UNSC/SUDAN: UN PATIENCE WEARING THIN ON DARFUR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001780 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL SU UNSC KPKO SUBJECT: UNSC/SUDAN: UN PATIENCE WEARING THIN ON DARFUR CRISIS USUN NEW Y 00001780 001.2 OF 003 REF: HTTP://WWW.UN.ORG/NEWS/PRESS/DOCS//2006/SC882 3.DO- C.HTM ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Secretary-General Annan set a somber tone at the September 11 Security Council Debate on Darfur, beseeching the Council to assert itself in response to the 'death and suffering, perhaps on a catastrophic scale' confronting the people of Darfur. SYG Annan had harsh words for the Sudanese Government of National Unity (GNU), denouncing its offensive in North Darfur and its persistent obstructionism in implementing UNSCR 1706. The representative of the Sudanese Mission accused the UN and the Council of ignoring GNU efforts to address the Darfur situation and swore to continue these efforts as a means of implementing the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). SC Members spoke against the GNU's proposed military solution, called for the GNU to give its consent for the deployment of UN forces per UNSCR 1706 and looked forward to the September 18 African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) Ministerial meeting on extending AMIS' mandate; the AU did not speak at today's meeting. Full texts of participants' statements can be found ref A. USUN circulated a draft Presidential Statement for adoption by September 15; text in Paragraph 7. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) SYG Annan, accompanied by DPKO U/SYG Guehenno and A/SYG Annabi, was clear in his condemnation of the GNU's 'legally and morally unacceptable' offensive in North Darfur, which now includes aerial bombing, and in his denunciation of the effects it was having on humanitarian operations and population displacements. Annan was also clear about his exasperation with the GNU over its failure to consent to UN forces in Darfur according to UNSCR 1706, passing the torch instead to the Security Council to assert its authority by sending a 'clear, strong and uniform message' to influence the GNU. USUN Pol Mins-Couns announced U.S. plans to circulate a draft PRST to convey Council unity in seeking GNU cooperation in the implementation of UNSCR 1706. An Experts Meeting on the draft PRST is scheduled for September 13, with adoption sought by September 15. ¶3. (SBU) Other Members echoed the SYG's dismissal of the GNU's plan for the stabilization of Darfur as an inappropriate military solution to a crisis that demanded a political answer. Delegates from Congo, Tanzania, and (notably) Russia were emphatic that a military solution would only complicate the Darfur situation, with Tanzanian PR Mahiga reprimanding that the GNU should know better, especially after its experience in the North-South war. Representatives of Slovakia, Denmark and Greece warned that of the situations in Rwanda and in Srebrenica should serve as reminders for the Council of what can happen when a situation like that in Darfur is left unchecked. ¶4. (SBU) The Sudanese representative gave an illogical litany of examples where Sudan deemed the Council had willfully ignored Sudanese attempts at crisis resolution in Darfur, including the GNU's list of DPA violators to be considered for sanctions and its submitted plan for the stabilization of Darfur. The Sudanese delegate accused the Council of forgoing the path of dialogue on Darfur to which the GNU, by contrast, was 'committed.' USUN Pol Mins-Couns rebutted this charge, pointing out that it was the GNU which had opted out of the August 28 Security Council meeting on Darfur and regretting the Sudanese representative's failure to mention GNU acceptance of UNSCR 1706. ¶5. (SBU) The delegates of the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference reasserted the need for GNU consent for UN Darfur deployment, but other Members pushed back. The Congolese and Peruvian representatives expressed regret that GNU agreement to deploy UN forces into USUN NEW Y 00001780 002.2 OF 003 Darfur had not been forthcoming. Danish PR Loj raised the possibility of expanding political and economic sanctions against the GNU for its continued intransigence. In the meantime, a majority of Council delegations (including PRs of the UK, Greece and Russia) expressed widespread support for an extension by the AU PSC of AMIS's mandate until the end of the year to avoid a power vacuum in Darfur. ¶6. (SBU) The AU was represented by a Senior Political Officer of its Mission, who did not make remarks in the meeting, claiming that she had not received instructions from the AU Commission in advance of the meeting. She did confirm, however, that AU Peace and Security Commissioner Djinnit would be in New York September 14 for meetings with the UN in advance of the September 18 Ministerial meeting of the AU PSC, which would decide on AMIS' future mandate, widely expected to be extended to December 31. Rumors of a September 19 Heads of State meeting on Darfur circulated among Members; Congo had reportedly proposed the idea of such a session to France in order to address both Sudan/Darfur and Cote D'Ivoire. Most delegations seemed informally supportive of the proposal. ¶7. Begin draft PRST text: The Security Council deplores the ongoing violence in Darfur and the consequent deterioration of the humanitarian situation, and reiterates its deep concern about the security of civilians and humanitarian aid workers and about humanitarian access to populations in need. It calls on all groups in Darfur to refrain from violent attacks and demands that all parties to the Darfur Peace Agreement of 5 May 2006 and the N'Djamena Agreement on Humanitarian Cease-Fire on the Conflict in Darfur of 8 April 2004, including the Government of National Unity, abide by the provisions of these Agreements in order to achieve lasting peace in Darfur and ensure regional stability. The Security Council commends the African Union for its efforts to find a solution to the crisis in Darfur, in particular the important contributions of the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS). It recalls the provisions of Operative Paragraph 5 of Security Council Resolution 1706 and the decisions of the African Union Peace and Security Council regarding transition of AMIS to a United Nations operation in its communiqus of 12 January, 10 March, 15 May and 27 June ¶2006. The Security Council reiterates its support for the African Union and reaffirms its endorsement of the decisions of the African Union Peace and Security Council, including transition of AMIS to a United Nations operation. The Security Council welcomes efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General, senior United Nations officials, Member SIPDIS States, and regional and international organizations to engage the Government of National Unity on questions regarding AMIS transition. It reiterates its commitment, as demonstrated in its mission to the Sudan and Chad of 4-10 June 2006 and in its meetings of 28 August and 11 September 2006, to maintain dialogue with the Government of National Unity on issues concerning Darfur, and in this regard calls upon the Government of National Unity to cooperate in the full and expeditious implementation of Resolution 1706. The Security Council further encourages those individual, regional and international parties involved in the peace process in the Sudan to avail themselves of all opportunities to engage with the Government of National Unity on this issue. The Security Council welcomes the cooperation of the Government of National Unity in the deployment and work of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) in the southern part of the Sudan. It reiterates its commitment to the principles of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 9 USUN NEW Y 00001780 003.2 OF 003 January 2005, reaffirms its support for the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of the Sudan, and expresses its intention to uphold these principles during the transition of AMIS to a United Nations operation. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to continue consulting jointly with the African Union, in close consultation with the Security Council, and in cooperation and close consultation with the parties to the Darfur Peace Agreement, including the Government of National Unity, on matters concerning the transition of AMIS to a United Nations operation consistent with resolution 1706, and stresses that the United Nations operation in Darfur will have a strong African participation and character. ¶8. (U) End draft PRST text. BOLTON