VZCZCXRO9191
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2539 2980419
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250419Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5001
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002539 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL UN SU
 
SUBJECT:  Pronk Ejected, Europeans React Strongly 
 
REF: Khartoum 2519 
 
¶1.  (U) The GoS terminated the mission of UN Special Representative 
of the Secretary General (SRSG) Jan Pronk on October 22 following 
statements Pronk made in his blog concerning recent military defeats 
in Darfur (reftel).  In a letter from Foreign Minister Lam Akol to 
UN Secretary General (SYG) Kofi Annan, the Sudanese affirm their 
support of the United Nations and its mission but emphasize that 
Pronk himself had repeatedly acted in a manner inconsistent with his 
position.  He said Pronk was not impartial, purposefully undermining 
the Darfur Peace Agreement and making many inflammatory statements. 
 
¶2.  (U) This decision comes days after a Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) 
spokesperson called for Pronk's departure soon after the blog was 
published.  This is not the first furor over Pronk's statements in 
his blog, which the UN has repeatedly asserted does not necessarily 
reflect the policies and views of the Secretary-General.  Pronk is 
returning to New York on October 23 for consultations with the SYG. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In a meeting between the Charge d'Affaires and European 
Ambassadors that same day, the Europeans expressed their strong 
disapproval of this action.  While they admitted that Pronk had said 
some inappropriate things on several occasions, the Sudanese should 
not be able to pick who represents the Secretary General.  They 
recommended that each country go to its capital and ask for a strong 
statement that condemns the decision, asks the GoS to reconsider, 
and underlines that this will be viewed as an attack against  an 
international presence in Sudan as a whole.  They emphasized that 
the international community should be unified in its message. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The ambassadors noted that the timing of the announcement, 
the day before government offices are closed for a week for Eid al 
Fitr, limits the international community's ability to lodge a 
protest.  The Ambassadors recommended that the issue be brought up 
in conversations during an Eid reception hosted by the President the 
next day.  The German Ambassador, as the representative of the EU 
President, was also asked to register concern with the President 
directly.  The German did this in the receiving line the next day. 
President Bashir seemed unhappy with the comment and only responded 
that it was Sudanese sovereignty. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) COMMENT: Last week's visit of the Special Envoy was viewed 
positively by the Sudanese government and may allow for more 
productive discussions in the future.  Although declaring the SRSG 
persona non-grata is a serious step, the central issue remains 
Darfur and UN transition.  This move will negatively impact UN 
planning, as it is unlikely that a replacement can be named soon. 
However, the declaration is likely a direct result of Pronk's 
comments and not part of an overall strategy to oppose the UN.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
POWERS