Cablegate: Dpko Seeks P5 Help Against Sudan's Obstacles To

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0636/01 2150007
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030007Z AUG 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2385
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 1422
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 0292
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0835
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000636

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SU KPKO
SUBJECT: DPKO SEEKS P5 HELP AGAINST SUDAN'S OBSTACLES TO
DARFUR DEPLOYMENT

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In an August 1 meeting of P5 Ambassadors,
Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)
Under-Secretary-General Guehenno solicited P5 bilateral
engagement with the Sudanese Government of National Unity
(GNU) on the issue of GNU restrictions on movement of goods
and flight clearances that are hindering the deployment of
assets to Darfur. Chinese Permanent Representative (PR) Wang
urged that the problem be treated as a "technical," vice
"political," issue that should be addressed through the
Tripartite Mechanism (the United Nations, the African Union
and the GNU). Russian PR Churkin suggested that the
Secretary-General send a letter to President Bashir

SIPDIS
congratulating him on the adoption of UNSCR 1769 and raising
the concerns Guehenno mentioned, a proposal agreed to by
other P5 Members. UK PR Jones Parry and Ambassador Sanders
noted that the timetable for Darfur deployment should not be
allowed to be pushed back on account of this type of GNU
activity, activity against which UNSCR 1769 was designed to
protect. Jones Parry requested a briefing during the week of
August 6 by the UN technical team returning from
consultations with the African Union (AU) on outstanding
aspects of hybrid preparations, and both Jones Parry and
Ambassador Sanders conveyed the willingness of London and
Washington to assist in filling in the blanks with these
preparations. END SUMMARY.

UN OUTLINES CONCERNS
--------------------
2. (SBU) In an August 1 meeting of P5 Ambassadors, DPKO
Under-Secretary-General (U/SYG) Guehenno solicited P5
bilateral engagement with the GNU on the issue of GNU
restrictions on movement of goods and flight clearances that
are hindering the deployment of assets to Darfur. Guehenno
warned that if left unchecked, these "difficulties" caused by
the GNU would prevent the effective deployment of necessary
materiel and personnel to Darfur and would disrupt the
timetable for deployment called for in UNSCR 1769. In the
area of movement of goods, Guehenno cited the 2.2 percent
surcharge levied by the Sudanese Seaport Corporation on the
import of goods through Port Sudan, which had resulted in the
holding since May of $39 million worth of UNMIS materiel
(some of which was necessary for the construction of
accommodations for incoming UN personnel) destined for
Darfur. However, Department of Field Support (DFS) Acting
Chief de Chambord warned that even if the materiel were
released imminently, it would set the timetable back by at
least one month, given the volume of the cargo detained,
which includes 646 20-foot containers, 18,000 metric tons of
fuel and 200 light vehicles. De Chambord added that two
cargo shipments from the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in
Brindisi are also blocked and that two flights from Brindisi
containing $300,000 worth of communications equipment had
been diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, to avoid losing this cargo
capacity, as well.

3. (SBU) U/SYG Guehenno noted that the UN had raised this
issue repeatedly but to no avail with the GNU: Notes Verbales
were sent on May 22 and June 21, and the issue was also
raised through the Tripartite Mechanism in meetings on June
23 and July 25. Guehenno said that the Foreign Ministry had
assured the UN that it would address the issue, but that the
Ministry of Finance is truly the key player. Guehenno noted
the recent receipt of a letter from the Sudanese Ministry of
Finance assuring the UN that it would address the issue of
releasing these goods, a letter that DPKO considered a good
sign. Guehenno warned that leaving such bureaucratic matters
unaddressed for too long would have negative consequences for
the UN.

4. (SBU) On the issue of flight clearances, U/SYG Guehenno
reported the GNU required separate clearances for materiel
earmarked for the AU Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) and for the
Heavy Support Package (HSP) of UN assistance to AMIS, a
procedure that is slowing down delivery. DFS Acting Chief de
Chambord elaborated that the Sudanese aviation authority is
also boarding UN aircraft arbitrarily and asking contractors
to disembark. He said the GNU permitted the UN no night
flight capacity (critical in the event of medical
evacuations), no permanent positioning of aircraft in Darfur,
and no landing of any aircraft larger than an Ileutian 76,
which is problematic since the UN traditionally uses
Antonov-74 aircraft for early deployment of personnel. De
Chambord told the P5 that another related problem was the
Sudanese Armed Forces' (SAF) assumption of control of

airports in Darfur after 1800h, when the SAF performed work
on all aircraft there, including those of AMIS.

P5 REACTION
-----------
5. (SBU) Chinese Permanent Representative PR Wang urged that
the problem be treated as a "technical," vice "political,"
issue that should be addressed through the Tripartite
Mechanism (the United Nations, the African Union and the
GNU). He suggested that the Tripartite Mechanism meet more
frequently, perhaps on a daily basis, to pre-empt such
issues. Guehenno responded that the Sudanese mindset with
regard to the Tripartite Mechanism needed to change, since
the GNU sees the body as a approving/vetting mechanism,
whereas the UN considers it simply a "facilitating" body.
Wang further warned against allowing this issue to upset the
political momentum generated by adoption of UNSCR 1769 and
agreed to revert to Beijing on how bilateral contacts could
be strengthened to address the issue. Wang urged the P5 not
to use the Security Council "in a public way" on this issue.
Russian PR Churkin suggested that the Secretary-General send
a letter to President Bashir congratulating him on the
adoption of UNSCR 1769 and raising the concerns Guehenno
mentioned, a proposal supported by other P5 Members.

6. (SBU) Ambassador Sanders and the UK and French
representatives urged caution, however, pointing out that
this recurring pattern of resistance by the GNU is especially
worrying in the afterglow of UNSCR 1769 adoption. UK PR
Jones Parry and Ambassador Sanders asserted that the
timetable for Darfur deployment should not be allowed to be
pushed back on account of this type of GNU activity, activity
against which UNSCR 1769 was designed to protect. Jones
Parry suggested using UNSCR 1769 as the "hook" for engaging
the Sudanese on this issue in the SYG's letter to President
Bashir, portraying the raising of the matter as an
appropriate response to the provisions of the resolution,
rather than as recrimination for Sudanese bad behavior.

7. (SBU) UK PR Jones Parry requested a briefing during the
week of August 6 by the UN technical team returning from
consultations with the African Union (AU) on outstanding
aspects of hybrid preparations, and both Jones Parry and
Ambassador Sanders conveyed the intent of London and
Washington to assist in filling in the blanks with these
preparations. The UN seeks to confirm troop- and
police-contributing countries' contributions for the hybrid
operation by August 15.
KHALILZAD

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