VZCZCXRO1795
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2831 3451530
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111530Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5543
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002831 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KPKO UN SU
SUBJECT:  PRESIDENT BASHIR ACCUSES INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF 
SUPPORTING DARFUR REBELS AT ACP SUMMIT 
 
 
¶1.  Sudanese President Omer Hasan Ahmed al-Bashir used the occasion 
of the two-day African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) Summit hosted 
in Khartoum December 7-8 to criticize the UN and accuse the 
international community of supporting Darfur rebels.  In both his 
opening and closing remarks, Bashir criticized the "unjust and 
imbalanced" system of the UN, specifically singling out the Security 
Council for needing change.  He accused unnamed members of the 
international community for supporting the National Redemption Front 
(NRF), including shipping arms and turning a blind eye to ceasefire 
violations committed by it. 
 
¶2.  In his opening speech to the ACP, Bashir argued that principles 
of good governance demanded of national governments should also be 
practiced at the international level by the UN, but that injustice 
and imbalance characterize both the UN and international financial 
institutions.  The UN system, he said, requires "radical reforms." 
"The current formation of the Security Council, the modes of its 
work and manner of its decision-making process do not respond to the 
desired needs, and do not provide the aspired opportunity of the 
member states in (the ACP) to express their view points regarding 
vital and crucial issues effecting (them all)." 
 
¶3.  Bashir's most forceful words were saved for his closing remarks. 
 He blamed all of the violence since the signing of the Darfur Peace 
Agreement (DPA) on the NRF, which he said had been able to take 
control of all the territory formerly under the control of the 
SLA/Minawi.  He blamed this fighting, instigated by the NRF, for 
causing the recent displacement of Darfurians from their homes and 
villages.  The NRF had dared to perpetrate such an aggressive 
offensive because it believed the international community would turn 
a blind eye on its actions.  Indeed, Bashir claimed the NRF has been 
receiving large quantities of arms, military equipment, and vehicles 
from across the border with Chad.  Nevertheless, Bashir ended on an 
optimistic note, spuriously claiming reports coming from AMIS forces 
in Darfur indicate an improving security situation. 
 
HUME