BONUCA- INSTRUCTION CABLE ON DECEMBER 11

UNCLAS STATE 165821 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL PREF PHUM PBTS XZ ZF CT SUBJECT: BONUCA- INSTRUCTION CABLE ON DECEMBER 11 CONSULTATIONS ON BONUCA ¶1. This is an action cable. See paragraph 2. ¶2. USUN is instructed to draw from the following talking points for their December 11 consultations on BONUCA. Begin text: -- The United States is hopeful about the establishment of a 25-member Preparatory Committee to promote greater national cohesion and reconciliation. We encourage all political parties and armed groups to put aside their differences and to work towards a future of peace, stability, and economic prosperity. -- We commend President Boziz, for reaching out to rebel forces and other armed groups to urge them to join in the political dialogue. We are pleased that the Popular Army for the Restoration of the Democracy (APRD) has agreed to lay down their arms and engage in peace talks with the government. We encourage all rebel forces and other armed groups to take advantage of this historic opportunity to return peace to the country. We applaud the efforts of the SRSG Francois Fall, BONUCA, and the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue to facilitate negotiations among national stakeholders. -- The United States remains concerned about the volatile security situation in the country, especially outside of the capital, but we are pleased that joint patrols by the Union of Democratic Forces (UFDR) and the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) has helped provide greater stability to the northeastern part of the country. We hope this effort can be replicated in other parts of the country. -- The United States notes the extension of the FOMUC mandate in July and supports the efforts by the EU, AU, and the Council of Europe to strengthen the mandate of the sub-regional force. -- The United States commends the efforts by the UN Department of Political Affairs and CEMAC to support greater trans-border security between CAR, Cameroon and Chad. -- We support the European Security Defense Policy-UN MINURCAT peacekeeping operation that will soon deploy to eastern Chad and northeastern CAR to protect refugees and IDPs in the area. We urge the governments of Chad and CAR to cooperate fully with MINURCAT contributors so the force can deploy immediately. We believe that besides providing protection to Sudanese refugees, Chadian, and CAR displaced populations, and the humanitarian workers assisting them, the deployment could also reduce tensions in eastern Chad caused by the presence of Sudanese and Chadian rebels on both sides of the border. -- We urge EU members to contribute assets accordingly to share the burden across all member states. -- The United States remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in the north-central and northwestern parts of the country. We take note with concern the increase of refugees from the CAR to Cameroon from 26,000 in August 2007 to 45,000 in October 2007. -- The United States remains concerned about human rights abuses throughout the country, but especially in the northwestern part around the border with Chad. We call on the Government of CAR and all armed groups to uphold their human rights obligations under international law and to hold accountable perpetrators of human rights abuses. RICE