TROOP CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE HYBRID OPERATION IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000890 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR IO/PSC (HANKINS) AND NEA/MAG (HARRIS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2016 TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC MASS TS SUBJECT: TROOP CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE HYBRID OPERATION IN DARFUR REF: A. STATE 90022 ¶B. STATE 84286 ¶C. TUNIS 515 ¶D. TUNIS 326 ¶E. 06 TUNIS 1642 Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Pol/EconCouns on July 2 conveyed Ref A message to MFA Director for North American Affairs Moez Sinaoui. Acknowledging the GOT's negative responses to earlier requests for Darfur PKO support requests (Refs C and E),she urged the GOT to give further consideration to the matter. Pol/EconCouns emphasized that, on the heels of FM Abdallah's positive visit to Washington (Ref B),which Sinaoui himself characterized as "historic," the USG hoped the GOT would respond favorably to the USG's requests for assistance, noting specifically the request for contributions to the Darfur hybrid PKO. Sinaoui was visibly uncomfortable with the request, but he did not offer any substantive response. ¶2. (SBU) In addition, Ambassador is seeking an appointment to underscore this request, among others, with MFA Chief of Staff Hatem Atallah. That appointment is expected soon, and Post will report septel. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: In recent months, Ambassador and other senior USG officials have on several occasions asked the GOT to support peacekeeping operations in Darfur, as it has done in other African countries. As we reported (see, e.g., refs C, D, and E),GOT officials have declined to do so. Indeed, Defense Minister Morjane, who has significant UN experience in Africa, has repeatedly told Post that Tunisia is reluctant to be involved in peacekeeping operations, such as Darfur, where Tunisia may not appear to be a "neutral party." Morjane has also made clear that, in the absence of sufficient funding to maintain its aging military hardware, the Tunisian Armed Forces are not in a position to expand their support for peacekeeping missions. We believe that high-level interventions -- and tangible support, along the lines laid out in Ref A -- would be necessary to persuade the GOT to reconsider its previous position. We will offer further comment after the Ambassador's meeting with the MFA Chief of Staff. END COMMENT. GODEC