UN CONDUCTS DIRECT TALKS WITH KONY ON LRA PEACE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 001028 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AS A/S FRAZER, AF S/E WILLIAMSON, AND AF/SPG ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: UN CONDUCTS DIRECT TALKS WITH KONY ON LRA PEACE DEAL Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and ( d) 1.(SBU) Summary: In a July 9 meeting with Consul General Juba, UNMIS Regional Coordinator for Southern Sudan David Gressley reported that the UN has been in direct communication with LRA leader Joseph Kony over the last 10 days in an attempt to restart the stalled Juba Peace Accord. UN Special Envoy Joaquim Chisanno and his assistant Warner ten Kate have spoken directly with Kony as recently as two days ago, and a meeting is planned for next week in Rikwangba, where it is hoped that Kony will finally show up to discuss clarifications he has requested to the agreement. End Summary ¶2. (SBU) After months of refusing to talk directly with any parties to the Juba peace talks, David Gressley reported to ConGen Juba that UN SE Chisanno had finally been able to reach Kony directly in the last ten days to discuss signing the Juba Peace Accord. According to Gressley, Kony has said that he is willing to review the agreement and meet with Chisanno to seek clarifications on some of its provisions. Kony has told the UN that David Mastsanga is once again his representative to Chisanno. A possible meeting is now being planned for sometime during the week of July 14 in Rikwangba, when it is hoped that Kony will meet a small group of representatives (to include Chisanno, ten Kate, Machar, and a representative of the Government of Uganda) in order to offer clarifications to Kony on issues of concern to him in the agreement. It is possible although not anticipated, Gressley said, that Kony will sign the agreement at that time if he is satisfied with the explanations given to him regarding his issues of concern. ¶3. (SBU) Gressley indicated that the SPLA will deploy to Rikwangba in advance of the meeting to provide security, and that only a small delegation will attend the talks. It is Chisanno,s belief that the previous efforts to meet with Kony failed at least in part because of the large and &jamboree8 nature of the previous gatherings. &Kony is paranoid of everything, including television cameras, which he thinks could conceal a gun. A small, quiet delegation is much more likely to give him the reassurance he needs that this is not a trap.8 ¶4. (SBU) According to Gressley, there has been no contact between Kony and GOSS LRA Chief Negotiator Riak Machar, although Kony is said to have tried to reach Machar on a couple of occasions. ¶5. (SBU) Asked if he thought Kony would actually carry out the agreement if he signed it, Gressley admitted that Kony might not. The ICC indictments tie the GOU,s hands in that it must hold Kony accountable at a level that satisfies the ICC that justice has been served on him. To this, Kony may well never agree. But a signed agreement gives both the LRA and the Government of Uganda time to build confidence in the implementation of the peace accord, and at the very least stabilizes the situation for a time while both sides see what can be worked out. &We,ll have to take this one step at a time,8 said Gressley. &And the first step is to keep the LRA from destabilizing the entire region again, which is sure to happen if Kony goes back on the offensive.8 ¶6. (C) Commet: hat ony has finally started talking directly to Chisanno and the UN is a significant step forward. Given that Matsanga has admitted to never having met the man, at least Chisanno is not talking with a shadow anymore, and knows directly from the source what Kony wants and what he will settle for. The chances for bringing him along have improved, but we have to agree with Gressley that while this could result in a signed peace agreement, we are still a long way away from an end to the LRA conflict. FERNANDEZ