BASHIR TO UNSC: "THE BALL IS ENTIRELY IN YOUR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 000956

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF/SE NATSIOS AND AF/SPG, NSC
FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KPKO SU AU UN
SUBJECT: BASHIR TO UNSC: "THE BALL IS ENTIRELY IN YOUR
COURT NOW"

Classified By: CDA Alberto Fernandez, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a relatively cordial (compared to last
year) meeting with UNSC PermReps, Sudanese President
Al-Bashir underscored the GOS's full agreement on the Hybrid
Force. He called for international pressure on recalcitrant
Darfur rebel groups to become part of a viable peace process,
a call that was well received by the PermReps. He also said
that there was a tangible improvement in the humanitarian
situation in Darfur since the signing of the DPA. He blamed
the rebels for the lack of a ceasefire and remaining
humanitarian problems. Bashir lamented the lack of donor
commitment to the success of the CPA which places Sudan's
future unity at risk. End Summary.

--------------
"THE BALL IS ENTIRELY IN YOUR COURT"
--------------


2. (C) Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir welcomed UNSC
PermReps (including US PermRep Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad)
to Sudan at the Council of Ministers. Accompanying the
President were Foreign Minister Lam Akol, Senior Assistant to
the President Minni Minawi, and Presidential Advisor Magzoub
al-Khalifa. Bashir said that after the latest agreement
achieved in Addis Ababa on the Hybrid Force that Sudan had
done everything that had been asked of it. Implementation
and funding were now up to the UN and AU. He noted that the
situation in Darfur continues to improve as a result of the
implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) and that
this would be accelerating with improving relations with
Chad. He expects to be able to solve all outstanding
problems with Chad soon and enjoy warm relations. He asked
for UNSC help in convincing the non-signatory rebels in
Darfur to join the political process and build momentum
towards a definitive peace.


3. (C) UK PermRep noted that there are three tracks for
success in Darfur: security, political ("no success without
it"),and the humanitarian/economic. Citing progress on the
first track with Sudan's unconditional acceptance of the
Hybrid Force, the UK PermRep said that does put the onus on
the UN in New York to move quickly to get a resolution, fund
the force and make sure that the Heavy Support Package is put
into place quickly. He agreed that more pressure needs to be
placed on the Darfur non-signatories, saying that "we are not
in the business of giving succor to the rebels ) we have no
favorites ) that is not our role." He noted that there
still needed to be improvement in access and security for
humanitarian work. A ceasefire was urgently needed, saying
"this applies especially to the rebels," but also to the
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). He noted that the Council had
been informed of the SAF and related militia burning down an
entire village on June 9.


4. (C) The Chinese PermRep noted that "China is proud to be
your friend and have such a friend in Africa." It is clear
that Sudan wants peace and that Sudan is sincere and has
shown this by its full acceptance of the Hybrid. He called
for a ceasefire as an important measure to provide an impetus
for enhanced humanitarian access and political process. He
agreed that there needs to be pressure exerted on the rebel
movements and not just on the GOS. He called on the GOS to
exercise "maximum restraint" in its military operations in
Darfur even if it is provoked by the non-signatories as seems
to be the case.


5. (C) Ambassador Khalilzad added that what motivates the
United States is stopping ongoing violence against innocents.
The U.S. does not have a hidden agenda or vendetta against
the Sudanese Government or people. The U.S. respects Sudan's
sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity. But the
international community cannot be silent in the face of the
ongoing violence. This violence needs to stop. There was
uncertainty about Sudan's commitment to the Hybrid and
related steps but the U.S. has now been assured of Sudan's
unconditional acceptance. The next step is implementation
and this requires action by the UN and AU but also by the
Sudanese. The Government must move expeditiously on the
mechanics of implementation such as a status of forces
agreement (SOFA) for the Hybrid similar to that for the UN
Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in the south and that such
procedures do not become excuses for delay. This applies
equally to such issues as humanitarian access, physical
security for internally-displaced persons (IDPs) and aid
workers, and bureaucratic measures such as customs clearances
and visas. Ambassador Khalilzad noted that as Sudan moves
towards implementation, it has every right to expect that

KHARTOUM 00000956 002 OF 003


positive action on its part should lead to a positive
response from others.

-------------- -
"PRESSURE HAS LESSENED ON REBELS TO NEGOTIATE"
-------------- -


6. (C) President Bashir noted that after the signing of the
DPA, the Government had announced a ceasefire.
Non-signatories, led by Abdul Wahid Nur ) even though they
didn,t sign the DPA ) agreed to the ceasefire, while the
Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rejected both the DPA and
ceasefire. There was no problem with the signatories and
non-signatories who agreed to a ceasefire, the problem is
with the faction that refused everything. There was supposed
to be pressure on that faction (and sanctions) for refusing a
ceasefire and that never happened. Instead all the pressure
was transferred onto the GOS. He noted that there had never
been any criticism or action taken by the UN, AU or other
international players against JEM and that such silence had
made the non-signatories more recalcitrant.


7. (C) Bashir insisted that the situation had improved in
Darfur, noting that the World Food Program had seen the
number of people in danger of a lack of access to food fall
from 500,000 to less than 50,000. If there is lack of access
and insecurity for aid workers, it is because of the rebels.
The same rebels are seen carrying out their political
activities in Europe without penalty. He reminded the
visitors that only two months ago, "we announced a ceasefire
and the National Redemption Front (NRF, the rebel umbrella
group) refused and yet we are pressured while they are
untouched. This is one of the biggest reasons that the
Darfur peace process has been delayed." He recalled that
"President Bush, a great man, had worked for the CPA and had
called to thank us for the DPA and AMERICA worked to make
this happen." Now, every time that Sudan takes a step
forward it gets condemned by the United States and has unjust
sanctions placed on it. The attempt to portray Sudan as the
reluctant party is unfair.


8. (C) Bashir welcomed all efforts for peace, especially
those led by UN and AU Special Envoys Eliasson and Salim. He
fully admitted that "the solution in Darfur is a political
one and not military." Darfur is relatively safe and secure
he insisted. Yes, there are criminals, killers and robbers
in Darfur but such people are also found everywhere, even in
Washington. He suggested that intra-tribal and intra-rebel
violence constitute the vast majority of the violence in
Darfur today. Bashir added that the Hybrid is welcome in
Sudan and the GOS is doing everything it can to reach out to
the rebels ) especially the civilian leadership ) even
though some in the rebel camp interpret the latest American
sanctions as supporting the rebel side. He complained that
Darfur has hurt the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement (CPA) with the South. Oslo donors failed miserably
in fulfilling their commitment to the CPA and this hurts the
possibility of continued unity with the South. That is why
American sanctions are so unfortunate given that the U.S.
helped bring about the CPA. "We cannot convince southerners
on unity given the GNU's limited resources as a result of
sanctions." There are places in the South that were
completely destroyed as a result of 50 years of war that need
development. "How can we keep Sudan united in the face of
such pressure as a result of sanctions," he asked, noting
that unity means projects and development. A second time he
stated that the Government of Sudan's acceptance of UNSC
demands was unconditional and that the ball was now in the
UNSC's court.

-------------- --------------
BASHIR: "WORSE DAY IN DARFUR NOW BETTER THAN IRAQ"
-------------- --------------


9. (C) Ambassador Khalilzad responded that U.S. sanctions
were a result of the violence in Darfur. Many innocent
people have suffered and continue to suffer. We respect
Sudan's sovereignty but with sovereignty comes
responsibility. The United States has contributed USD 2.6
billion to help the people of Sudan, especially in Darfur and
in the South. There is an opportunity now for Sudan to
surprise everyone by moving forward on the Hybrid, the
ceasefire and political process. The non-signatories must be
pressured to join the political process. That is a
legitimate request by the GOS but there is much that the GOS
itself could continue to work on such as facilitating
humanitarian access.


KHARTOUM 00000956 003 OF 003



10. (C) President Bashir countered that the level of violence
in Darfur is down. Yes, there are still armed rebels and
levels of criminality but the level of violence is less than
in Iraq or Afghanistan or Somalia. "The worse day in Darfur
now is better than a normal day in Iraq, outside of
Kurdistan." He cited UNICEF statistics that show that
nutrition and health levels in Darfur are better than some
other parts of Sudan. He noted that there are 15,000 aid
workers now helping the people there; this shows the GOS'
good will. He closed by asking the UNSC PermReps to keep the
dialogue with Sudan open. He noted that with that support,
peace can be achieved, a political process consummated and
IDPs can return home.


11. (C) COMMENT: This was a vintage Bashir performance ) a
combination of one-part homespun honesty and two parts total
duplicity with one sensible suggestion thrown in. His
acceptance of the Hybrid was quite unambiguous and
underscores the perception by many here that the GOS is
counting on the UN's own slowness and clumsiness in
implementing the heavy support package (HSP) and Hybrid as
its best ally. His point on pressuring the non-signatories
to engage in the peace process is worthy of attention and was
well-received by the PermReps ) much of the violence now is
indeed rebel-related. But Bashir's rosy characterization of
other issues such as the ceasefire and humanitarian situation
was mostly fantasy. His defensiveness on these important
matters was quite plain. Unfortunately a nuanced view of
Sudanese actions may have been lost in the palpable relief at
the GOS acceptance of the Hybrid. The ensuing press
conference featured two memorable phrases, the UK PermRep
comparing the "much more positive" meeting this year with the
last PermRep visit and the South African PermRep noting that
"there is no sanctions draft before the Security Council and
hard to imagine there could be after Sudan,s full
acceptance." End comment.


12. (U) Ambassador Khalilzad did not have an opportunity to
review this cable before departure.
FERNANDEZ