A/SYG MULET DISCUSSES ICC CONTINGENCY PLANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000161 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SU AF SUBJECT: A/SYG MULET DISCUSSES ICC CONTINGENCY PLANS Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Ambassador DiCarlo met with Assistant Secretary General for the Department of Peace Keeping Operations Edmond Mulet on February 18 to discuss the UN's contingency plans after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues a decision on the request for an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Bashir. Mulet said that the UN plans are for "business continuity" -- i.e. UN personnel will stay put. He said that in a worst case scenario, the UN will consider evacuating personnel and indicated that the UN has sufficient resources to do so as long as violence does not become widespread. Mulet thought that Khartoum would calibrate its response to the indictment in accordance with the international community's reaction. Mulet also said he had heard the ICC would not issue a decision on February 20, but would rather make a public announcement of the date on which a decision will be issued. End Summary. Contingency Plans -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador DiCarlo requested the meeting with A/SYG Mulet in order to more fully discuss the UN's contingency plans in the event an ICC indictment of Bashir results in violence on the ground in Sudan. Mulet turned to the Directors of the Africa Division I (Meg Carey) and Darfur Integrated Operational Team (IOT) (Mike Gaoette) for a briefing on UN plans should security be impacted by an ICC indictment of Bashir. Carey, who traveled to Sudan ten days ago to assess the missions' preparedness, reiterated that the UN intends to sustain the missions' core mandates of protecting civilians even in potentially deteriorating security situations. Mulet cited Muhajerija, where UN personnel remained on site even after being asked by the GOS to leave, as precedent. Carey indicated that the UN has updated its security management plans for the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and the hybrid UN African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). She further noted that there are sufficient water and food supplies on hand to sustain personnel, and communciations equipment has been tested as has the warden system that will inform personnel of where to gather for safety if security substantially deteriorates. In the event evacuation is required, Carey indicated that the UN has sufficient assets located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with Sudan, to remove personnel. Mulet noted that the UN has also established a crisis management team at headquarters that will be able to quickly respond to any developing crisis and disseminate information to member states. Mulet Urges Moderate Reaction -------------- ¶3. (C) Mulet said that Khartoum's reaction to the indictment would be influenced directly by the reaction of the international community. He thought that Khartoum would test the international community, as it did after the ICC Prosecutor's July 2008 decision to request an arrest warrant. Mulet observed that immediately after this decision, President Bashir invited SRSG Qazi and SRSG Adada to have tea. Mulet also said that Khartoum invited all resident ambassadors to witness President Bashir's signing of the electoral law at that time. Mulet thought it would be critical for the international community to demonstrate that it would continue to engage with the GOS immediately after the ICC issues its decision. He relayed that the UK ambassador in Khartoum had already received instructions that if invited to a GOS function, she should attend. Mulet noted that the European Union had indicated that it would issue a moderate statement in reaction to the ICC decision. Mulet also said that the Secretary General would issue a moderate statement, and the UN missions would continue to engage with the GOS. How can we help? -------------- ¶4. (C) Ambassador DiCarlo asked how the U.S. could be most helpful in the aftermath of the ICC's decision, and Mulet requested that the U.S. demonstrate concrete signs of continued engagement with Khartoum, noting that Khartoum would most closely monitor the U.S. reaction to the indictment. Gaoette stated that Washington should send the same message to the rebels that it sends to the GOS, encouraging calm and restraint for both parties, but particularly emphasizing that the rebels should not use the ICC decision as a pretext for further military action. Gaoette observed that the GOS is concerned with the military advantage gained by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). Mulet added that, during negotiations in Doha, the GOS advocated for a more substantive agreement but JEM was USUN NEW Y 00000161 002 OF 002 reluctant to add substance and adopted a "wait and see" attitude to the ICC's pending actions. Thus, Mulet agreed it would be critical to call on both rebels and the GOS to exercise restraint. Rice