Darfur: Update on UN Assistance to AMIS

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000067 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPKO PREF PHUM UN AU SU SUBJECT: Darfur: Update on UN Assistance to AMIS REF: 06 Khartoum 02923 ¶1. (SBU) UN Director of Political Affairs Abiodun Bashua confirmed to Pol/Econ Counselor January 16 that an additional ten UN military staff officers had arrived in El Fasher, Darfur, to join the 17 military staff officers and 15 UN police advisors already there. He added that five additional UN police advisors would transfer to El Fasher on January 21; by the end of January, he said, there would be between 123 and 138 total UN individuals in Darfur involved in the Light Support Package (Phase 1). ¶2. (SBU) Bashua noted that limiting factors in the UN support mission included both lack of accommodations in El Fasher and the need to recruit civilian staff. The UN is "fast-tracking" the latter effort, he added. ¶3. (SBU) Finally, Bashua said a UN team would arrive in Khartoum from New York on January 17 to commence on the ground planning activities for the Heavy Support Package (Phase 2) of the international peacekeeping operation. HUME