SUDAN SANCTIONS: CHAIR BRIEFS A QUIET COUNCIL

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000851 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC PGOV PREL SU UNSC SUBJECT: SUDAN SANCTIONS: CHAIR BRIEFS A QUIET COUNCIL ¶1. SUMMARY: On September 15, Austrian Perm Rep Mayr-Harting, chair of the Sudan Sanctions Committee ("1591 Committee") updated the UN Security Council on the Committee's activities over the previous ninety days, including the Committee's informal consultations with the Panel of Experts. Ambassador Rice stated that the United States is troubled by Sudanese and Chadian sanctions violations and reports of increased recruitment of child solders. No other Council members made statements. END SUMMARY. ¶2. On September 15, Austrian Perm Rep Mayr-Harting, chair of the Sudan Sanctions Committee ("1591 Committee") updated the Council on the Committee's activities over the last ninety days. Mayr-Harting reported on the Panel of Experts' (POE) oral briefing to the Committee and highlighted POE findings (NOTE: the POE is a Security Council-mandated group of independent experts charged with monitoring and reporting on Sudan sanctions. END NOTE). The POE's report noted that the frequency of sanctions violations increased in Darfur during the reporting period (June 20-September 15, 2009). The POE said that there was significant consolidation of Darfur rebel groups under the military leadership of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and of Chadian armed groups under the Union des Forces de la Resistance (UFR),and that JEM and UFR heavily recruited child solders in Eastern Chad and Darfur. The POE also documented Sudanese and Chadian Armed Forces offensive military over-flights in Darfur. According to the POE, the Government of Sudan is more willing to meet with the experts but will not answer written requests. Finally, Meyr-Harting reported that the Committee received a letter from the UN Secretariat/Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) in response to concerns raised by the Committee over lack of information sharing and cooperation between the peacekeeping missions and the POE. DPKO acknowledged these concerns and is developing formal guidelines to govern coordination. ¶3. Ambassador Rice said that the United States is deeply troubled by the POE's reports of offensive over-flights by the Sudanese and Chadian Armed Forces, and concerned that Darfur and Chadian rebel groups are recruiting child soldiers. Rice commended DPKO's initiative to draft formal guidelines and reminded all parties that coordination with the POE is mandated by the Security Council. Finally, Rice reiterated that the POE can only be effective if member states respect its mandate. ¶4. No other Council members made statements. ¶5. Following the briefing, Ambassador Rice, in her capacity as Security Council President, delivered statements to the press on behalf of the Council expressing support for the Committee's work and looking forward to the POE's final report (due this month). RICE