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