will of the international community. Zebari told us there was general agreement reached to increase support for AMIS, including with Arab-African troops. Yemen had pushed hard on this, according to Zebari, but Egypt said it would not send troops. When pressed whether this support was offered up until October 1, or explicitly after October 1, Zebari said that it was support offered for the coming six months. (Comment: This is not what is in the text, and raises the question of whether Zebari was simply confused -- he seemed well aware of the issue, or whether there was some sleight-of-hand by the Sudanese.) ¶7. (U) Full text of Sudan/Darfur resolution: SUPPORT OF PEACE, DEVELOPMENT AND UNITY IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN: At the Summit level, the Arab League Council: -- After review of the: -- The General Secretariat memorandum -- And the Secretary General,s report on joint Arab work -- It affirms its previous resolutions in this regard -- It affirms respect of the sovereignty of the Sudan, unity of its territory and its independence and demands all States to emphasize this commitment practically and support the efforts toward realizing peace and national conciliation between its people. -- It expresses its utmost concern toward the development of the situation in Darfur and the humanitarian crisis that the displaced ) from Darfur people and those refugees in Chad- are facing. -- As it welcomes the African Security and Peace Council resolution issued on 03/10/2006 in Addis Ababa. -- As it affirms implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement in Sudan in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi in 01/09/2006 concluded between the Government of the Sudan and the Sudan People,s Liberation Movement. IT DECIDES: FIRST: DARFUR ISSUE: KHARTOUM 00000791 003.2 OF 003 (1) Affirmation of continuation of the African Union efforts and accomplishment of its mission in handling the Darfur crisis particularly in sponsoring the political mediation and its support and observation of the cease-fire; affirmation of sending other forces to the region requires previous approval of the Government of the Sudan; demand of the Arab States to provide financial and material support for the African Union Mission to enable it to continue its duties and demand of the Arab African States to reinforce their participation in the AU forces and observers in Darfur region. (2) To bear the AU forces, expenditures in Darfur from six months starting from 10/01/2006. (3) To work on quick political and diplomatic moves with all parties concerned of Darfur question and to give priority to the comprehensive peaceful solution. (4) To call upon the negotiating parties in the Sudanese peace talks on Darfur in Abuja to work decisively and to expedite reaching a final comprehensive settlement agreement regarding Darfur crisis during the present round of negotiations. (5) Appreciation of the role played by the Arab Libyan People Socialist Jamahiyria to end the tense situation between the Republic of the Sudan and the Republic of Chad; to underscore the importance of implementing Tripoli Declaration concluded in 02/08/2006 for the keenness of normalizing relations between the two sisterly neighbors. (6) To provide urgent support to Sudan to reinforce its efforts for handling the humanitarian crisis and to restore security and stability in Dafur; extending gratitude to the member States that provided humanitarian assistance to Darfur region; calling the member States, Arab Organizations, expert ministerial councils and native Arab association to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to affirm their existence in Darfur region to provide humanitarian aid to the affected. (7) To extend gratitude to the Arab States, institutions and associations that had immediately responding to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected to Darfur people. To call upon all Arab parties including the expert Arab organizations and native organizations to affirm their existence in Darfur region and the refugees, camps to assume urgent humanitarian relief operations to the affected. (8) To appreciate the positive participation of the Arab League in the peace talks between the Government of the Sudan and the armed movements in Darfur that are held under the AU auspices in Abuja, Nigeria; and to request it to continue its efforts with the concerned parties to reach a final solution of the crisis. ¶8. (U) Tripoli minimize considered. STEINFELD