VZCZCXRO9262
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1258 1461320
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261320Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2958
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KPKO UN AU SU
SUBJECT:  UN Special Envoy Announces UN/AU Joint 
Assessment 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY. On May 25, UN Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi 
held a briefing with the diplomatic corps on his recent 
mission to discuss the UN's role in supporting the Darfur 
Peace Agreement (DPA).  He said that Government of 
National Unity (GNU) President Omar Bashir is agreeable 
to a Joint Assessment Mission led by the UN and the 
African Union (AU) within the next few days.  This 
mission will look at the current needs of the AU (AMIS) 
in supporting the DPA in addition to planning the UN's 
future role.  Brahimi asked the international community 
to support the agreement and keep it moving forward, and 
said that the upcoming UN Security Council visit would be 
a good opportunity to do that. The European Commission 
delegate also announced that the AMIS pledging conference 
in Brussels would be held on June 20.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  During their meeting, Brahimi said that President 
Bashir had agreed to an assessment mission as long as it 
was a joint assessment mission and included the AU as 
well as the UN.  The president had stressed the 
importance of first determining what AMIS' needs for 
immediately fulfilling its responsibilities under the 
DPA.  Brahimi explained to Bashir that the recent UN 
Security Council Resolution (UNSCR 1679) would not be the 
mandate for a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur.  That 
mandate would be determined by the Security Council after 
the Secretary General presents his report of the 
assessment mission.  He said that the future mission 
would be an expansion of UNMIS, and he pointed out that 
even the current mission in the south has some Chapter 7 
elements. 
 
¶3.  Brahimi explained that everyone he spoke with in the 
government was shaken by the UNSCR 1679 because of 
references to Chapter 7.  He said that the GNU expected 
to be rewarded, not punished, for making the requested 
concessions in Abuja and signing the peace agreement. 
They felt that the resolution was a punishment, even 
though they continue to move forward on implementing the 
agreement. 
 
¶4.  It is a fragile peace, Brahimi explained, and not 
everyone in the government is happy with the DPA-- some 
felt it gave too much.  Those voices are in the minority 
now, and Brahimi asked the international community to 
help keep the naysayers in the minority. He said that the 
upcoming visit by the Security Council would be a good 
opportunity to do this, and he requested all 
representatives from Security Council countries to work 
with their membership to help make this visit 
constructive and forward-looking. 
 
¶5.  Brahimi also encouraged the international community 
to help get wider support for the agreement, especially 
from Abdel Wahid al Nur.  Brahimi believes outside forces 
are influencing the rebels.  There are indications that 
some enemies of the GNU were emboldened by the harsh 
language in UNSCR 1679 and would like to prolong the 
conflict in order to keep international pressure focused 
on the government. 
 
WHITEHEAD