SENIOR UN OFFICIALS PROPOSE STRUCTURE FOR TRIPOLI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000644

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/AS FRAZER, AF S/E NATIOS, AND AF/SPG
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2017

TAGS: PREL PGOV AU UN SU CD LY ER US

SUBJECT: SENIOR UN OFFICIALS PROPOSE STRUCTURE FOR TRIPOLI
TALKS


KHARTOUM 00000644 001.4 OF 002


Classified By: CDA Cameron Hume, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) The April 28 summit in Tripoli on the Darfur political
process presents an opportunity to harmonize international
efforts to overcome the political stalemate and establish a
common set of principles for re-invigorating peace
negotiations, according to senior UN officials in Khartoum.
Agreement among the special envoys of the UN, AU, U.S., and
EU; the representatives of the Sudanese, Chadian, Libyan, and
Eritrean governments; and the Sudan People's Liberation
Movement (SPLM) on this set of principles would be an
important first step to develop a concrete operational plan
for the UN and African Union-led political process in Darfur.


2. (C) The officials explained that Libya had not provided an
agenda for the conference, which left open the opportunity
for the international community to shape its outcome. They
emphasized that the USG was the only party that could channel
the disparate international efforts into a constructive
process so that a common understanding among regional
governments and international envoys emerged from the
discussions in Tripoli. On April 24, the senior UN officials
provided Poloff with the language for a draft communique that
they suggested could form a framework for the Tripoli talks
and promote a productive outcome that would lead to a more
coherent and structured international effort. (Note: The UN
officials wrote the proposed language as a way to focus the
dialogue in Tripoli and did not clear the language with New
York. Please handle accordingly. End note.)


3. (SBU) The proposed language of the communique is as
follows:

(Begin Text)

"Express gratitude to Libya for hosting the conference. As
the one year anniversary of the Darfur Peace Agreement
approaches, it has been a timely and important opportunity to
re-examine the status of implementation of the DPA and the
urgent need to address the continuing crisis in Darfur.
These discussions have helped to chart the way forward.

Coordination:

One important outcome has been the coordination of various
ideas and initiatives on the way forward for Darfur. All
participants support the joint African Union-United Nations
initiative as the lead on renewing the political process and
have pledged their continued cooperation. The participants
represent countries that have much to contribute to the
process and will work in coordination to ensure that the
people of Darfur benefit to the maximum extent possible. The
participants called on all national and international
stakeholders to contribute constructively to this renewed
process and to also coordinate their efforts with the AU-UN
initiative.

Humanitarian:

The participants strongly renew their call to all armed
parties to urgently facilitate the provision of humanitarian
assistance to people in Darfur who are most desperately in
need. It is inhumane to continue to block relief, either
through administrative or military means, to the victims of
the fighting on the ground. The participants welcomed the
recent joint communique between the Government of Sudan and
the UN of 28 March 2007 which called on all stakeholders 'to
work in the spirit of transparency and accountability, to
respect basic humanitarian principles of impartiality,
humanity and independence of humanitarian actors, to respect
freedom of access to all the population irrespective of their
location and to provide assistance based on the assessed
needs.'

Ceasefire and security:

Security for the citizens of Darfur is paramount. All
parties must accept and act upon their agreed ceasefire
obligations without delay. The participants called on all
parties to immediately commit themselves to a ceasefire as a
confidence-building measure to enhance the political process.
They welcomed the stated commitment of all parties to a
political solution to the Darfur crisis.

Support to AMIS:


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The participants condemned, in the strongest terms, the
attacks on AMIS soldiers, which have risen sharply in recent
weeks. AMIS has the support of the international community
to provide security and stability on the ground in Darfur and
continued attacks on their personnel undermine any attempt to
find a solution to the crisis.

All parties must support the work of AMIS and endeavor to
enhance its capacity. The participants pledged that they
will push for assured and secure funding of AMIS operations
until the end of 2007, including the restructuring of the
force into three sectors and the addition of two battalions.
In parallel, the Heavy Support Package and eventual hybrid
operation must be expedited as a matter of urgency to support
AMIS efforts and to benefit the people of Darfur.

In this connection, the participants called on the African
Union and the international community to support the speedy
implementation of the Heavy Support Package through timely
deployment of personnel. They also expressed the hope that
ongoing consultations will be concluded shortly on the final
phase of support to AMIS regarding the hybrid operation under
UN command and control structures and systems. The
participants strongly noted that the peace-keeping and
political efforts must be pursued simultaneously, in order to
facilitate a speedy return of peace and security to Darfur in
the shortest possible time.

Futue of the Process:

The participants affirmed unequivocally that the current
humanitarian and security situation in Darfur cannot continue
indefinitely and that the armed movements in Darfur must
pursue negotiations on a political track in the near future.
The conditions on the ground grow more appalling daily and
makes immediate action imperative. Regional governments must
cease support for armed movements in Darfur in order to
encourage participation in the political process.

The participants also noted the need for consultation with
the broadest possible number of stakeholders in Darfur,
including, inter alia, the Sudanese Government, the Sudan
Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Minni Minawi, DPA
signatories, rebel movements, civil society, IDPs and tribal
leaders. They appealed to all Darfurian stakeholders to
contribute substantively to the process and contact the AU-UN
team with their concerns.

Reconstruction and Recovery:

The participants discussed the urgent need to plan for the
recovery and development of Darfur. They noted that while
peace is being negotiated, there are projects that could be
designed now to meet the long-term needs of a society that
has seen its social fabric ripped apart and livelihoods
destroyed. The participants pledged their countries' and
institutions' support for the speedy implementation of
efforts to bring the dividend of peace to the people of
Darfur and facilitate the early return IDPs and refugees back
to their homes."

(End Text)


4. (C) Within the framework of the principles cited in the
proposed language, the UN officials suggested that the
participants in the Tripoli talks determine a "division of
labor" for engaging with the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA)
non-signatories and regional governments. In addition,
international representatives could discuss concrete methods
of support for the UN/AU initiative.


5. (C) Tripoli minimize considered.
HUME