GHANA'S MFA ON HYBRID FORCE COMMAND IN DARFUR

UNCLAS ACCRA 001176 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG ADDIS ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: GH KPKO PGOV PREL SU SUBJECT: GHANA'S MFA ON HYBRID FORCE COMMAND IN DARFUR REF: A. A) STATE 68168 ¶B. B) ACCRA 1141 ¶1. (SBU) On May 23, Ambassador delivered reftel demarche on the hybrid UN/AU force in Darfur to MFA Supervising Director for Multilateral, Legal and Passport Affairs Paul Essel (the Foreign Minister is out of the country and the Deputy Minister was unavailable). Post had already delivered the points in writing to Deputy Foreign Minister Osei-Adjei on May 21, in addition to the Charge's demarche to Special Assistant and Secretary to the President D.K. Osei the same day (ref B). ¶2. (SBU) Essel said the command of Darfur was "a delicate situation", requiring Ghana as African Union Chair to strike a "delicate balance". He agreed with the need to act firmly regarding Darfur because so many people are dying. He noted that the British High Commissioner had also raised the issue of the command of the hybrid force with Deputy Foreign Minister Akwasi Osei-Adjei. BRIDGEWATER