VZCZCXRO4200
OO RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2114 2471434
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041434Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4401
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002114 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, AF/RSA 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KPKO SOCI AU UN US SU
SUBJECT:  BASHIR SAYS AU MUST LEAVE DARFUR BY SEPT 30 
 
¶1. (SBU) At the end of a September 3 meeting of the Council of 
Ministers, President Bashir unilaterally announced that the African 
Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) is expected to withdraw its forces in 
Darfur by September 30 and will not be permitted to remain for a 
transition to a possible UN peace-keeping operation.  Thereafter, 
the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) will assume responsibility for 
security in Darfur. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Sudanese Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM) is meeting 
to consider its response; it is expected to distance itself from the 
Government's pronouncement.  Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM) 
leader and Senior Assistant to the President Minni Minawi has 
intimated that, if this decision holds, it would threaten the Darfur 
Peace Agreement (DPA).  In a separate meeting between the (SPLM) 
Minister of Transport and EmbOff, the Minister said that the Council 
did not discuss the issue nor make a decision.  Rather, the 
President delivered his briefing, stood up and walked out of the 
meeting.  Similarly, a senior SPLM representative confirmed to CDA 
Hume the arbitrary decision of the President. 
 
¶3. (SBU) AU Special Representative Kingibe was notified informally 
September 3 of the Government's decision, while the UN and AU were 
both convoked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for meetings on 
September 4.  In its meeting with UN representatives, the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs reiterated the Government of Sudan's opposition 
to UNSCR 1706 and said that any UN effort to implement the 
resolution would be considered an infringement of Sudanese 
sovereignty, a violation of both the DPA and the Comprehensive Peace 
Agreement (CPA), as well as a breach of the Status of Forces 
Agreement (SOFA).  CDA Hume will see AU Special Representative 
Kingibe the evening of September 4. 
 
¶4. (U) In comments before the Sudanese News Agency (SUNA), 
Presidential Advisor Mustafa Osman Ismail said that the Government 
of Sudan did not move to terminate AMIS prematurely.  Rather, as 
AMIS' mission is expiring September 30 and it had not requested an 
extension, the Government was obliged to fill the security vacuum 
which would be left behind by the departure of AMIS forces. 
Government spokesmen stressed that the decision was not a rejection 
of African Union troops, but of international forces meant to 
replace them.  They also emphasized that the decision did not 
constitute a rejection of dialogue with the UN. 
 
¶5. (U) In announcing the decision, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
press spokesman reiterated the Government's position that the 
security situation in Darfur is improving, except for violations 
committed by the National Redemption Front (NRF).  The press 
spokesman cited UN Security Council Resolution 1706's call for the 
formation of an independent judiciary, qualified police force, human 
rights protection mechanisms, and cooperation with the Government of 
Chad.  Imposition of these demands is incompatible with Sudan's 
rights as a sovereign nation, he stated.  The Government rejected 
the UNSCR's depiction of Sudan as a failing state and the 
last-minute change in the text inviting Sudanese consent to a UN 
peace-keeping deployment, vice acknowledging consent was mandatory. 
Furthermore, the African Union does not have the authority to 
transfer its mission in Darfur to the UN.  He said the Government of 
Sudan would implement its security plan for Darfur, submitted 
earlier to the Security Council, which includes sending up to 26,500 
government and SLM troops to the region.  (Note: Minawi has not 
consented to the use of his troops in the Government's security 
plan.  End note.) 
 
HUME