MINURCAT RENEWAL TALKING POINTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 099698 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL CD CT KPKO UNSC SUBJECT: MINURCAT RENEWAL TALKING POINTS ¶1. Mission may draw on the following points in Security Council consultations on Chad, the Central African Republic and MINURCAT on September 19. Begin Text: The United States would like to thank the Secretary General and the Special Representative for their reports detailing the conditions in Chad and the Central African Republic. We wish to express our appreciation for the work of Special Representative Angelo, which he has conducted under challenging circumstances. We also wish to express our gratitude to the members of the EUFOR for their work and for the foundation for security they have built. The reports provide incontrovertible evidence of the region,s continuing instability and its effects on the civilian population and the humanitarian workers. They also provide ample justification for the Council to be resolute in our efforts to achieve peace and security in the region. Today, I would like to make five points: First, the United States is gravely concerned about the continuing political, military and security volatility in the region, including threats to the security of the vulnerable civilian population, the large population displacement that has occurred, and the ongoing armed conflicts in the region. Many of these concerns have origins in Darfur and Chad. We welcome the efforts of MINURCAT and EUFOR to alleviate the great human suffering. The clear solution to this conflict is to end support by the Governments of Chad and Sudan to Sudanese and Chadian rebel groups. We are particularly concerned about continued efforts of Sudanese rebel movements to recruit from Sudanese refugee camps in eastern Chad, and we call on the Government of Chad to halt recruitment activity. Second, a well-trained and equipped security force must be in place prior to EUFOR,s withdrawal next March and there must be a transition period of sufficient duration and interaction between the departing and arriving forces prior to EUFOR,s departure from the region. Third, the United States is deeply troubled by the status of internally displaced persons and refugees in Chad and the CAR who suffer due to the political instability and general lawlessness in the region. The failure to provide continuing security and humanitarian assistance could produce a vacuum in the region that could worsen already dangerous conditions. We note that the Secretary General,s most recent report estimated that there are more than 290,000 refugees and more than 180,000 internally displaced persons in eastern Chad who are severely impacted by internal and cross-border hostilities, and that they require continuing humanitarian assistance. Despite their needs, over 1.5 million dollars in assistance was destroyed or stolen in June as a result of fighting between Chadian armed opposition groups and the Chadian National Army. Aid workers have been subjected to theft, intimidation, car hijacking, and death threats. The security situation has deteriorated to the point where the delivery of critical services to the most vulnerable has been placed in jeopardy. It is of the utmost importance that security be enhanced to provide adequate protection for the delivery of assistance. We will be exploring options to ensure this enhanced security. Fourth, conditions of lawlessness and criminal activity directed at civilians in Chad and the CAR, particularly sexual and gender-based violence and violence against children, as well as crimes targeting humanitarian aid and aid workers, argue forcefully for strong, well-trained national police units to provide police services in and around all camps of internally displaced persons and refugees. We are compelled to insist that the Government of Chad take all steps necessary to facilitate the immediate deployment of the newly trained Chadian police to the region. In the CAR, the nearly 25,000 IDPs and refugees and humanitarian aid workers are also subject to criminal attacks and increasing banditry and would benefit from police services. The United States continues to support the presence of MINURCAT in the CAR to prevent insecurity that can potentially harm these vulnerable populations. Finally, armed struggle within Chad continues. We strongly encourage all parties to work diligently toward full implementation of the Dakar agreement and all existing peace agreements. We commend the efforts by the Contact Group, and particularly the Government of Libya, for their work to support a comprehensive peace between Chad and Sudan. We also encourage the Government of the CAR to move STATE 00099698 002 OF 002 expeditiously to fully implement the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration provisions of the June 2008 comprehensive peace agreement; and we encourage all parties to cease hostilities against the civilian and humanitarian assistance populations. ¶2. Finally, we thank the Secretariat for its work to highlight ways to improve the implementation of the mandate adopted by the Security Council and look forward to receiving the Secretariat,s detailed recommendations on the renewal of the mandate of MINURCAT. RICE