VZCZCXRO3805
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDU RUEHFL
RUEHGI RUEHIK RUEHJO RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMR
RUEHPA RUEHPOD RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTRO RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUCNDT #0118/01 0392307
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 082307Z FEB 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3679
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000118
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; PLEASE PASS TO SE WILIAMSON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UNSC SU MOPS PREL
SUBJECT: SE ELIASSON AND USYG GUEHENNO BRIEF THE SECURITY
COUNCIL
REF: SECSTATE 13069
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: UN Special Envoy for the Sudan Jan Eliasson
and UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations
Jean-Marie Guehenno briefed the Security Council February 8
on the latest developments on the Darfur peace process and
UNAMID deployment. Eliasson reported that while he has made
some progress in unifying the rebel factions, the
deteriorating security conditions made substantive movement
towards a second round of talks impossible. While Guehenno
reported deteriorating security conditions in Darfur, he said
the Government of the Sudan had promised to sign the UNAMID
status of forces agreement by February 10. Security Council
delegations called for redoubled efforts to fully deploy
UNAMID and move forward with the Darfur peace process. Sudan
did not ask to participate in the Security Council session.
END SUMMARY.
--------------------
ELIASSON'S HIGHEST
PRIORITY IS SECURITY
--------------------
2. (SBU) Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Darfur
Jan Eliasson reported some progress in preparing for
substantive talks, but said advancement was undermined by the
deteriorating security situation. Eliasson highlighted that
rebel factions had organized into five groups (SLA-Unity,
URF, SLA-Abdul Shafie, SLA-Abdul Wahid, and JEM-Khalil
Ibrahim), but noted that only two groups (SLA-Unity and URF)
agreed to participate in preparatory meetings for substantive
talks. Eliasson praised UNAMID efforts to include civil
society, IDPs, and traditional leaders, and called for a
full-time joint AU-UN mediator.
3. (SBU) Eliasson stressed that improving security was the
highest priority. He said recent clashes in North Darfur and
West Darfur, aerial bombardments, and cross-border incursion
between Chad and Darfur endangered humanitarian assistance
and hindered the political process. He called on all parties
to unilaterally declare a cessation of hostilities and to
participate in reforming the existing ceasefire mechanisms.
Eliasson called for member states to assist his efforts by
helping create regional stability, demanding a cessation of
hostilities, ensuring rapid troop preparation and deployment,
urging parties to participate in the political process, and
continuing humanitarian assistance and recovery planning.
---------------------------------
GUEHENNO CITES NEGATIVE
SECURITY TRENDS, UNAMID OBSTACLES
---------------------------------
4. (SBU) Under-Secretary-General for Peace Keeping Operations
Jean-Marie Guehenno called his recent visit to Sudan
"sobering," and stressed the negative effects of recent
hostilities in Western Darfur (as well as on-going
hostilities reported during the UNSC meeting) and the
tensions between Sudan and Chad. He also cited other harmful
developments including the mobilization and shifting
alliances of Arab militia in South Darfur, the appointment of
Musa Hilal as a GOS adviser, continuing displacement,
impending crop failures, and decreasing humanitarian access.
Guehenno expressed concern that the joint mission was
severely under-resourced and would not meet the civilians'
expectations.
5. (SBU) Guehenno said he had a constructive meeting with
Mutrif Siddiq, Chairman of GOS's technical committee for
UNAMID implementation, but no conclusions were reached
because Siddiq had to consult with his government. On force
composition, Guehenno requested the GOS to decide quickly on
the inclusion of Thai and Nepalese troops. Guehenno called
for imminent signature of the SOFA, though he noted that it
did not yet grant full freedom of movement for UNAMID
personnel. Guehenno asked troop and police contributors to
expedite pre-deployment preparations and urged nations to
provide aviation and ground transportation assets. He
welcomed Ethopia's offer of helicopters and planned to review
it.
-----------------------------
AU COMMITTED TO JOINT MISSION
-----------------------------
6. (SBU) Permanent Observer for the African Union Lila
USUN NEW Y 00000118 002 OF 002
Ratsifandrihamanana affirmed the AU's commitment to the
mission and called for additional resources for UNAMID. She
called on all parties to cooperate with the peace process and
urged Khartoum to resolve outstanding issues of access to
land and water and the issuance of visas.
----------------------------
Council Discussion Tracks
Established Darfur Divisions
----------------------------
7. (SBU) AMB Khalilzad delivered reftel talking points,
calling for the rapid appointment of an UN-AU joint mediator,
the full deployment of UNAMID and for Chad and Sudan to
refrain from interference in each other's internal affairs.
French PermRep Jean Maurice Ripert emphasized that Sudanese
support for rebels in Chad had led to a significant
deterioration in regional security and called for the
international community to begin paying greater attention to
the regional dimension of the conflict. UKUN PermRep John
Sawers also condemned the February 8 Sudanese Armed Forces
and janjaweed attack on IDP camps in West Darfur. Sawers
condemned Musa Hilal's appointment as an GOS advsier, and
both he and Ripert called for Sudanese cooperation with the
ICC.
8. (SBU) Chinese PermRep Wang and Russian PermRep Churkin
largely repeated their established position regarding
continued engagement with the GOS to move forward with UNAMID
deployment and enhanced diplomatic pressure on Darfur rebel
groups. (NOTE: The Sudanese Permanent Mission did not
request to participate in the meeting, reportedly because the
Sudanese PermRep was travelling. END NOTE.) Churkin
concurred with the U.S. on the need for a joint UN-AU
mediator and a regional approach to resolving the Darfur
crisis. Wang insisted that the primary reasons for UNAMID's
delayed deployment lay with the UN and international
community - inadequate TCC support and the lack of pledges of
specialized military capabilities. In regard to the peace
process, Wang called on "the nations with influence over the
rebels" to do more to push them towards a constructive
negotiating position.
KHALILZAD