Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USUNNEWYORK490
2007-06-15 20:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USUN New York
Cable title:  

UNSC/DARFUR: GNU ACCEPTANCE OF HYBRID DEEPENS

Tags:  PGOV PREL SU UNSC KPKO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7025
PP RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHKUK RUEHMA RUEHMR
RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0490/01 1662041
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 152041Z JUN 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2086
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 1355
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY 1122
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0769
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0620
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 0298
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0742
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000490 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SU UNSC KPKO
SUBJECT: UNSC/DARFUR: GNU ACCEPTANCE OF HYBRID DEEPENS
COUNCIL DIVISIONS

REF: SECSTATE 81958

USUN NEW Y 00000490 001.2 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000490

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SU UNSC KPKO
SUBJECT: UNSC/DARFUR: GNU ACCEPTANCE OF HYBRID DEEPENS
COUNCIL DIVISIONS

REF: SECSTATE 81958

USUN NEW Y 00000490 001.2 OF 003



1. (SBU) SUMMARY. During his June 13 briefing to the Security
Council, Department of Peacekeeping Operations
Under-Secretary-General Guehenno confirmed Sudanese
acceptance of the hybrid operation for Darfur after
"comprehensive clarifications" on the June 5 UN-African Union
(AU) report. The Sudanese delegation that had met with the
AU-UN team in Addis Ababa June 11-12 outlined areas of
concern on the eventual hybrid mandate, including a legal
distinction between the UN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) and
the hybrid operation. Guehenno appealed to the Council to
provide a hybrid mandate as soon as possible so that the
process of mobilizing troop and police contributors could
begin. Guehenno clarified that the Sudanese delegation in
Addis had not objected to seeking non-African contributors
for the hybrid force's composition. In updating on
assistance to the AU Mission in the Sudan (AMIS),Guehenno
highlighted as a priority the need to construct camps for the
two additional battalions required by the Heavy Support
Package. Members were divided in their interpretations of
Sudanese acceptance of the hybrid, with China, South Africa,
Congo, Russia and Qatar seeking to welcome Khartoum's
"positive" step, and the U.S., UK, Italy, Peru, Panama
expressing doubts about Khartoum's intentions. Belgium,
France and Slovakia advocated the Council's keeping an open
mind about the acceptance ahead of its June 17 visit to
Khartoum. END SUMMARY.

DPKO READ-OUT OF JUNE 11-12 ADDIS DISCUSSIONS AND NEXT STEPS
-------------- --------------

2. (SBU) During his June 13 briefing to the Security Council,
Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)
Under-Secretary-General (U/SYG) Guehenno confirmed Sudanese
acceptance of the hybrid operation for Darfur after
"comprehensive clarifications" on the June 5 UN-AU report.
Guehenno described the "constructive atmosphere" of
discussions between the teams of the AU (led by Commissioner
for Peace and Security Said Djinnit),the UN (led by DPKO
Africa Division Director Dmitry Titov) and the Government of
National Unity (GNU; led by Foreign Ministry Undersecretary

Mutrif Siddiq) during their June 11-12 technical
consultations in Addis Ababa on the revised hybrid report
(S/2007/307/Rev.1). In addition to accepting the hybrid, the
Sudanese delegation had reaffirmed the need for an effective
cease-fire and for an inclusive political process.


3. (SBU) According to U/SYG Guehenno, the Sudanese team had
outlined areas of concern on the eventual hybrid mandate,
none of which represented "roadblocks," in Guehenno's
estimation. They included assurances that monitoring and
reporting on the western border by the force would not
compromise Sudanese sovereignty; that the force would not
take any "pre-emptive measures" in violation of Sudanese
sovereignty; and that UNMIS and the hybrid operation would be
legally separate entities. DPKO told Poloff privately before
Guehenno's consultations that the Sudanese had also objected
to provisions providing for police and judicial reform, along
the lines of OP8(j) and (k) of UNSCR 1706 (2006). When asked
by UKUN Deputy Permanent Representative Karen Pierce about
Sudan's reported insistence that all hybrid troops be
African, Guehenno said "the door is not closed" and quoted
Siddiq as having said that if sufficient African troops were
unavailable, then troops from non-African countries could be
recruited per existing agreements. He reported there had
been no Sudanese objection during discussions to this
approach.


4. (SBU) Guehenno urged the UNSC to provide a hybrid mandate
as soon as possible so that the process of mobilizing troop
and police contributors could begin. Guehenno stressed the
need for contributors to send personnel fully equipped and
meeting UN standards. He noted that the UNSC mandate would
be complemented by a parallel one from the AU Peace and
Security Council (PSC),given the joint AU-UN nature of the
hybrid. Given the complex nature of the hybrid, Guehenno
mentioned the possibility that DPKO would create a third
Assistant-SYG position (Hedi Annabi and Jane Holl Lute

USUN NEW Y 00000490 002.2 OF 003


currently serve as two) to oversee the financial and
administrative aspects of the operation. He assured that a
financial annex to the June 5 hybrid report would be issued
imminently and urged that funding be forthcoming. Guehenno
also stressed that AMIS required urgent funding until the
hybrid was established.


5. (SBU) Guehenno also updated the Council on the Light
Support Package, saying that 154 of 184 personnel had
deployed and that UN discussions with Egypt continued over
the 36 armored personnel carriers still needed to implement
the Package. On the Heavy Support Package (HSP),Guehenno
said that six of the 11 preliminary units (including
engineering units) had confirmed contributors. Guehenno said
that preference had been given to African countries and that
the list of contributors had been submitted to the GNU (NOTE:
DPKO asked USUN privately if the USG could raise the issue of
Sudanese sign-off on this list to come to closure on this
issue. END NOTE). He noted commitments by 47 police
contributors, with Nigeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan pledging
the three requested formed police units. Guehenno made clear
that HSP deployment would occur in waves and would not be
tied to pending consultations with the AU and/or force
contributors.


6. (SBU) However, DPKO's readiness to deploy immediately was
tied to the provision of two additional battalions as force
protection, which in turn hinged on construction of camps for
their accommodation. Guehenno called this construction a
"priority issue" and appealed twice for it in his
presentation. He reported that both Joint Special
Representative Adada and Force Commander Agwai would arrive
in Sudan during the second half of June. Guehenno said the
GNU bore responsibility for overcoming logistical obstacles
to deployment of the Packages, including customs clearance
(he pointed out that $16.6 million worth of equipment had yet
to be cleared) and land and water rights. He declared,
"Sudanese Government good will should not be wasted on
practicalities of implementation."

DPKO UPDATE ON SITUATION ON THE GROUND
--------------

7. (SBU) Despite progress on the hybrid operation, Guehenno
warned that the security environment on the ground in Darfur
remained volatile. He spoke in favor of a robust
peacekeeping operation instead of a military solution, citing
reports of Sudanese Armed Forces aerial bombardments which
killed one person on May 19 during a raid on a water station
and which destroyed a South Darfur village on June 9.
Guehenno condemned the May 25 killing of an AMIS officer in
his home in El Fasher, which led to a revised UN risk
assessment. He acknowledged that the Sudanese rebel
situation had become more complicated - including through the
activity of even Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signatories and
continued fragmentation of DPA non-signatory groups. He
noted that there was "almost as much banditry as political
fighting."


8. (SBU) He said that 150,000 persons were displaced during
the first five months of 2007, further necessitating an
immediate and unequivocal cease-fire, given "mixed signals"
of Khartoum's commitment to do so. Guehenno enumerated
security incidents involving humanitarian workers during the
same period, including 55 carjackings, 31 convoy lootings,
and 13 humanitarian operations re-locations, all of which
resulted in "severely restricted" access to populations in
need. Guehenno noted progress in implementing the March 28
Joint Communiqu on humanitarian access but pointed out that
problems persisted in some areas, including sexual- and
gender-based violence and hiring practices.


9. (SBU) Guehenno briefly addressed Comprehensive Peace
Agreement implementation, noting "commendable efforts" by
both sides to bridge key differences on education and
communications policy and on contracting competition had been
successfully addressed. However, he said progress was still
needed on security sector reform, preparations for national
elections and development activities.

USUN NEW Y 00000490 003.2 OF 003



MEMBERS DIVIDED IN RESPONSE TO GNU ACCEPTANCE
--------------

10. (SBU) The U.S., UK, Italy, Peru and Panama expressed
doubts about Khartoum's acceptance of the hybrid operation.
PolMinCouns, drawing from reftel points, pointed out that
while the U.S. would keep an open mind in Khartoum, "yes" did
not always mean "yes" in the Sudan context and that the UNSC
would seek such an unequivocal assurance during its June 17
visit. If that affirmation were not forthcoming, PolMinCouns
warned, then the U.S. and the UK would pursue multilateral
sanctions. Italian PR Spatafora asked what circumstance had
changed President Bashir's mind now, since the details of the
hybrid were well known to him months ago, yet his endorsement
then had not been forthcoming. Peruvian PR Voto-Bernales
said the measure of the GNU's sincerity would be in the
extent of its cooperation on hybrid preparations.


11. (SBU) South African PR Kumalo and Chinese PR Wang were
the most vociferous supporters of the GNU's acceptance, which
Wang repeatedly characterized as a "golden opportunity"
worthy of Council welcome. Speaking in English (something he
does in the Security Council only when pressing a point),
Wang accused some delegations and the UN Secretariat of
treating the GNU as a "spoiler" and seeking to punish it,
despite the "positive" step it had just taken. "To achieve
our objective," Wang declared, "we must treat the Sudanese
Government as our partner." Wang specifically criticized the
U.S. threat of sanctions. Kumalo's message was the same,
asserting that, "You cannot solve Darfur without the help of
the Sudanese Government." He questioned the intentions of
delegations suspicious of Sudanese hybrid acceptance, asking
if the Council sought to help the people of Darfur or simply
prove the GNU wrong. Russian PR Churkin concurred, adding
that the Council "needed to start taking 'yes' for an answer"
from Khartoum. Congolese PR Gayama also stressed that the
Council needed to show more confidence in the GNU.


12. (SBU) French PR de La Sabliere, echoed by Slovakian PR
Burian and Belgian PR and current Council President Verbeke,
urged Members to maintain an open mind when they arrived in
Khartoum on June 17. He acknowledged that the Sudanese
parties were "no angels," but pointed out that a change in
the GNU's attitude toward Darfur peacekeeping was worthy of
note. He advised the Council to display unity instead of
division on its Khartoum visit. South African PR Kumalo
capitalized on this idea and proposed the Council issue a
Press Statement supporting the GNU's hybrid acceptance,
calling for a cease-fire, supporting the political process
and looking forward to continued engagement with the AU and
GNU. A heated debate over such a statement ensued, pitting
the U.S. largely alone against Khartoum's defenders; and it
was obvious that consensus on a written statement would not
be possible. Verbeke ultimately delivered only elements of a
statement that, per USUN amendment, welcomed Guehenno's
briefing reporting GNU acceptance of the hybrid. The Chinese
delegation in particular reacted negatively to this
formulation when Verbeke delivered it.
WOLFF