THE GAMBIA: SEEKING PUBLIC COMMITMENTS OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000204 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DAKAR PLS PASS ODC, DAO, AND RAO E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2017 TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO SU GA SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: SEEKING PUBLIC COMMITMENTS OF PERSONNEL FOR DARFUR MISSION REF: A. STATE 51828 ¶B. BANJUL 154 (NOTAL) Classified By: Ambassador Joseph Stafford, reason 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador made ref a demarche April 23 to the Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary (Deputy Foreign Minister Equivalent),urging the GOTG to make a public commitment to provide, in addition to its current troop contingent with AMIS, forces for the HSP or follow-on hybrid operation. The Permanent Secretary took note of our request, saying it would receive the GOTG leadership's prompt consideration. At the same time, he went on to note the GOTG's previous statement to us (ref b) that any increase in the Gambian contingent in Darfur would be conditioned on donors providing ten APCs in addition to other "financial and logistical resources" for the additional troops. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: At this point, our sense is that, without assurances that donors will meet the GOTG's assistance requirements, the Gambians are not likely to be willing to make any commitment, public or otherwise, of additional forces for Darfur. Nonetheless, we cannot rule out an easing of the GOTG's insistence on its conditions for deploying more troops, and we will continue to pursue this dossier with the Gambians. Judging from the Permanent Secretary's previous assurances (ref b),we expect the GOTG to maintain its company-level contingent in Darfur, irrespective of whether donors provide the APCs or other assistance sought by the Gambians. END COMMENT STAFFORD