Cablegate: U/Syg Guehenno: Still No Agreement On Unamid Tcc

VZCZCXRO7462
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBZ RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHDU RUEHFL RUEHGI
RUEHIK RUEHJO RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPOD
RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTRO RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUCNDT #1022/01 3191433
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151433Z NOV 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3104
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001022

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; PLEASE PASS TO SE NATSIOS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPAL SU MOPS
SUBJECT: U/SYG GUEHENNO: STILL NO AGREEMENT ON UNAMID TCC
LIST

REF: USUN 01001

1. (U) SUMMARY: DPKO U/SYG Guehenno told the Security
Council November 14 that the Government of the Sudan (GOS)
has not yet made the strategic decision to cooperate fully
with UNAMID deployment. Guehenno said the GOS had not
finalized agreement on the UN/AU agreed TCC list, which they
received on October 2, during November 11 discussions with
DPKO in Addis Ababa. China and Qatar responded that the
remaining issues with UNAMID deployment could be resolved
through the Tripartite Commission and further discussions
with the GOS. END SUMMARY.

-----------------------------
No Agreement on TCC List From
Addis GOS-UN Meeting
-----------------------------

2. (U) U/SYG Guehenno briefed the Council November 14 on the
latest developments with UNAMID deployment. Guehenno said he
met with representative of the Government of the Sudan (GOS)
and the African Union on November 11 in Addis Ababa (reftel).
Guehenno said he briefed the Sudanese in detail on the TCC
list. Guehenno said the Sudanese representatives had
expressed concern about three of the TCCs: Norway (Engineer
Company, composed of Swedish and Norwegian troops) Nepal
(Infantry) and Thailand (Infantry). The Sudanese
representatives asked that the deployment of African TCCs be
moved ahead of the non-African participants, so as to assuage
local concerns about non-African participation in UNAMID.
The Sudanese were particularly concerned about the Nordic
unit because of the "association" of these countries with the
popular uproar over the Prophet Muhammad cartoon crisis.

3. (U) Guehenno said he went over the deployment schedule
with the Sudanese and explained why each of these countries
offered essential components for UNAMID. Guehenno explained
that only one of the eighteen units deploying during the
first phase of UNAMID would be non-African (Thai Infantry)
and that any adjustments to the timeline would lessen the
capabilities of the force. Guehenno said the Sudanese
representatives initially responded positively before
conferring again with Khartoum and reiterating that the
African units would have to come first. He underscored that
the GOS has not yet "said no" to the TCC list and left open
the possibility of a finalized agreement. He added that the
GOS still has not made a "strategic decision" to cooperate
with UNAMID deployment, as demonstrated by the ongoing
delays. What was needed now from the GOS, he said, is the
"political will" to cooperate.

4. (U) Guehenno highlighted the need for TCCs to provide
UNAMID with the remaining shortfalls of specialized military
assets. (NOTE: DPKO still needs one section of attack
helicopters (6 helicopters to a section), three sections of
medium lift utility helicopters (6 to a section) two
transport companies. END NOTE.) Guehenno said the September
30 attack on the AMIS peacekeepers in Haskanita had
demonstrated that UNAMID needed helicopters and logisticial
assets to defend itself. He predicted that UNAMID would be
"tested" early in its deployment. Guehenno commented that if
the international community could not find these assets by
the December 31 Transfer of Authority (TOA) than DPKO would
have to bring the issue back to the Council for consideration
of other modalities, such as increasing the force size or
limiting the area of operations.

------------------------
Council Discussion
Follows Darfur Divisions
------------------------

5. (U) AMB Wolcott said that the Council would need to
consider further action in the light of President Bashir's
pattern of non-cooperation with UNAMID. AMB Wolcott
highlighted that President Bashir had responded to DPKO's
attempts to clarify his concerns about UNAMID by making a
press statement accusing the UN of attempting to deploy
American and Israeli intelligence operatives with the
non-African components of UNAMID. France, the UK, Slovakia
and Belgium concurred that President Bashir is not
cooperating with UNAMID and that this was unacceptable.
French PermRep Ripert criticized the GOS for engaging in the
"politics of intimidation" to delay UNAMID deployment.

6. (U) China repeated it's often stated talking point that
the remaining UNAMID deployment issues could be resolved

USUN NEW Y 00001022 002 OF 002

through the Tripartite Commission (UN, AU and the GOS).
Qatar said the remaining issues were "primarily technical"
and could be resolved through further consultations with the
Sudanese. AMB Wolcott responded that DPKO had made clear
that GOS is not fully cooperating with UNAMID deployment. She
added that if the UN is not able to reach an agreement with
the Sudanese on the TCC list soon, with only six weeks to go
until the TOA, the Security Council may need to consider
"further action" when the issue is discussed again on
November 26.

Khalilzad

© Scoop Media