GUIDANCE FOR 11 MARCH 2008 UN SECURITY COUNCIL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 024915 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPKO PREL PGOV UNSC SU SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR 11 MARCH 2008 UN SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS ON UNAMID ¶1. PURPOSE: This is an action request. The Department asks that USUN draw upon the following points for the United Nations Security Council briefing and consultations on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur on 11 March 2008. --We welcome the SYG's 14 February 2008 report on the deployment of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). We are pleased to see some progress in the deployment of UNAMID, but continue to be gravely concerned over delays in its deployment. Today I wish to discuss the security situation as well as the deployment of UNAMID. -------------- SECURITY SITUATION -------------- --We share the SYG's extreme concern over the security situation in Darfur, including the 8 February attacks on civilians in Western Darfur that caused about 200 casualties and an outpouring of more than 13,000 refugees who crossed the border into Chad. --We are gravely concerned by the possibility of a new level of violence perpetrated by the GOS, with further brutal attacks by the janjaweed, accompanied by more GOS bombing and violent follow up on the ground by troops. The Security Council must make clear that such an elevation in violence will not be tolerated. The Council has demanded in prior resolutions that the GOS fulfill its commitments to disarm the janjaweed. It must stop using the janjaweed to wage war against innocent civilians. --An immediate cessation of hostilities remains the highest priority. A political settlement is ultimately the only sustainable solution to the violence in Darfur. We urge strong efforts by the United Nations and African Union Special Envoys Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim to advance the political process. To that end, we look forward to the appointment of a Joint UN-AU Chief Mediator to be based in Sudan to support the work of the Special Envoys on a daily basis. --Given the cross-border attacks by the government of Chad (GOC) and GOS, we must also urge both states to respect existing agreements of reconciliation and non-aggression and ensure protection for non-combatant civilians. While we condemn Chadian incursions into Darfur in December and January, we view the GOS' attempt in February to overthrow the Chadian government by supporting Chadian rebels as utterly unacceptable. The onus is on Khartoum to take the first step of cutting off support to the rebels and preventing the imminent threat of another attack from Sudanese territory The US supports the mediation efforts of the African Union and those of Presidents Wade, Bongo, and Kabila to find a peaceful and long term solution for the region. --In addition, we emphasize we are closely watching the situation between northern and southern Sudan, as a reversion to conflict would gravely harm prospects for progress in Darfur, as well as risk catastrophe for the rest of Sudan. All parties must cooperate with the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. --We also continue to condemn the 7 January attack on the UNAMID convoy by Sudanese Armed Forces. We are waiting for the results of the joint UNAMID-government of Sudan (GOS) investigation to determine the cause of the attack and identify measures to ensure that such attacks do not happen again. -------------- DEPLOYMENT OF UNAMID -------------- --We note that fundamentally UNAMID's mandate concerns protecting civilians: preventing attacks against them, and protecting the humanitarian operations that strive to assist them. UNAMID cannot yet accomplish this urgent task. We therefore must continue to urge the UN Secretariat, troop contributors, and the Friends of UNAMID to redouble their efforts to ensure that UNAMID deploys fully and rapidly. --We welcome some signs of progress in the deployment of STATE 00024915 002 OF 002 UNAMID. We look forward to the expeditious deployment of the main body of the Chinese Engineer Unit, the Egyptian Engineer, Signals and Transport Units, the Nigerian Level II hospital, and the Bangladeshi Multi-role Logistics Unit beginning this month. --We appreciate the SYG's support for the joint US-Canada chaired Friends of UNAMID group, launched by our Special Envoy to Sudan last week in New York. As U/SYG Guehenno so aptly put it, "UNAMID needs friends." We are hopeful that this concerted effort will bring the political, financial, and material support together needed to successfully and quickly deploy UNAMID. We call on the UN Secretariat and the troop contributors to deploy 3,600 additional troops by June 1, including the Egyptian and Ethiopian infantry battalions, and rotating former AMIS battalions at full UN strength. --We are glad that the top leadership of the mission is now fully deployed, but emphasize the importance of filling other key positions, such as the Deputy Police Commissioner for Operations, the Chief of Staff, and the Chief of Public Information. We urge productive consultation between the AU and UN to fill these posts as soon as possible, as excellent staffing is critical. --We are concerned by the effects of delays in the deployment of UNAMID military and police on UNAMID's ability to patrol. We appreciate the patrols UNAMID troops and police have been able to provide, including firewood patrols and patrols in the more volatile camps. We strongly look forward to future 24-hour patrols. We urge proactive, extensive patrolling as critical to the core of the mandate: protection of civilians. --We urge that all procedures between troop contributing countries (TCCs) and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations be accelerated. For example, TCCs must provide load lists as expeditiously as possible. All logistical and administrative issues must be worked out not only between DPKO and TCCs, but also within UNAMID, including in the creation of necessary camp infrastructure for future deployments. --The GOS must fully cooperate: All land issues must be resolved. Customs clearance and visa issuance must take place in a timely manner. All TCCs must be accepted. UNAMID has a predominantly African character, so there is no justifiable basis for hindering the deployment of non-African troops. --We are pleased that the Status of Forces Agreement was signed, but are looking to see that the GOS fully respects it. --We remain concerned about force generation issues: the lack of helicopters, heavy transport units, and multi-role logistics unit. We also are concerned by a lack of standards governing formed police units (FPUs) and the absence of donor support to ensure their safe deployment. We urge member states to help fill these gaps. ¶2. POINT-OF-CONTACT: Grace M. Kang, IO/PSC, 202-736-7735. RICE