MEETING WITH NISS DIRECTOR SALAH GHOSH

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000511 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2012 TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AU UN SU SUBJECT: MEETING WITH NISS DIRECTOR SALAH GHOSH REF: KHARTOUM 00478 Classified By: CDA Cameron Hume, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) CDA Hume met with Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) Director General Salah Ghosh on March 29 to discuss the current impasse on the deployment of UN peace keepers in Darfur. CDA underscored that the UN Security Council, including China, viewed UN command and control as essential to the deployment of any peacekeeping force in Sudan. That without UN command and control, regardless of force composition, there would be no funding for peacekeeping operations. Noting that the African Union was incapable of organizing and overseeing a peacekeeping operation of such complexity without UN support, CDA suggested that the Sudanese government consider other areas were flexibility might be possible to jump start the process. ¶2. (C) Ghosh said that the Sudanese government was committed to finding a solution to the Darfur crisis. He admitted that Darfur colored everything, internal and external relations; North/South and regionally. He characterized the security situation on the ground as improving, but acknowledged gaps existed between Sudan and international community's positions; nevertheless, he said that the Abuja and Addis Ababa agreements still serve as a framework to address peacekeeping, political, and humanitarian issues. Ghosh said his side would like to discuss with the USG ways to solve this issue as soon as possible. ¶3. (C) CDA welcomed the agreement between the UN and the Government of Sudan for taking steps to improve the working conditions for humanitarian workers in Darfur. CDA asked that the Government of Sudan continue to follow-up in the field. CDA then related his conversations with UN Envoy Jan Eliasson and AU Envoy Salim Ahmed Salim of March 27 (reftel). CDA said they had discussed the limited timeframe for dialogue and the possibility of a high-level meeting to restart negotiations with the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) non-signatories. Ghosh agreed this would be useful. ¶4. (C) CDA discussed the upcoming visit of RADM Hart to Sudan in late May, noting this would also present an opportunity for him to meet with the Ministry of Defense to discuss security issues. Ghosh agreed. ¶5. (C) Comment: Given the impasse on UN peacekeeping, Embassy Khartoum sees merit in following up with Ghosh's suggestion of future discussions. CDA Hume stressed there could be no compromise on UN command and control. End comment. HUME