U/SYG GUEHENNO: STILL NO AGREEMENT ON UNAMID TCC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001022 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; PLEASE PASS TO SE NATSIOS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNSC KPAL SU MOPS SUBJECT: U/SYG GUEHENNO: STILL NO AGREEMENT ON UNAMID TCC LIST REF: USUN 01001 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: DPKO U/SYG Guehenno told the Security Council November 14 that the Government of the Sudan (GOS) has not yet made the strategic decision to cooperate fully with UNAMID deployment. Guehenno said the GOS had not finalized agreement on the UN/AU agreed TCC list, which they received on October 2, during November 11 discussions with DPKO in Addis Ababa. China and Qatar responded that the remaining issues with UNAMID deployment could be resolved through the Tripartite Commission and further discussions with the GOS. END SUMMARY. -------------- No Agreement on TCC List From Addis GOS-UN Meeting -------------- ¶2. (U) U/SYG Guehenno briefed the Council November 14 on the latest developments with UNAMID deployment. Guehenno said he met with representative of the Government of the Sudan (GOS) and the African Union on November 11 in Addis Ababa (reftel). Guehenno said he briefed the Sudanese in detail on the TCC list. Guehenno said the Sudanese representatives had expressed concern about three of the TCCs: Norway (Engineer Company, composed of Swedish and Norwegian troops) Nepal (Infantry) and Thailand (Infantry). The Sudanese representatives asked that the deployment of African TCCs be moved ahead of the non-African participants, so as to assuage local concerns about non-African participation in UNAMID. The Sudanese were particularly concerned about the Nordic unit because of the "association" of these countries with the popular uproar over the Prophet Muhammad cartoon crisis. ¶3. (U) Guehenno said he went over the deployment schedule with the Sudanese and explained why each of these countries offered essential components for UNAMID. Guehenno explained that only one of the eighteen units deploying during the first phase of UNAMID would be non-African (Thai Infantry) and that any adjustments to the timeline would lessen the capabilities of the force. Guehenno said the Sudanese representatives initially responded positively before conferring again with Khartoum and reiterating that the African units would have to come first. He underscored that the GOS has not yet "said no" to the TCC list and left open the possibility of a finalized agreement. He added that the GOS still has not made a "strategic decision" to cooperate with UNAMID deployment, as demonstrated by the ongoing delays. What was needed now from the GOS, he said, is the "political will" to cooperate. ¶4. (U) Guehenno highlighted the need for TCCs to provide UNAMID with the remaining shortfalls of specialized military assets. (NOTE: DPKO still needs one section of attack helicopters (6 helicopters to a section),three sections of medium lift utility helicopters (6 to a section) two transport companies. END NOTE.) Guehenno said the September 30 attack on the AMIS peacekeepers in Haskanita had demonstrated that UNAMID needed helicopters and logisticial assets to defend itself. He predicted that UNAMID would be "tested" early in its deployment. Guehenno commented that if the international community could not find these assets by the December 31 Transfer of Authority (TOA) than DPKO would have to bring the issue back to the Council for consideration of other modalities, such as increasing the force size or limiting the area of operations. -------------- Council Discussion Follows Darfur Divisions -------------- ¶5. (U) AMB Wolcott said that the Council would need to consider further action in the light of President Bashir's pattern of non-cooperation with UNAMID. AMB Wolcott highlighted that President Bashir had responded to DPKO's attempts to clarify his concerns about UNAMID by making a press statement accusing the UN of attempting to deploy American and Israeli intelligence operatives with the non-African components of UNAMID. France, the UK, Slovakia and Belgium concurred that President Bashir is not cooperating with UNAMID and that this was unacceptable. French PermRep Ripert criticized the GOS for engaging in the "politics of intimidation" to delay UNAMID deployment. ¶6. (U) China repeated it's often stated talking point that the remaining UNAMID deployment issues could be resolved USUN NEW Y 00001022 002 OF 002 through the Tripartite Commission (UN, AU and the GOS). Qatar said the remaining issues were "primarily technical" and could be resolved through further consultations with the Sudanese. AMB Wolcott responded that DPKO had made clear that GOS is not fully cooperating with UNAMID deployment. She added that if the UN is not able to reach an agreement with the Sudanese on the TCC list soon, with only six weeks to go until the TOA, the Security Council may need to consider "further action" when the issue is discussed again on November 26. Khalilzad