VZCZCXRO4841
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #1205/01 3591732
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241732Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5600
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 1825
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 1338
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1328
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001205
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SU AF
SUBJECT: UNSC DISCUSSES DEC SYG REPORT ON UNAMID
1. (SBU) Summary: On December 19, U/SYGs Le Roy and
Malcorra briefed the Security Council on the SYG's December
12 report on Sudan. The Sudanese Permanent Representative
also spoke. In the consultations that followed, Council
members discussed the security and humanitarian situation in
Darfur, UNAMID deployment, UN-AU Chief Mediator Bassole's
efforts to foster political dialogue, the need for a
ceasefire to be observed by all parties and adequately
monitored, and the ICC indictment of President Bashir. End
Summary.
U/SYG's Le Roy and Malcorra Brief the Council
---------------------------------------------
2. (SBU) On December 19, UN Under-Secretary General for the
Department of Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy briefed
the Security Council on recent developments affecting the
security and humanitarian situation in Darfur. Le Roy
highlighted that, despite the GOS unilateral declaration of a
ceasefire on November 12, GOS aerial bombardments and clashes
between GOS forces and rebels have continued. Le Roy noted
that, from November 12-25, UNAMID patrols verified reported
allegations of ceasefire violations, including five
allegations of GOS aerial bombardment. Le Roy said that
UNAMID located four bombing craters near the village of Abu
Dongal and six craters near Korbiya.
3. (SBU) UN Under-Secretary General Susana Malcorra briefed
the Council on key issues affecting UNAMID deployment.
Malcorra said that engineering work for the Nyala supercamp
will be completed by the end of 2008, with El Fasher and El
Geneina supercamps scheduled for completion at the end of
January 2009. She said that GOS cooperation had facilitated
UNAMID deployment, noting that the Tri-partite meeting
between the UN, AU and GOS held on November 16 demonstrated
progress on all areas raised during the October 7 Tri-partite
meeting. The parties will meet again in January in Addis.
Malcorra cautioned that the goal for 80 percent deployment by
the end of March is dependent on TCCs' readiness to deploy.
She urged TCCs to begin pre-deployment preparations as soon
as possible.
The Sudanese Perm Rep Responds
------------------------------
4. (SBU) Sudanese Perm Rep Abdalmahmood Mohamad detailed GOS
cooperation with UNAMID, and noted that while being fully
committed to honoring its ceasefire declaration, a series of
rebel and bandit attacks since November 12 had provoked GOS
response. Mohamad noted that the Sudan People's Forum
provides a basis for peace efforts in Darfur and asserted
that if rebels heed the initiatives led by Qatar and joint
UN-AU mediator Bassole, peace could be attained in 2009. He
closed by urging that the Council not allow "adventures" like
the efforts of the International Criminal Court(ICC), to
derail the peace process.
Council Deliberations on Ceasefire
----------------------------------
5. (SBU) Ambassador DiCarlo expressed USG concern over
continued violence in Darfur and the GOS failure to honor its
own unilaterally declared ceasefire. France rebuked the GOS
claim that bandits had provoked it into violating the
ceasefire, and noted that an effective monitoring mechanism
is needed. The UK said that UNAMID would be the natural
focus of monitoring efforts and asked for details about how
UNAMID proposes to monitor the ceasefire. Russia noted that
despite what could be labeled a disproportionate GOS response
to rebel provocations, the Council must still hold rebel
groups accountable for ceasefire violations as well. Russia
also reiterated its earlier request for investigation of the
September 29 helicopter crash in which four Russians were
killed.
UNAMID Deployment
-----------------
6. (SBU) Both Belgium and the UK requested specific
information from the Secretariat as to how the GOS has
complied with the tripartite mechanism, noting that while
recent cooperation is welcome, members should not forget
prior GOS intransigence. The UK also mentioned the joint
UN-US-UK assessment trip to Ethiopia concerning the Ethiopian
pledge of attack helicopters for UNAMID. The UK asked DPKO
to report on why these helicopters cannot deploy until March,
noting that the assessment of the UN-US-UK team was that the
helicopters could be deployed with minimal upgrades. Panama
USUN NEW Y 00001205 002 OF 002
noted that after hearing about the need for helicopters for
months, the continued inability to deploy Ethiopian
helicopters merits concern.
Political Process/ICC
---------------------
7. (SBU) Most delegations welcomed Bassole's initiative to
jumpstart the peace process and Qatar's complementary
efforts. Delegations noted the upcoming meeting in Doha on
January 4 or 5 of the African Union - Arab League Ministerial
Steering Committee on Darfur. Russia, Indonesia and China
asserted that the Council must be prepared to take actions to
ensure rebels participate in the political process.
Regarding the impact of the ICC on the peace process,
Ambassador DiCarlo said that meaningful peace cannot be
obtained while impunity reigns. France, the U.K., Belgium,
Croatia, Costa Rica, Panama and Italy further asserted that
if the GOS wishes to cooperate with the Council then it must
cooperate with the ICC as well.
A/SYG Mulet Responds to Member Questions
----------------------------------------
8. (SBU) A/SYG Mulet responded to members questions.
Concerning the September 29 helicopter crash, Mulet noted
that the GOS has the lead in investigating but that the ICAO
is involved to ensure the investigation comports with
international standards. Mulet said that the Secretariat
would provide a full briefing to the Council in early 2009 on
compliance with the tripartite mechanism but that GOS
cooperation has significantly improved. Mulet cited the GOS
liaison office in El Fasher, movement of goods through
customs, and issuance of visas as evidence of improvement.
On Ethiopian helicopters, Mulet said a UN team will conduct a
pre-deployment visit to ensure pilots and maintenance plans
meet international standards. Mulet also addressed ceasefire
monitoring by noting that in a Phase IV security environment,
limited mobility diminshes the ability to enforce a
ceasefire. He indicated that Bassole supports a ceasefire
mechanism but does not want to create additional structures
duplicative of measures already in place.
Khalilzad