SUDAN: ENSURING THAT THE AU REQUEST A UN RE-HAT OF AMIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MASERU 000128

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR AF/S, AF/SPG AND IO/PSC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/8/2016
TAGS: PREL KPKO NATO SU LT
SUBJECT: SUDAN: ENSURING THAT THE AU REQUEST A UN RE-HAT OF AMIS

REF: (A) STATE 36548 (B) MASERU 92 (C) STATE 22854 (D) MASERU 06

CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) On March 8, Ambassador raised with Minister of Foreign
Affairs Monyane Moleleki points concerning the need for a clear
request from the African Union Peace and Security Council
meeting March 10 on rehatting of the AMIS contingent in Darfur.
As previously indicated refs (B) and (D),the FOMIN stated that
the Government of Lesotho (GOL) was for the rehatting and had
discussed this matter during the February meeting of the African
Union (AU). He asserted that several other African states were
also very supportive of this request particularly because they
see the conflict in Sudan as 1) a racial one between the blacks
and Arabs, and 2) a religious one between the Muslims and
Christians. Therefore, Lesotho being a very Christian country
is deeply concerned about the continuing conflict between the
religious groups in Sudan. However, the stumbling block is
Sudan itself. In that regard, he stated that the Prime Minister
in Sudan would be sending an envoy to deliver a letter to
Lesotho's Prime Minister Mosisili on March 9. Moleleki further
stated that he expected to encounter the envoy himself in the
Johannesburg International Airport as he, the FOMIN, would be on
enroute to the AU session.


2. (C) When we expressed our concern that Sudan's position was
holding up international action while people were continuing to
die in this unacceptable situation in Darfur, Moleleki said that
the Sudanese argued at the last AU meeting that the United
States was funding the Arab fighters responsible for the
genocide in Darfur. We refuted that argument and restated our
deep concern that there must be an international peacekeeping
operations force in Darfur. Additionally, we support the idea
of, and would press for, an African commitment of these
blue-hatted troops. On that point, Moleleki interjected that he
believed the Nigerians, who had played a peacekeeping role in
West Africa, would likely have a number of candidates to serve
as commander. We added that Botswana had also played an
important role in peacekeeping operations and were certain it
would be possible to find a very capable African commander.
During the course of this discussion, we reviewed points
concerning U.S. funding for AMIS being at jeopardy because of
the on-going challenges AMIS faced in controlling the violence
in Darfur; the usefulness of NATO training and support to AMIS;
and our desire to receive a concrete expression of the AU's
request during the discussions.


3. (C) Comment: The GOL has consistently indicated its
abhorrence of the conditions in Darfur and the Prime Minister
has been quoted by Moleleki as being staunchly against the acts
of genocide there. At the same time, Lesotho has not, thus far,
broken ranks with the Sudanese that African states have
maintained in terms of outright condemnation, i.e. this concrete
request to effectively deal with the situation in Darfur. The
GOL, through the Foreign Minister, has promised to press other
African states during the March 10 discussion to make this
request formal. How that will unfold remains to be seen. End
Comment.

PERRY