UNSC/SUDAN: COUNCIL MEETING WILL PROCEED DESPITE

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001621 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SU SUBJECT: UNSC/SUDAN: COUNCIL MEETING WILL PROCEED DESPITE BASHIR'S REFUSAL TO PARTICIPATE REF: USUN NEW YORK 1614 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Molly Phee for reasons 1.4 (b ,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Security Council agreed August 24 to go forward with a meeting on Darfur scheduled for August 28, despite the fact that Sudanese President Bashir, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Conference declined the Council's invitation to participate in the session. The Council discussion revealed widespread support for prompt action on the draft UK-U.S. resolution, with the exception of Qatar. USUN and UKUN announced their intention to seek adoption of the draft resolution no later than August 31. ¶2. (C) In a separate meeting on August 24 with PM A/S Hillen, D/SYG Mark Malloch Brown said that DPKO is preparing an alternative to the U.S. proposal on the timing of transition from an AU-led to a UN-led force. The UN alternative will call for a 'rolling re-hat' beginning October 1, and incorporate the AL pledge to provide funding for AMIS. END SUMMARY. AUGUST 28 MEETING ON AS PLANNED ¶3. (SBU) After much back-and-forth among delegations and repeated but isolated attempts from Qatar to stall, the Council ultimately decided to go forward with a meeting on Darfur scheduled for August 28, despite the fact that Sudan, the Arab League, and the OIC have said they will not send senior officials to participate and requested a postponement of the discussion. Ghana, the current president of the Security Council, subquently invited the New York-based representatives of the AL, AU, OIC, and Sudanese missions to participate in the meeting in a last ditch effort to engage the Sudan and the regional organizations. (Note: The AU was the only organization to accept the Council's original invitation, committing to send AU Political Commissioner Djinnit. End Note.) At the request of USUN and the UK, DPKO will also present its analysis of Sudan's 'Plan for the Restoration of Stability and Protection of Civilians in Darfur' and its financial analysis of the three options for UNMIS deployment in Darfur presented in the SYG's July 28 report. Several delegations had requested DPKO's views on these matters prior to finalizing their position on the draft resolution. Tanzanian Ambassador Manongi also successfully requested a briefing from U/SYG for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland (in an effort to highlight the need for prompt action). MOMENTUM ON DRAFT RESOLUTION INCREASES ¶4. (SBU) During the discussion, it became clear that there is widespread consensus on the need for swift action on the UK-U.S. draft resolution. UK PR Jones Parry explicitly said that the co-sponsors of the resolution intend to seek its adoption by the end of August, a position echoed by USUN. All three African members urged the Council to adopt the resolution as soon as possible in light of the atrocities occurring in Darfur. Isolated in its views, Qatar accused the Council of exploiting the situation in Darfur for media purposes. While expressing frustration at the refusal of Sudan and the Arab League to engage in a timely manner with the Council, Ghanaian PermRep Effah-Apenteng declared nonetheless that expeditious Council action on the resolution should not preclude additional parallel efforts to engage Darfur stakeholders. He explicitly asked the Council to leave the door open to the Sudanese and the AL. USUN noted that A/S Frazer would travel to Khartoum; this news was welcomed by Japan and other delegations who remain concerned about the need for eventual GNU consent for UN deployment. ¶5. (C) In a separate meeting with PM A/S Hillen, U/SYG Mark Malloch Brown stated -- in response to USUN's August 23 demarche -- that the UN is preparing an alternative to U.S. draft resolution language on the timing of the transition. Malloch Brown said the UN recommends building on the principle of a 'rolling re-hat.' The UN alternative will also seek to take advantage of the AL promise to provide funding to strengthen AMIS 'until it's worth re-hatting.' BOLTON