UN A/S MULET BRIEFS ON UNMIS, EXPRESSES CONCERN ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000733 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF AND IO FOR FRONT OFFICE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC CG SU SUBJECT: UN A/S MULET BRIEFS ON UNMIS, EXPRESSES CONCERN ON DRC REF: UN SYG REPORT S/2007/500 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. New Assistant Secretary for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet delivered two separate briefings to the UNSC on September 7 regarding recent developments with the UN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) and Mission of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). Following the Sudan briefing, delegations echoed calls for full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and highlighted linkages between the situation in southern Sudan and the Darfur conflict. Qatar spoke at length but without support against continuation of sanctions against Sudan. In the MONUC briefing, A/S Mulet described the recent deterioration of security conditions in eastern DRC and urged Council members to actively call for a cessation of hostilities between government and pro-Nkunda forces. END SUMMARY. -------------- Broad Council Agreement on the Need for Full CPA Implementation -------------- ¶2. (U) A/S Mulet briefed the Council in informal consultations on the August 20 report on the UN Mission in the Sudan pursuant to UNSCR 1590, which calls on the SYG to report to the Council regularly on implementation of the CPA and UNMIS. Mulet said the overall security situation in southern Sudan remained calm during the reporting period, notwithstanding that progress on implementation of the CPA had been only limited (reftel). He said progress between the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) leaders on the sensitive oil contracts issue and the status of Abyei region had been likewise minimal. He chracterized the failure of both sides to fully redeploy their forces by the July 9 deadline as a setback for CPA implementation. Of the 46,000 Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) deployed to southern Sudan at the start of the CPA, only approximately 32,000 had been redeployed north of the January 1, 1956 border by the end of the reporting period. A/S Mulet also noted that the formation of the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) is significantly behind schedule, and progress with the implementing legislation and population census necessary for the 2009 elections has stalled. ¶3. (U) Delegations broadly echoed calls for full CPA implementation. France, UK, Italy, Belgium, Ghana, South Africa and Congo expressed concern over the failure of the parties to implement key provisions of the CPA. China, Russia and Indonesia highlighted linkages with the Darfur conflict and said that a sustainable peace in Darfur would help the Government of the Sudan (GOS) move forward on CPA implementation. USUN had praise for UNMIS' assistance with the transition to the UNAMID hybrid operation in Darfur and called for its rapid deployment. Qatar called for an end to the "international sanctions regimes" that contribute to Sudan's economic isolation and suggested that these financial pressures hinder the GOS from moving forward with CPA implementation. (NOTE: Qatar appeared to be referring to bilateral US and EU sanctions against the GOS. No other delegation raised this issue. END NOTE.) Lastly, delegations welcomed the appointment of Ashraf Qazi as the new SRSG for the Sudan. -------------- DRC Violence Raises Concerns -------------- ¶4. (U) Following the Sudan consultations, A/S Mulet delivered a short briefing on the recent escalation of violence in the North Kivu province of the DRC, which began August 27 in the Masisi and Rutshuru regions. Mulet reported that clashes between DRC armed forces (FARDC) and rebels loyal to General Laurent Nkunda have displaced more than 10,000 civilians. In response to the violence, MONUC has reinforced its deployments in North and South Kivu. Mulet reported that MONUC has provided some logistical support to FARDC, but emphasized that this support is limited to assisting with the protection of civilian areas. He reported that during the course of fighting outside the town of Sake on September 7, MONUC peacekeepers fired on pro-Nkunda forces after they were attacked by a small band of rebels. He added that MONUC peacekeepers deployed in North Kivu were currently working to broker a ceasefire between the two sides. USUN NEW Y 00000733 002 OF 002 ¶5. (U) A/S Mulet referred to media reports that General Nkunda has offered to return to talks with the Kabila government as a positive sign and asked for UNSC members to encourage the two sides to return to dialogue. He said the September 2 joint communique of the DRC and Rwandan Foreign Ministers promising to improve cooperation over border security is also a helpful step. He said the crisis, however, was not over and urged Council members to speak out in support of cessation of hostilities and to encourage the parties to return to dialogue. At the UK's initiative, the Council asked the Security Council president (currently French PR Ripert) to make a short statement to the media emphasizing these themes. KHALILZAD