SE ELIASSON AND USYG GUEHENNO BRIEF THE SECURITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000118 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; PLEASE PASS TO SE WILIAMSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM UNSC SU MOPS PREL SUBJECT: SE ELIASSON AND USYG GUEHENNO BRIEF THE SECURITY COUNCIL REF: SECSTATE 13069 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: UN Special Envoy for the Sudan Jan Eliasson and UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno briefed the Security Council February 8 on the latest developments on the Darfur peace process and UNAMID deployment. Eliasson reported that while he has made some progress in unifying the rebel factions, the deteriorating security conditions made substantive movement towards a second round of talks impossible. While Guehenno reported deteriorating security conditions in Darfur, he said the Government of the Sudan had promised to sign the UNAMID status of forces agreement by February 10. Security Council delegations called for redoubled efforts to fully deploy UNAMID and move forward with the Darfur peace process. Sudan did not ask to participate in the Security Council session. END SUMMARY. -------------- ELIASSON'S HIGHEST PRIORITY IS SECURITY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Darfur Jan Eliasson reported some progress in preparing for substantive talks, but said advancement was undermined by the deteriorating security situation. Eliasson highlighted that rebel factions had organized into five groups (SLA-Unity, URF, SLA-Abdul Shafie, SLA-Abdul Wahid, and JEM-Khalil Ibrahim),but noted that only two groups (SLA-Unity and URF) agreed to participate in preparatory meetings for substantive talks. Eliasson praised UNAMID efforts to include civil society, IDPs, and traditional leaders, and called for a full-time joint AU-UN mediator. ¶3. (SBU) Eliasson stressed that improving security was the highest priority. He said recent clashes in North Darfur and West Darfur, aerial bombardments, and cross-border incursion between Chad and Darfur endangered humanitarian assistance and hindered the political process. He called on all parties to unilaterally declare a cessation of hostilities and to participate in reforming the existing ceasefire mechanisms. Eliasson called for member states to assist his efforts by helping create regional stability, demanding a cessation of hostilities, ensuring rapid troop preparation and deployment, urging parties to participate in the political process, and continuing humanitarian assistance and recovery planning. 
 -------------- GUEHENNO CITES NEGATIVE SECURITY TRENDS, UNAMID OBSTACLES -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Under-Secretary-General for Peace Keeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno called his recent visit to Sudan "sobering," and stressed the negative effects of recent hostilities in Western Darfur (as well as on-going hostilities reported during the UNSC meeting) and the tensions between Sudan and Chad. He also cited other harmful developments including the mobilization and shifting alliances of Arab militia in South Darfur, the appointment of Musa Hilal as a GOS adviser, continuing displacement, impending crop failures, and decreasing humanitarian access. Guehenno expressed concern that the joint mission was severely under-resourced and would not meet the civilians' expectations. ¶5. (SBU) Guehenno said he had a constructive meeting with Mutrif Siddiq, Chairman of GOS's technical committee for UNAMID implementation, but no conclusions were reached because Siddiq had to consult with his government. On force composition, Guehenno requested the GOS to decide quickly on the inclusion of Thai and Nepalese troops. Guehenno called for imminent signature of the SOFA, though he noted that it did not yet grant full freedom of movement for UNAMID personnel. Guehenno asked troop and police contributors to expedite pre-deployment preparations and urged nations to provide aviation and ground transportation assets. He welcomed Ethopia's offer of helicopters and planned to review it. -------------- AU COMMITTED TO JOINT MISSION -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Permanent Observer for the African Union Lila USUN NEW Y 00000118 002 OF 002 Ratsifandrihamanana affirmed the AU's commitment to the mission and called for additional resources for UNAMID. She called on all parties to cooperate with the peace process and urged Khartoum to resolve outstanding issues of access to land and water and the issuance of visas. -------------- Council Discussion Tracks Established Darfur Divisions -------------- ¶7. (SBU) AMB Khalilzad delivered reftel talking points, calling for the rapid appointment of an UN-AU joint mediator, the full deployment of UNAMID and for Chad and Sudan to refrain from interference in each other's internal affairs. French PermRep Jean Maurice Ripert emphasized that Sudanese support for rebels in Chad had led to a significant deterioration in regional security and called for the international community to begin paying greater attention to the regional dimension of the conflict. UKUN PermRep John Sawers also condemned the February 8 Sudanese Armed Forces and janjaweed attack on IDP camps in West Darfur. Sawers condemned Musa Hilal's appointment as an GOS advsier, and both he and Ripert called for Sudanese cooperation with the ICC. ¶8. (SBU) Chinese PermRep Wang and Russian PermRep Churkin largely repeated their established position regarding continued engagement with the GOS to move forward with UNAMID deployment and enhanced diplomatic pressure on Darfur rebel groups. (NOTE: The Sudanese Permanent Mission did not request to participate in the meeting, reportedly because the Sudanese PermRep was travelling. END NOTE.) Churkin concurred with the U.S. on the need for a joint UN-AU mediator and a regional approach to resolving the Darfur crisis. Wang insisted that the primary reasons for UNAMID's delayed deployment lay with the UN and international community - inadequate TCC support and the lack of pledges of specialized military capabilities. In regard to the peace process, Wang called on "the nations with influence over the rebels" to do more to push them towards a constructive negotiating position. KHALILZAD