URGENT DARFUR DEMARCHE FOR AVIATION SUPPORT AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 005190 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2017 TAGS: PGOV KPKO UN SU RS SUBJECT: URGENT DARFUR DEMARCHE FOR AVIATION SUPPORT AND TRANSPORTATION ASSSETS REF: STATE 147667 Classified By: Political M/C Alice Wells for reasons 1/4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) We delivered reftel demarche on October 26 to MFA Middle East and North Africa Director Sergey Vershinin. Vershinin told us that the GOR had not made a decision on the supply of transportation assets to the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur, but emphasized the GOR's ongoing contribution of 120 peacekeepers and helicopters in Southern Sudan. The GOR remained concerned by both the lack of consensus within Sudan over the role of the peacekeepers and the mandate for the peacekeeping operation. Vershinin said that the GOR wished to protect the safety of Russian soldiers and would not join peacekeeping operations that required the use of weapons to "impose peace." Vershinin explained that similar concern over the mandate for UNIFIL caused the GOR to reject requests to participate in the peacekeeping operation in Lebanon (while agreeing to provide an emergency battalion). Vershinin said the GOR would have to see "approval by all sides in the conflict" on the role of the peacekeepers before sending helicopters or vehicles to Sudan. ¶2. (C) Vershinin told us that the GOR was pleased to see that representatives of the Sudanese government and various rebel groups would take part in the October 27 Darfur consultations in Tripoli. However, Vershinin stressed that this was only the beginning of a long diplomatic process. Burns