INSTRUCTIONS- TALKING POINTS FOR U/SYG HOLMES

UNCLAS STATE 163972 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM XA XW SU SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONS- TALKING POINTS FOR U/SYG HOLMES BRIEFING ON DECEMBER 6 ¶1. This is an action cable. See paragraph 2. ¶2. USUN is instructed to draw from the following talking points for the December 6 briefing by U/SYG for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Sir John Holmes. Begin points: -- We would like to thank Under-Secretary Holmes for his briefing to the Council on his latest trip to Africa. -------------- SUDAN -------------- -- The United States remains deeply committed to ending violence in Darfur through a political settlement, providing critical humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations, and supporting the rapid deployment of the UN/AU Hybrid Peacekeeping Operation (UNAMID),as authorized in UNSCR 1769. We further support a peaceful, unified, and democratic Sudan within the framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and call for full implementation of all aspects of the CPA. Secretary Rice traveled to Addis Ababa this week to lead a Sudan Ministerial meeting with representatives from Sudan, neighboring African countries, and the African Union and United Nations Special Representatives on Sudan. -- A viable political process and deployment of a robust UN/AU hybrid peacekeeping force are critical to improving the humanitarian situation in Darfur. We urge all groups to support and work towards an accelerated UN/AU-led political process and a lasting ceasefire on the ground. We encourage all the rebel movements to set aside their differences and join together in order to better represent the people of Darfur, and we strongly encourage all invited individuals and movements to attend the next round of negotiations. We strongly urge the inclusion of traditional leaders from Darfur, women's groups, local NGOs, and leaders from internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the peace talks. The participation of local civil society is absolutely vital to the success of peace talks. -- We also call on the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the United Nations to rapidly advance UNAMID deployment. In this context, we urge the GoS to approve without delay the full list of troop-contributing countries chosen by the United Nations and African Union and to meet its commitment to accept peacekeepers into Darfur and provide them with the necessary visas, flight clearances, and access to land and water to successfully carry out their mission. -- The United States is extremely disappointed by the Sudanese government's expulsion from Darfur of the head of OCHA Nyala office, Mr. Ibrahim. -- We welcome recent discussions between the Government of Sudan and U/SYG Holmes on the extension of the moratorium on humanitarian restrictions. We believe the moratorium is critical to reducing obstacles faced by international NGOs operating in Darfur. -- We commend efforts by the UN in preparing for the likely possibility of additional food shortages in Sudan this year, due to poor food harvests. These proactive measures will undoubtedly save lives should food harvest forecasts prove correct. -- Darfur is the home to the biggest humanitarian operation in the world, in which the United States has played an important role. Since 2005 the United States has provided over $4 billion in humanitarian, peacekeeping, and development assistance to the people of Sudan and Eastern Chad. The United States is also the largest food donor to Darfur, providing 40,000 metric tons of food aid monthly. Further, the United States has constructed and maintains 34 Darfur base camps for the more than 7000 AU peacekeepers currently serving in Darfur. -- The United States is following the situation in Chad very closely. Currently there are 230,000 refugees from Darfur in Eastern Chad along with 180,000 IDPs in Chad. Renewed conflict in the area could severely exacerbate the situation. We support the immediate deployment of MINURCAT and encourage all troop/police contributing countries to deploy as soon as possible. -------------- SOMALIA AND THE OGADEN -------------- -- The United States is also deeply concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Somalia. The increase in violence in the capital has resulted in thousands of additional IDPs, including an estimated 230,000 IDPs located along a 15-kilometer stretch of road between Mogadishu and the town of Afgooye alone. -- We take note that U/SYG Holmes met with newly appointed Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and welcome the Prime Ministers commitment to make a humanitarian response high on his agenda. -- We applaud the UN and NGO efforts to operate in very dangerous circumstances in Somalia. We continue to be concerned that their efforts remain hampered by insecurity, roadblocks, and inter-clan conflict. We reiterate our call on all parties to facilitate access for the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid to those in need. -- Ultimately, the return of lasting peace and stability in Somalia, including an end to the long-standing humanitarian emergency, can only be achieved through a comprehensive political solution based on the Transitional Federal Charter. The United States continues to support the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to achieve this objective. We also reiterate the need for robust contingency planning by DPKO to prepare for the possible transition to a UN peacekeeping mission in Somalia. -- On the Ogaden, the United States urges the Ethiopian government to open commercial trade routes to the Somali Region to prevent a humanitarian crisis from deepening. RICE