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Cablegate: Un a/S Mulet Briefs On Unmis, Expresses Concern On

Published: Sat 8 Sep 2007 12:14 AM
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O 080014Z SEP 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2554
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0875
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 1283
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000733
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SIPDIS
AF AND IO FOR FRONT OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC CG SU
SUBJECT: UN A/S MULET BRIEFS ON UNMIS, EXPRESSES CONCERN ON
DRC
REF: UN SYG REPORT S/2007/500
1. (U) SUMMARY. New Assistant Secretary for Peacekeeping
Operations Edmond Mulet delivered two separate briefings to
the UNSC on September 7 regarding recent developments with
the UN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) and Mission of the United
Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC).
Following the Sudan briefing, delegations echoed calls for
full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
(CPA) and highlighted linkages between the situation in
southern Sudan and the Darfur conflict. Qatar spoke at
length but without support against continuation of sanctions
against Sudan. In the MONUC briefing, A/S Mulet described
the recent deterioration of security conditions in eastern
DRC and urged Council members to actively call for a
cessation of hostilities between government and pro-Nkunda
forces. END SUMMARY.
--------------------------------
Broad Council Agreement on the
Need for Full CPA Implementation
--------------------------------
2. (U) A/S Mulet briefed the Council in informal
consultations on the August 20 report on the UN Mission in
the Sudan pursuant to UNSCR 1590, which calls on the SYG to
report to the Council regularly on implementation of the CPA
and UNMIS. Mulet said the overall security situation in
southern Sudan remained calm during the reporting period,
notwithstanding that progress on implementation of the CPA
had been only limited (reftel). He said progress between the
National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation
Movement (SPLM) leaders on the sensitive oil contracts issue
and the status of Abyei region had been likewise minimal. He
chracterized the failure of both sides to fully redeploy
their forces by the July 9 deadline as a setback for CPA
implementation. Of the 46,000 Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)
deployed to southern Sudan at the start of the CPA, only
approximately 32,000 had been redeployed north of the January
1, 1956 border by the end of the reporting period. A/S Mulet
also noted that the formation of the Joint Integrated Units
(JIUs) is significantly behind schedule, and progress with
the implementing legislation and population census necessary
for the 2009 elections has stalled.
3. (U) Delegations broadly echoed calls for full CPA
implementation. France, UK, Italy, Belgium, Ghana, South
Africa and Congo expressed concern over the failure of the
parties to implement key provisions of the CPA. China,
Russia and Indonesia highlighted linkages with the Darfur
conflict and said that a sustainable peace in Darfur would
help the Government of the Sudan (GOS) move forward on CPA
implementation. USUN had praise for UNMIS' assistance with
the transition to the UNAMID hybrid operation in Darfur and
called for its rapid deployment. Qatar called for an end to
the "international sanctions regimes" that contribute to
Sudan's economic isolation and suggested that these financial
pressures hinder the GOS from moving forward with CPA
implementation. (NOTE: Qatar appeared to be referring to
bilateral US and EU sanctions against the GOS. No other
delegation raised this issue. END NOTE.) Lastly,
delegations welcomed the appointment of Ashraf Qazi as the
new SRSG for the Sudan.
---------------
DRC Violence
Raises Concerns
---------------
4. (U) Following the Sudan consultations, A/S Mulet delivered
a short briefing on the recent escalation of violence in the
North Kivu province of the DRC, which began August 27 in the
Masisi and Rutshuru regions. Mulet reported that clashes
between DRC armed forces (FARDC) and rebels loyal to General
Laurent Nkunda have displaced more than 10,000 civilians. In
response to the violence, MONUC has reinforced its
deployments in North and South Kivu. Mulet reported that
MONUC has provided some logistical support to FARDC, but
emphasized that this support is limited to assisting with the
protection of civilian areas. He reported that during the
course of fighting outside the town of Sake on September 7,
MONUC peacekeepers fired on pro-Nkunda forces after they were
attacked by a small band of rebels. He added that MONUC
peacekeepers deployed in North Kivu were currently working to
broker a ceasefire between the two sides.
USUN NEW Y 00000733 002 OF 002
5. (U) A/S Mulet referred to media reports that General
Nkunda has offered to return to talks with the Kabila
government as a positive sign and asked for UNSC members to
encourage the two sides to return to dialogue. He said the
September 2 joint communique of the DRC and Rwandan Foreign
Ministers promising to improve cooperation over border
security is also a helpful step. He said the crisis,
however, was not over and urged Council members to speak out
in support of cessation of hostilities and to encourage the
parties to return to dialogue. At the UK's initiative, the
Council asked the Security Council president (currently
French PR Ripert) to make a short statement to the media
emphasizing these themes.
KHALILZAD
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