DEMARCHE: REQUEST TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF CHINA,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 014164 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF PREL KPKO CD CT SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: REQUEST TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF CHINA, FRANCE, RUSSIA, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM TO SUPPORT CONTINUATION OF THE UN MISSION IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AND CHAD (MINURCAT) ¶1. This is an action request. Please see paragraph 13. Department requests the assistance of Embassies Beijing, London, Moscow, and Paris in securing assurances from their host governments that they will demarche the Government of Chad (GOC) in an effort to persuade the GOC to continue the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) mandate, as agreed among the P5 in New York. OBJECTIVES -------------- ¶2. Department instructs Embassies Beijing, London, Moscow, and Paris to pursue the following objectives: ¶3. As agreed in a meeting of the P5 in New York, encourage host governments to approach the Government of Chad (GOC) and inform them the request to have MINURCAT withdraw is misguided, and that the GOC should engage with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations to find a way to continue the mission. ¶4. While we understand that the GOC has made strong comments regarding a desire for the withdrawal, we do not believe that all avenues have been explored with Chadian President Deby, and the first step must be to exhaust the possibilities for extending the mandate in accordance with benchmarks as opposed to a calendar-based timeline. ¶5. Encourage officials of the host government,s Foreign Ministry to initiate discussions immediately with officials from the Government of Chad to continue the mandate of MINURCAT, ensuring that adequate security protections are in place for the protection of refugees, internally displaced persons, and other vulnerable civilians, including humanitarian assistance actors and UN personnel present in eastern Chad. ¶6. Determine at what level the host government will approach the GOC and when they expect the discussions will occur, and request a follow-up meeting to obtain a readout of the GOC response to the host government's demarche. (Note to posts: A/S Carson has already delivered this demarche on behalf of the USG in a phone call to President Deby. Special Envoy Gration has also delivered this demarche in a meeting with President Deby. End note) ¶7. SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS --As agreed among the P5 in New York, P5 members should demarche the Government of Chad, to inform the GOC that President Deby's decision to ask for MINURCAT to withdraw was misguided and to encourage Deby to engage with the UN to continue MINURCAT. The P5 also agreed to refrain from discussing specific modalities for the continuation of the mission, leaving this for the UN to negotiate. --Please provide information as to who will deliver the demarche on behalf of your government, and a date and time when we can meet again to discuss the results of your government's demarche with the Government of Chad. MINURCAT -------------- ¶8. MINURCAT was established to contribute to the protection of refugees, displaced persons, and civilians in danger and to create security conditions conducive to a voluntary, secure, and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced persons. The mission contributes to the training and advising of Chadian security forces, and the monitoring and promotion of human rights. The conflict in Darfur, the cross-border movements of refugees and armed rebel groups, and the presence of opportunistic bandits and criminals continue to contribute to the high degree of insecurity in eastern Chad. ¶9. Eastern Chad hosts approximately 270,000 refugees and 170,000 internally displaced persons in the region bordering Darfur in Sudan. This region continues to have frequent violence, and mechanisms to protect vulnerable civilians are required. The MINURCAT military contingent, along with STATE 00014164 002 OF 002 SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: REQUEST TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF CHINA, FRANCE, RUSSIA, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM TO SUPPORT CONTINUATION OF THE UN MISSION IN THE CENTRAL AFRIC MINURCAT police, provides a measure of security for this vulnerable population. MINURCAT also assists in providing security to humanitarian assistance actors in the area. The sudden departure of MINURCAT without adequate preparation for establishing a secure environment could create conditions leading to escalating violence and banditry. With the departure of the peacekeeping mission, humanitarian assistance and those providing the assistance would also be placed in greater jeopardy. ¶10. Substantial efforts and funding has gone into the creation and development of the Detachment Integre de Securite (DIS),the UN-trained and supported special Chadian police responsible for providing security in and around the refugee and IDP camps. The DIS, while still in need of further development, has by all accounts improved security in eastern Chad. The sudden withdrawal of the UN, including the UN police contingent responsible for training and supporting the DIS, would end established programs designed to fully develop the DIS into an effective and professional security organization. Further, the UN Trust Fund used to provide financial support for DIS operations, will in all likelihood cease to exist, thereby precluding additional donor support. The existence and future of the DIS would thus be in jeopardy, severely compromising the security environment in eastern Chad. The departure of MINURCAT will also have negative consequences for security in northeastern Central African Republic, with a likely increase in insecurity that will spill over in the Chad. ¶11. In addition to improving security in Chad for civilians and humanitarian actors, the UN mission has provided, and continues to provide, other forms of important assistance to Chad. MINURCAT has contributed to: 1) efforts to improve the rule of law architecture in Chad including judicial and prison reform; 2) improving prison infrastructure; 3) efforts to educate the population on sexual and gender based violence and to prevent and deter such violence; 4) developing human rights campaigns; and 5) monitoring child protection issues including the use of child soldiers. Further, MINURCAT,s de-mining assistance and efforts have resulted in a significant reduction in the presence of unexploded ordnance. ¶12. The sudden withdrawal of MINURCAT would place immediate and substantial burdens on the Government of Chad, and that of the Central African Republic, to provide security to a large and dispersed group of vulnerable civilians. It is highly doubtful the Government of Chad, or the Government of the Central African Republic, could immediately fill the void that would be left by the sudden withdrawal of the peacekeeping mission. The United States strongly believes the MINURCAT mission should therefore be extended beyond March 15, 2010, until March 2011. ¶13. Action request. Embassies Beijing, London, Moscow, and Paris are requested to approach their host governments February 18, 2010, to obtain their commitment to demarche the GOC in support of the continuation of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad when its mandate expires in March 2010. The Department also requests that information regarding who will deliver the demarche to the GOC on behalf of the host governments be obtained and provided to the Department, and further, that the host governments advise when embassies can follow-up to discuss the results of their efforts. Department appreciates this assistance from Embassies Beijing, London, Moscow, and Paris. End action request. REPORTING DEADLINE -------------- ¶14. Please contact Thomas Brown, IO/PSC, at (202) 736-7789 or Genevieve McKeel, AF/C, at (202) 647-2973, or via e-mail for any necessary further background information or argumentation to meet our objectives. Embassy should report results of efforts by cable to the above by February 19, ¶2010. CLINTON