GUIDANCE FOR SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS ON

UNCLAS STATE 014708 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPKO PREL PGOV UNSC SU SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS ON CHAD 13 FEBRUARY 2008 1) PURPOSE: This is an action request. The Department asks USUN to draw upon the following themes during U/SYG Guehenno's briefing to the Security Council on the effects of hostilities in Chad on the deployment of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) and the European Union force (EUFOR) on 13 February 2008: -- We appreciate Under Secretary-General Guehenno's briefing on the situation in Chad and its effects on the deployment of EUFOR and MINURCAT. We continue to be very concerned by the recent fighting in Chad and the government of Sudan's attacks in Darfur that have resulted in 10,000-12,000 new refugees from Darfur moving into eastern Chad. We are concerned as well about conflict in the Central African Republic that has resulted in 7,400 new refugees in Chad from the Central African Republic in the past weeks. Ensuring adequate protection of these vulnerable people, as well as the nearly 300,000 refugees and 180,000 internally displaced persons, who have already been living in camps, must be of the highest priority. -- We are grateful to Chad for the hospitality it has offered to the nearly 300,000 refugees from Darfur and the Central African Republic who are now residing within its borders. We ask that the GOC continue, consistent with its international treaty undertakings, to extend its hospitality to the newly-arrived refugees. We understand the substantial burden such an effort has placed on Chadians, and we will continue to work with the international community to help Chad bear this burden. -- Security must be the utmost priority for these refugees and other displaced persons. We fully support the rapid deployment of EUFOR and MINURCAT to provide protection for these people. We urge all Security Council members to facilitate this deployment by all means possible. -- We recognize that peace in Darfur is essential to prevent further flows of refugees into Chad. We therefore urge that the governments of Sudan and Chad and the rebels groups that they support engage in a comprehensive cease-fire. We urge compliance with the Tripoli Agreement of 8 February 2006, the Riyadh Agreement of 3 May 2007, the Sirte Agreement of 25 October 2007, and all other existing ceasefire agreements. We urge progress on the United Nations-African Union-led political process for a lasting settlement for Darfur. -- We view the rapid deployment of the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to be a critical element for sustainable peace in Darfur. We urge the government of Sudan (GOS) to cooperate fully in this regard. The GOS' agreement to a Status of Forces Agreement, while a step in the right direction, leaves numerous details unresolved, suggesting further obstructions that will continue to delay deployment of UNAMID. In our view, Sudan's lack of cooperation, its foot-dragging on countless issues, and its unwillingness to live up fully to its past commitments have contributed greatly to a larger instability in the region. It is hard for us to separate recent events on the ground -- the January 7 attack on a UNAMID convoy, the support for rebel attacks against the government of Chad, and the recent bombing of west Darfur that resulted in the loss of innocent civilian lives -- from the government's refusal to enhance security in Darfur by actively supporting the rapid deployment of UNAMID. In our view, a concerted effort by Sudan to support UNAMID will help undermine the rebels operating in Sudan, reduce tension with Chad, and help build an environment that will allow peacekeepers in Chad and Sudan to create a more secure environment, and lower the loss of innocent lives. -- All Security Council member states must cooperate fully with efforts for the rapid deployment of EUFOR, MINURCAT, and UNAMID, including by abiding by the existing UN arms embargo in Sudan. Given continued obstruction, further measures by the Security Council must remain on the table. 2) POINT-OF-CONTACT: Grace M. Kang IO/PSC 202-736-7735. RICE