Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KHARTOUM912
2006-04-16 11:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:
SUDAN/DARFUR: BASHIR TELLS UN ANNABI "NOT YET" ON
how-toVZCZCXRO4410 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHKH #0912 1061145 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 161145Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2378 INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000912
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR D AND AF/SPG; ABUJA FOR HUME
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL SU UN
SUBJECT: SUDAN/DARFUR: BASHIR TELLS UN ANNABI "NOT YET" ON
ASSESSMENT TEAM FOR AMIS-UN TRANSITION
Classified By: Charge Andrew Steinfeld for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000912
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR D AND AF/SPG; ABUJA FOR HUME
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL SU UN
SUBJECT: SUDAN/DARFUR: BASHIR TELLS UN ANNABI "NOT YET" ON
ASSESSMENT TEAM FOR AMIS-UN TRANSITION
Classified By: Charge Andrew Steinfeld for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)
1. (C) President Bashir met with UN Assistant SYG for
peacekeeping, Hedi Annabi, in Khartoum on April 15. Pronk
political aide Jack Christofidis provided Charge with the
following readout from the meeting.
2. (C) While Bashir did not say "no, never" to a UN
transition and to the assessment mission needed to effect
such a transition, Annabi received a clear "not yet" from
Sudan's President. According to Christofidis, Bashir was
clearly not prepared at this time to accept the assessment
mission, a position that surprised the UN, as they had been
expecting a more forthcoming answer by Bashir since he had
agreed to meeting Annabi. Christofidis said that a lot more
lobbying of Bashir would be necessary to get him to bend.
3. (C) When Charge asked whether the UN would request the
visas for the team anyway, something the U.S. thought would
be important in terms of putting Bashir on the spot,
Christofidis said that the UN well understood the U.S.
position, but continued to disagree. It made no sense, he
said, getting a "no" from the Sudanese on paper. Bashir
needed first to be brought to a more forthcoming position.
4. (C) Charge asked whether Kofi Annan had ever connected
with Bashir, and Christofidis said that he had not: after
waiting more than a week, Bashir had not returned the UNSYG's
phone call. Rather, Annabi delivered a letter from Kofi
Annan to Bashir at their meeting.
5. (C) Annabi has now traveled to the South to review UNMIS
operations. He will provide a read-out to ambassadors on
Wednesday before departing Sudan. Annabi's message,
according to Christofidis, will be that more international
pressure on Bashir is necessary in order to move forward on
AMIS-UN transition.
STEINFELD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR D AND AF/SPG; ABUJA FOR HUME
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL SU UN
SUBJECT: SUDAN/DARFUR: BASHIR TELLS UN ANNABI "NOT YET" ON
ASSESSMENT TEAM FOR AMIS-UN TRANSITION
Classified By: Charge Andrew Steinfeld for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)
1. (C) President Bashir met with UN Assistant SYG for
peacekeeping, Hedi Annabi, in Khartoum on April 15. Pronk
political aide Jack Christofidis provided Charge with the
following readout from the meeting.
2. (C) While Bashir did not say "no, never" to a UN
transition and to the assessment mission needed to effect
such a transition, Annabi received a clear "not yet" from
Sudan's President. According to Christofidis, Bashir was
clearly not prepared at this time to accept the assessment
mission, a position that surprised the UN, as they had been
expecting a more forthcoming answer by Bashir since he had
agreed to meeting Annabi. Christofidis said that a lot more
lobbying of Bashir would be necessary to get him to bend.
3. (C) When Charge asked whether the UN would request the
visas for the team anyway, something the U.S. thought would
be important in terms of putting Bashir on the spot,
Christofidis said that the UN well understood the U.S.
position, but continued to disagree. It made no sense, he
said, getting a "no" from the Sudanese on paper. Bashir
needed first to be brought to a more forthcoming position.
4. (C) Charge asked whether Kofi Annan had ever connected
with Bashir, and Christofidis said that he had not: after
waiting more than a week, Bashir had not returned the UNSYG's
phone call. Rather, Annabi delivered a letter from Kofi
Annan to Bashir at their meeting.
5. (C) Annabi has now traveled to the South to review UNMIS
operations. He will provide a read-out to ambassadors on
Wednesday before departing Sudan. Annabi's message,
according to Christofidis, will be that more international
pressure on Bashir is necessary in order to move forward on
AMIS-UN transition.
STEINFELD