UPDATE ON DARFUR PEACEKEEPING DEPLOYMENT FOR 20

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001200 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; PLEASE PASS TO SE NATSIOS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017 TAGS: AF PGOV PREL SU UNSC KPKO MOPS SUBJECT: UPDATE ON DARFUR PEACEKEEPING DEPLOYMENT FOR 20 DECEMBER 2007 REF: (A) BEIJING 7487 (B) USUN 1154 Classified By: Ambassador Jackie Wolcott for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 9. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: -- HSP Deployment Update: Equipment for the Chinese engineering unit is still in transit; Bangladesh and Nigeria have not yet provided a load list from which the UN can contract air movement. The UN concluded a pre-deployment visit (PDV) with Pakistan December 20. The UN anticipates deploying the Egyptian battalion 15-20 February 2008. - UNAMID Deployment update: Bangladesh has concluded its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) negotiations and PDV. Egypt has scheduled MOU negotiations with the UN for 2-4 January ¶2008. The Nordics (Sweden and Norway) and Thailand had their MOU meetings this week. Nepal, Jordan, Nigeria and the Netherlands have not scheduled MOU negotiations. Senegal is waiting for the outcome of their High Ranking Officer Technical Assessment Team HROTAT) visit. --TCC Update: Still no pledge of helicopters or transport units. The UK provided USUN with a copy of a non-paper (e-mailed to IO/PSC) submitted to DPKO that proposes having the UN contract combat aircraft to be piloted by a TCC qualified to fly the aircraft type. The GOS has yet to make an official response to the TCC list. -- UN Planned TCC Deployment: According to a DPKO, there will be approximately 9,065 uniformed personnel in Darfur at TOA. Between January and March 2008 they expect the deployments of the main body for a Nepalese formed police unit (FPU), Egyptian infantry battalion, signals unit and a transportation company. Also deploying during this period will be an infantry battalion from Ethiopia and the advance party for a Pakistani engineer unit. --SOFA negotiations commenced on 12 December. UN now does not/not believe negotiations will be concluded by 31 December ¶2007. --Transfer of Authority: Scheduled for 31 December. --The Fifth committee has approved a 1.1 billion U.S. dollar budget for UNAMID. END SUMMARY ¶3. (C) Deployment Update. --- HSP --- --Chinese Engineers have yet to receive their equipment. The initial load of equipment is being held up at the border to Darfur because of security concerns and road conditions. According to the UN, the main body of Chinese engineers and equipment is not due to arrive until 20 March 2008, despite Beijing's assurances (ref A) of a January arrival. --Bangladesh Logistic Company: Bangladesh has still not provided a load list to the UN. (Note: DPKO FGS tells USUN it will take 60-75 days to contract air transport once the load lists are provided.) --Pakistani units: The UN began its Pre-deployment Visit (PDV) with Pakistan on 12 December and concluded on the 17th of December. Load lists for movements are therefore due to be submitted by Pakistan. -- Nigerian Level II Hospital: Nigeria has still not provided a load list to the UN. -- Egypt: UN has received Egyptian load list and anticipates contracting air transport to take the Egyptians to Darfur between the 15-20th of February. -------------- UNAMID USUN NEW Y 00001200 002 OF 003 -------------- --Nepal and The Netherlands: Both countries must schedule Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) negotiations with the UN. USUN reccommends that Department advise embassies Khatmandu and The Hague to encourage both countries to facilitate MOU negotiation. Concurrently USUN will do the same with DPKO. --Egypt: Has scheduled MOU negotiations for the infantry battalion with the UN for 2-4 January. --Nordic (Sweden and Norway): MOU negotiations ongoing. UN expects the GOS to reject the Nordic engineer company. --Thailand: MOU negotiations ongoing. FGS advises us that Thailand cannot advance on its deployment timeline beyond the MOU negotiation without GOS approval. ¶4. (C) HROTAT Visit results: USUN inquired to DPKO on the results of the HROTAT visits. DPKO will have a TCC meeting 27 December to discuss the outcome of the visits. USUN MSC pressed DPKO on situation with African TCCs and their preparedness to deploy. DPKO states there are major equipment shortfalls with Senegal, Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. USUN further inquired as to DPKO plan to ensure equipment shortfalls are met. DPKO responded that it is the responsibility of the TCC to ensure UN standards are met for deployment. USUN MSC understands that donor nations will have to ensure that these countries are brought up to equipment and training standards. UN DPKO does not have the capacity to corral donors for TCCs. USUN understands that State Global Peace Operating Initiative (GPOI) is an initiative designed to bring donor nations together to help developing nations. USUN suggests that Department consider approaching GPOI about taking the lead to organize donor nations and to ensure UNAMID TCCs are properly equipped. (Note: Not all the equipment procured for the Nigerian and Rwandan battalions, for example, will match UN requirements. Close coordination between GPOI and both USUN and the UN would be required to avoid such mismatches. End Note.) ¶5. (C) GOS Follow Up on Lisbon Commitments: GOS has not followed up on its commitment to resolve all outstanding issues (bases, night flights, equipment seizures, visas, etc.)(reftel). GOS has not provided any formal response to the UN on the TCC list, but has informally told the UN that it will not accept the Nordics, and that all African TCCs must be "exhausted" before Thailand and Nepal can deploy. In a December 19 meeting with the UN Darfur Integrated Operations Team (IOT),the IOT stated that the SYG's approach to getting the GOS to approve the TCC list is "intensive, discreet engagement." ¶6. (C) The GOS has agreed to allow night flights for emergency medical evaluations. The UN has acquired land in Zalingi, but still needs land in al-Geneina. The communications equipment seized at the port of Sudan was released on December 9. ¶6. (C) SOFA Negotiations: UN-GOS SOFA negotiations began on 12 December. UN believed both sides would negotiate on the basis of the UN draft. The UN reports that the GOS has not shown any flexibility on core aspects of the SOFA. The UN does not believe this will be resolved by 31 December. In the interim the model SOFA provided by the UN is binding. ¶7. (C) TOA; UN will assume Authority of the AMIS mission in Dec 31. USUN MSC inquired as to camp turnover. UN point of contact for camp turnover is Ian Divers. Although complete staff infrastructure is not yet in place, UN IOT ensured USUN that troops will be fed, supplied and paid on 1 January. (NOTE: UN payment is made to TCC capitals not to troops. Additionally UN TCC reimbursement is paid quarterly. END NOTE.) ¶8. (C) Budget. The fifth committee approved a 1.1 billion US dollar budget to be formalized on 20 December and submitted for a vote in the General Assembly, perhaps this week also. The Egyptians, who were maneuvering to put more troops in the UNAMID operation, were delaying this process. They ultimately removed their objections and permitted the process to move forward. USUN NEW Y 00001200 003 OF 003 -------------- Action Request -------------- ¶9. (U) USUN requests the Department advise relevant embassies (Dhaka, Islamabad, Abuja, Khatmandu, The Hague) to follow up with host governments on the outstanding logistical issues mentioned in this cable. USUN will continue tracking the deployment with DPKO and Permanent Missions in New York as well. Khalilzad