Cablegate: National Assembly Calls for Non-Renewal of Updf Military

VZCZCXRO9732
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2748 3311618
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271618Z NOV 06 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5389
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002748

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS UG SU
SUBJECT: National Assembly Calls for Non-Renewal of UPDF Military
Protocol

1. On November 22, the National Assembly approved a resolution
calling for the non-renewal of the protocol with the Ugandan
People's Defense Force (UPDF) in Sudan. The original agreement,
signed in March 2002, permitted the UPDF to operate in limited
portions of Southern Sudan against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
Although a review was scheduled for April 2006, ongoing peace talks
between the UPDF and LRA sidelined further discussion.

2. The bill also recommended that Joint Integrated Units (JIUs),
comprising Sudan Armed Forces and SPLA troops, be charged with
guarding the nation's Southern borders. Finally, the resolution
called on the Ministry of Defense to submit a plan for improving
Sudanese defense capabilities to the National Assembly.

3. Comment: this development follows Ugandan President Museveni's
recent ordering of the UPDF to pull back from some of its bases in
Southern Sudan.

HUME

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