KENYA WAVERS ON AMIS RE-HAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 001107 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2016 TAGS: PREL KPKO SU KE SUBJECT: KENYA WAVERS ON AMIS RE-HAT REF: SECSTATE 36548 Classified By: PolCouns Michael J. Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) In a March 8 meeting with poloff, Kenyan MFA Head of International Organizations and Conferences Division Tom Amolo included Kenya among a group of AU member states inclined to support the AMIS re-hat. Although this consensus exists, there are "a few" member states trying to bulldoze their colleagues into resisting the re-hat. Amolo suggested that the U.S. needed to reach out to member states at multiple levels - capitals, Addis Ababa, and New York - to solidify support for the re-hatting proposal. Amolo was happy that the U.S. was taking member states' concerns about the African character of the mission into consideration. ¶2. (U) Also on March 8, Sudanese Special Envoy Alsamani Al-wasila met with President Kibaki to advocate extending the AMIS mandate. A March 9 statement on the Government's web site said, "Kenya supports initiatives by the African Union (AU) in resolving the Darfur crisis." There is no mention of the U.N. or of re-hatting AMIS in the statement. ¶3. (C) DCM spoke March 9 with Deputy Minister Danson Mungatana, who will represent Kenya at the PSC meeting. Mungatana was fully familar with our talking points. Speaking in measured tones, and not providing much detail, Mungatana stated that Kenya is looking to adopt a "balanced approach" to the matter. Following this conversation, DCM spoke with Amolo, who stated that Kenya's position now was not clear. The Kenyan delegation would hold a pre-meeting in Addis to discuss the final position. He noted that the Sudanese Government was using its bilateral relationship with Kenya to try to sway their position. ¶4. (C) Ambassador Bellamy is currently trying to contact Foreign Minister Tuju to again state our case. We will call Washington with a read-out if we are able to make contact. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: While the Kenyans have not said outright that they will not support re-hatting, their tone has changed sufficiently since the visit of the Special Envoy to lead us to believe they have been rolled. Working in Sudan's favor is the Kenyan Government's current sensitivities about foreign criticisms of recent GoK actions involving corruption and a media crack-down. Sudan can commiserate with Kenya about meddlesome foreigners, which may have helped pull Kenya around to a more Sudan-friendly position. END COMMENT. BELLAMY