CANADA URGES SUDAN'S COOPERATION WITH ICC

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000168 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM KICC SU CA SUBJECT: CANADA URGES SUDAN'S COOPERATION WITH ICC REF: STATE 19203 Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) In a public statement on March 4, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon offered Canada's appreciation of the International Criminal Court for its indictment of Sudan President Omar al-Bashir, noting that "Canada strongly supports the work of the ICC, including its work in Sudan." He called on Sudan to cooperate with the ICC and to abide by UN Security Council Resolution 1593. He added that Canada will continue to call for "ongoing scrutiny of Sudan's commitments to human rights." ¶2. (C) Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Sudan Task Force Director Douglas "Scott" Proudfoot told poloff on March 5 that Canada sought to "support the court without commenting on the case" against Bashir. He noted that the U.S., as a non-signatory to the ICC, had faced the "opposite dilemma of supporting the case (against Bashir) without supporting the Court" in its own public messaging (reftel). ¶3. (C/NF) The Canadian embassy in Khartoum hosted a meeting of donor countries and NGOs on March 4 in response to Sudan's decision to expel 13 NGO aid organizations from Darfur, according to Proudfoot. The NGOs asked the donor countries to avoid "threats" or "harsh rhetoric," since the NGO leaders hoped to reverse Sudan's decision, Proudfoot said. The NGOs have also asked that donor countries not specifically name any organizations in their statements. Proudfoot described the meeting as "productive, but said he doubted the collective ability of donor countries to issue a joint statement in a timely fashion. Proudfoot lamented that clearing such documents with the EU often leads to lengthy delays that undercut their impact. For that reason, Canada will likely issue its own statement on March 5 condemning the expulsions. He indicated that Canada would abide by the wishes of the NGOs in its statement. Proudfoot added that he plans to attend the upcoming contact group meeting in Brussels on March 11. ¶4. (U) Canada has contributed C$514 million since January 2006 for humanitarian assistance, reconstruction, stabilization, and peacekeeping operations in Sudan. Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / BREESE