MOZAMBIQUE: ENGAGING AU ON AMIS REHAT

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000021 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR IO/PSC, AF/RSA AND AF/S FOR HTREGER NSC FOR CCOURVILLE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPKO PGOV PHUM PINS PREL SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE: ENGAGING AU ON AMIS REHAT REF: SECSTATE 1351 ¶1. (U) On January 6, poloff delivered reftel talking points to Faizal Cassam, Directorate for Africa and Middle East Affairs (DAMO),Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cassam stated that the GRM agreed in principle to the rehatting of the African Union Mission in Sudan and implied that the AU Peace and Security Committee was the appropriate forum in which to discuss planning for the transition. He added that the GRM would seek to find consensus from its AU partners on when such a transition should take place. He said the GRM would be represented at the Committee meeting by its ambassador in Addis Ababa. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: Poloff used the opportunity to ask Cassam whether Mozambique planned to send peacekeepers to the Sudan in response to a recent invitation from the UN. Cassam responded that Mozambique had the political will and the manpower (e.g. trained soldiers) to participate, but lacked the logistical support required. Though Cassam made no direct request for USG assistance, he referred to a June 2005 discussion between NSC Senior Director Courville and President Guebuza in which, he said, possible USG support for GRM participation in peacekeeping operations was mentioned. End Comment. La Lime