VZCZCXRO3141
PP RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #0140/01 0171212
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171212Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8644
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 000140 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/FO, AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AF/E. 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPKO MARR SU AU
SUBJECT: DARFUR:  AU PSC ACCEPTS TRANSITION OF AMIS TO THE 
UN IN PRINCIPLE 
 
REF: A. STATE 1351 
 
     ¶B. ADDIS ABABA 48 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On January 12, the African Union (AU) 
Peace and Security Council (PSC) extended the mandate of the 
AU Mission in Darfur, Sudan (AMIS) until March 31, 2006 and 
accepted "in principle" the transition of AMIS to a UN 
operation.  The PSC will meet again in Addis at the foreign 
ministers level in March 2006 to make a final decision on the 
transition.  In the interim, the AU Commission will engage in 
consultations with the UN and other partners on the 
modalities of transition.  The AU will expect to work closely 
with the USG to ensure transition modalities are mutually 
acceptable, that the mission retains an African character, 
and that AMIS receives necessary funding in the interim. 
Demonstrating concrete action to that effect will contribute 
to a positive and definitive PSC decision in March, as well 
as facilitate continued close cooperation with the AU to 
enhance African peacekeeping capabilities.  The AU's Darfur 
Integrated Task Force (DITF) is working with partners to 
implement December assessment mission recommendations to 
improve AMIS capability.  The AU also wants continued partner 
pressure on the Sudanese parties to achieve a political 
settlement.  End summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
AU ACCEPTS TRANSITION, WANTS TO ENGAGE ON MODALITIES 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The AU Commission's report to the PSC reflected 
points made in the December joint assessment mission report 
and in coordinated partner demarches to the AU and member 
states in January.  The Commission's report noted that an 
international presence must be sustained in Darfur for some 
time, that AMIS would remain for six to nine months pending a 
transition to the UN, that AMIS had been successful in laying 
the groundwork for a political settlement though stabilizing 
the situation in Darfur, and that, although partner funding 
is not without limit, partners committed to sustaining AMIS 
in the interim period before a transition.  Peace and 
Security Director Geofrey Mugumya told Poloff January 11 
that, while most PSC members accepted the need for 
transition, Northern countries were opposed.  The PSC 
communique paragraph on transition reflects compromise 
language circulated the morning following the PSC meeting. 
PSC member states authorized an extension of AMIS only until 
March 31, 2006, due to the lack of predictable funding beyond 
that point. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On January 11, AU Commissioner for Peace and 
Security Amb. Said Djinnit told Poloff that he is personally 
convinced of the need for a transition to the UN, and wants 
to focus on building AU capacity to fulfill a policy of 
"non-indifference" when it comes to African conflicts.  He 
expressed firm belief that, in contrast to ad-hoc missions 
like AMIS, the African Standby Force (ASF) process is geared 
to provide the AU with the necessary tools to conduct peace 
support operations.  Djinnit said that it is important the AU 
retain the lead on the Darfur political talks, and that the 
AU wants to work with the USG and other partners to 
reinvigorate the process. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Director for Peace and Security Mugumya told Poloff 
later on January 11 that the AU expects close consultations 
with the USG further to commitments to maintain the African 
character of a military mission in Darfur (Note:  Mugumya was 
referring to Ref A "selling points" regarding U.S. pursuit of 
re-hatting as many AMIS troops as practicable, securing an 
African Force Commander for a UN mission, and providing 
training and equipment for African troops.  AU Peace and 
Security Council (PSC) members attending a January 11 lunch 
sponsored by Ambassador expressed interest in working with 
partners on the mandate for a UN mission to ensure that 
re-hatting brings added value.  These PSC members and other 
African Ambassadors also appeared intrigued by the 
possibility of retaining an African character to the mission 
in Darfur.  Djinnit and AU Commission Chairperson Konare's 
Bureau Director Mamadou Lamine Diallo both state the need for 
partners to ensure AMIS can fill its funding gap. 
 
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NEXT STEPS 
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¶5. (SBU)  DITF Head Amb. Ki Doulaye told the partners liaison 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000140  002 OF 003 
 
 
group (which meets twice-weekly with the AU to discuss Darfur 
support) on January 16 that the AU is open to discussion on 
the way forward for AMIS.  According to Amb. Ki, AU 
Commission Chairperson Konare intends to begin discussions 
with UNSYG Annan on the margins of the January 23-24 AU 
Summit in Khartoum.  The UN Assistance Cell to the AU in 
Addis Ababa is already beginning a checklist of logistical 
issues that must be settled to facilitate a transition from 
AMIS to a UN operation, and UN representatives note that the 
UN must soon conduct a comprehensive Technical Evaluation in 
Darfur before heading to Addis to discuss equipment 
disposition, contract status and other issues.  Also 
according to UN representatives, UNSYG Annan intends to 
convene a donor conference on AMIS to facilitate a greater UN 
and other partner role in assisting AMIS throughout the 
interim period.  The UN expects that PAE services will remain 
in place for some period of time after transition.  The DITF 
has created a technical committee to develop a roadmap to 
implement December assessment mission recommendations to 
improve AMIS capability.  The AU welcomes partner input in 
this process, which could also serve as a mechanism for 
enhancing NATO's support role to AMIS. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Comment:  With the PSC's January 12 decision to 
accept, in principle, a transition from AMIS to a UN 
operation, and PSC authorization to the AU Commission to 
negotiate modalities with the UN and other partners, the AU 
will look to the USG to consult closely on next steps and to 
muster financial and technical support necessary to sustain 
AMIS in the interim, in addition to continuing to build AU 
peacekeeping capacity.  Post recommends that the USG engage 
the AU early-on to reassure the Commission and member states 
that steps are being taken to ensure that AMIS receives 
funding necessary to sustain the mission until the UN is 
prepared to take over.  The U.S. should also work in close 
consultation with the AU as mandate and modalities for a UN 
mission are being developed.  Part of the USG effort will 
entail ensuring AMIS troops are at an appropriate standard to 
facilitate blue-hatting.  Firm signals that AMIS funding will 
be sustained for an interim period, that some African 
character to the Darfur military mission will be retained, 
and that partners can deliver on training and equipping both 
AMIS and African troops in a UN mission will help contribute 
to a definitive and positive PSC decision in March, as well 
as to a continued productive relationship with the AU to 
build African peacekeeping capacity.  End comment. 
 
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COMMUNIQUE 
---------- 
 
¶8. (U) Begin text. 
 
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union 
(AU), at its 45th meeting, held on 12 January 2006, adopted 
the following decision on the situation in Darfur: 
 
Council, 
 
¶1. Takes note of the Report of the Chairperson of the 
Commission on the situation in Darfur (PSC/PR/2/(XLV)) and 
the pertinent observations contained therein; 
 
¶2. Expresses satisfaction at the very significant progress 
made in the deployment of the African Mission in the Sudan 
(AMIS), as well as the fact that, in spite of serious 
financial, logistical and other constraints facing the 
Mission, AMIS has contributed significantly to the protection 
of the civilian population and the improvement of the 
security and humanitarian situation in Darfur; 
 
¶3. Stresses the importance of the ongoing Inter-Sudanese 
Peace Talks on the Conflict in Darfur, in Abuja, Nigeria, and 
the need for their speedy conclusion.  In this respect, 
Council expresses concern at the very slow progress made so 
far in the 7th Round of the Inter-Sudanese Peace Talks on the 
Conflict in Darfur and urges the parties to demonstrate more 
flexibility so as to allow compromise on the issues involved. 
 Council stresses the need for continued and increased 
pressure by African leaders and other stakeholders on the 
Sudanese parties, to bring them to honour their commitments 
and negotiate in good faith with a view to ending violence in 
Darfur and concluding a comprehensive peace agreement; 
 
¶4. Stresses that, with the progress made in the initial 
stabilization phase of Darfur and the ongoing efforts to 
conclude a comprehensive peace agreement, steps should be 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000140  003 OF 003 
 
 
taken to sustain the peace support operation in Darfur in 
2006 and beyond, bearing in mind the requirements for an 
increased integration of the different aspects of the peace 
efforts; 
 
¶5. Expresses its support, in principle, to a transition from 
AMIS to a UN operation, within the framework of the 
partnership between the AU and the United Nations in the 
promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa, and 
decides to convene a meeting of the Peace and Security 
Council at ministerial level, in Addis Ababa, before the end 
of March 2006, to review the situation and make a final 
decision on the issue of the transition towards a UN 
operation in Darfur and its modalities.  In this respect, 
Council requests the Chairperson of the Commission to 
initiate appropriate consultations with the United Nations 
and other stakeholders, with a view to providing the proposed 
meeting of the Peace and Security Council at ministerial 
level with all relevant additional information, including on 
the modalities for a transition towards a UN operation and 
the financial aspects of the ongoing operation in Darfur; 
 
¶6. Decides, in the interim, to extend the mandate of AMIS 
until 31 March 2006; 
 
¶7. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. 
 
¶8. (U) End text. 
 
 
HUDDLESTON