VZCZCXRO7025
PP RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHKUK RUEHMA RUEHMR
RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0490/01 1662041
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 152041Z JUN 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2086
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 1355
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY 1122
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0769
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0620
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 0298
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0742
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000490 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SU UNSC KPKO
SUBJECT: UNSC/DARFUR: GNU ACCEPTANCE OF HYBRID DEEPENS 
COUNCIL DIVISIONS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 81958 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000490  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. During his June 13 briefing to the Security 
Council, Department of Peacekeeping Operations 
Under-Secretary-General Guehenno confirmed Sudanese 
acceptance of the hybrid operation for Darfur after 
"comprehensive clarifications" on the June 5 UN-African Union 
(AU) report.  The Sudanese delegation that had met with the 
AU-UN team in Addis Ababa June 11-12 outlined areas of 
concern on the eventual hybrid mandate, including a legal 
distinction between the UN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) and 
the hybrid operation.  Guehenno appealed to the Council to 
provide a hybrid mandate as soon as possible so that the 
process of mobilizing troop and police contributors could 
begin.  Guehenno clarified that the Sudanese delegation in 
Addis had not objected to seeking non-African contributors 
for the hybrid force's composition.  In updating on 
assistance to the AU Mission in the Sudan (AMIS), Guehenno 
highlighted as a priority the need to construct camps for the 
two additional battalions required by the Heavy Support 
Package.  Members were divided in their interpretations of 
Sudanese acceptance of the hybrid, with China, South Africa, 
Congo, Russia and Qatar seeking to welcome Khartoum's 
"positive" step, and the U.S., UK, Italy, Peru, Panama 
expressing doubts about Khartoum's intentions.  Belgium, 
France and Slovakia advocated the Council's keeping an open 
mind about the acceptance ahead of its June 17 visit to 
Khartoum.  END SUMMARY. 
 
DPKO READ-OUT OF JUNE 11-12 ADDIS DISCUSSIONS AND NEXT STEPS 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
¶2. (SBU) During his June 13 briefing to the Security Council, 
Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) 
Under-Secretary-General (U/SYG) Guehenno confirmed Sudanese 
acceptance of the hybrid operation for Darfur after 
"comprehensive clarifications" on the June 5 UN-AU report. 
Guehenno described the "constructive atmosphere" of 
discussions between the teams of the AU (led by Commissioner 
for Peace and Security Said Djinnit), the UN (led by DPKO 
Africa Division Director Dmitry Titov) and the Government of 
National Unity (GNU; led by Foreign Ministry Undersecretary 
Mutrif Siddiq) during their June 11-12 technical 
consultations in Addis Ababa on the revised hybrid report 
(S/2007/307/Rev.1).  In addition to accepting the hybrid, the 
Sudanese delegation had reaffirmed the need for an effective 
cease-fire and for an inclusive political process. 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to U/SYG Guehenno, the Sudanese team had 
outlined areas of concern on the eventual hybrid mandate, 
none of which represented "roadblocks," in Guehenno's 
estimation.  They included assurances that monitoring and 
reporting on the western border by the force would not 
compromise Sudanese sovereignty; that the force would not 
take any "pre-emptive measures" in violation of Sudanese 
sovereignty; and that UNMIS and the hybrid operation would be 
legally separate entities.  DPKO told Poloff privately before 
Guehenno's consultations that the Sudanese had also objected 
to provisions providing for police and judicial reform, along 
the lines of OP8(j) and (k) of UNSCR 1706 (2006).  When asked 
by UKUN Deputy Permanent Representative Karen Pierce about 
Sudan's reported insistence that all hybrid troops be 
African, Guehenno said "the door is not closed" and quoted 
Siddiq as having said that if sufficient African troops were 
unavailable, then troops from non-African countries could be 
recruited per existing agreements.  He reported there had 
been no Sudanese objection during discussions to this 
approach. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Guehenno urged the UNSC to provide a hybrid mandate 
as soon as possible so that the process of mobilizing troop 
and police contributors could begin.  Guehenno stressed the 
need for contributors to send personnel fully equipped and 
meeting UN standards.  He noted that the UNSC mandate would 
be complemented by a parallel one from the AU Peace and 
Security Council (PSC), given the joint AU-UN nature of the 
hybrid.  Given the complex nature of the hybrid, Guehenno 
mentioned the possibility that DPKO would create a third 
Assistant-SYG position (Hedi Annabi and Jane Holl Lute 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000490  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
currently serve as two) to oversee the financial and 
administrative aspects of the operation.  He assured that a 
financial annex to the June 5 hybrid report would be issued 
imminently and urged that funding be forthcoming.  Guehenno 
also stressed that AMIS required urgent funding until the 
hybrid was established. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Guehenno also updated the Council on the Light 
Support Package, saying that 154 of 184 personnel had 
deployed and that UN discussions with Egypt continued over 
the 36 armored personnel carriers still needed to implement 
the Package.  On the Heavy Support Package (HSP), Guehenno 
said that six of the 11 preliminary units (including 
engineering units) had confirmed contributors.  Guehenno said 
that preference had been given to African countries and that 
the list of contributors had been submitted to the GNU (NOTE: 
DPKO asked USUN privately if the USG could raise the issue of 
Sudanese sign-off on this list to come to closure on this 
issue.  END NOTE).  He noted commitments by 47 police 
contributors, with Nigeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan pledging 
the three requested formed police units.  Guehenno made clear 
that HSP deployment would occur in waves and would not be 
tied to pending consultations with the AU and/or force 
contributors. 
 
¶6. (SBU) However, DPKO's readiness to deploy immediately was 
tied to the provision of two additional battalions as force 
protection, which in turn hinged on construction of camps for 
their accommodation.  Guehenno called this construction a 
"priority issue" and appealed twice for it in his 
presentation.  He reported that both Joint Special 
Representative Adada and Force Commander Agwai would arrive 
in Sudan during the second half of June.  Guehenno said the 
GNU bore responsibility for overcoming logistical obstacles 
to deployment of the Packages, including customs clearance 
(he pointed out that $16.6 million worth of equipment had yet 
to be cleared) and land and water rights.  He declared, 
"Sudanese Government good will should not be wasted on 
practicalities of implementation." 
 
DPKO UPDATE ON SITUATION ON THE GROUND 
-------------------------------------- 
¶7. (SBU) Despite progress on the hybrid operation, Guehenno 
warned that the security environment on the ground in Darfur 
remained volatile.  He spoke in favor of a robust 
peacekeeping operation instead of a military solution, citing 
reports of Sudanese Armed Forces aerial bombardments which 
killed one person on May 19 during a raid on a water station 
and which destroyed a South Darfur village on June 9. 
Guehenno condemned the May 25 killing of an AMIS officer in 
his home in El Fasher, which led to a revised UN risk 
assessment.  He acknowledged that the Sudanese rebel 
situation had become more complicated - including through the 
activity of even Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signatories and 
continued fragmentation of DPA non-signatory groups.  He 
noted that there was "almost as much banditry as political 
fighting." 
 
¶8. (SBU) He said that 150,000 persons were displaced during 
the first five months of 2007, further necessitating an 
immediate and unequivocal cease-fire, given "mixed signals" 
of Khartoum's commitment to do so.  Guehenno enumerated 
security incidents involving humanitarian workers during the 
same period, including 55 carjackings, 31 convoy lootings, 
and 13 humanitarian operations re-locations, all of which 
resulted in "severely restricted" access to populations in 
need.  Guehenno noted progress in implementing the March 28 
Joint Communiqu on humanitarian access but pointed out that 
problems persisted in some areas, including sexual- and 
gender-based violence and hiring practices. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Guehenno briefly addressed Comprehensive Peace 
Agreement implementation, noting "commendable efforts" by 
both sides to bridge key differences on education and 
communications policy and on contracting competition had been 
successfully addressed.  However, he said progress was still 
needed on security sector reform, preparations for national 
elections and development activities. 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000490  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
MEMBERS DIVIDED IN RESPONSE TO GNU ACCEPTANCE 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶10. (SBU) The U.S., UK, Italy, Peru and Panama expressed 
doubts about Khartoum's acceptance of the hybrid operation. 
PolMinCouns, drawing from reftel points, pointed out that 
while the U.S. would keep an open mind in Khartoum, "yes" did 
not always mean "yes" in the Sudan context and that the UNSC 
would seek such an unequivocal assurance during its June 17 
visit.  If that affirmation were not forthcoming, PolMinCouns 
warned, then the U.S. and the UK would pursue multilateral 
sanctions.  Italian PR Spatafora asked what circumstance had 
changed President Bashir's mind now, since the details of the 
hybrid were well known to him months ago, yet his endorsement 
then had not been forthcoming.  Peruvian PR Voto-Bernales 
said the measure of the GNU's sincerity would be in the 
extent of its cooperation on hybrid preparations. 
 
¶11. (SBU) South African PR Kumalo and Chinese PR Wang were 
the most vociferous supporters of the GNU's acceptance, which 
Wang repeatedly characterized as a "golden opportunity" 
worthy of Council welcome.  Speaking in English (something he 
does in the Security Council only when pressing a point), 
Wang accused some delegations and the UN Secretariat of 
treating the GNU as a "spoiler" and seeking to punish it, 
despite the "positive" step it had just taken.  "To achieve 
our objective," Wang declared, "we must treat the Sudanese 
Government as our partner."  Wang specifically criticized the 
U.S. threat of sanctions.  Kumalo's message was the same, 
asserting that, "You cannot solve Darfur without the help of 
the Sudanese Government."  He questioned the intentions of 
delegations suspicious of Sudanese hybrid acceptance, asking 
if the Council sought to help the people of Darfur or simply 
prove the GNU wrong.  Russian PR Churkin concurred, adding 
that the Council "needed to start taking 'yes' for an answer" 
from Khartoum.  Congolese PR Gayama also stressed that the 
Council needed to show more confidence in the GNU. 
 
¶12. (SBU) French PR de La Sabliere, echoed by Slovakian PR 
Burian and Belgian PR and current Council President Verbeke, 
urged Members to maintain an open mind when they arrived in 
Khartoum on June 17.  He acknowledged that the Sudanese 
parties were "no angels," but pointed out that a change in 
the GNU's attitude toward Darfur peacekeeping was worthy of 
note.  He advised the Council to display unity instead of 
division on its Khartoum visit.  South African PR Kumalo 
capitalized on this idea and proposed the Council issue a 
Press Statement supporting the GNU's hybrid acceptance, 
calling for a cease-fire, supporting the political process 
and looking forward to continued engagement with the AU and 
GNU.  A heated debate over such a statement ensued, pitting 
the U.S. largely alone against Khartoum's defenders; and it 
was obvious that consensus on a written statement would not 
be possible.  Verbeke ultimately delivered only elements of a 
statement that, per USUN amendment, welcomed Guehenno's 
briefing reporting GNU acceptance of the hybrid.  The Chinese 
delegation in particular reacted negatively to this 
formulation when Verbeke delivered it. 
WOLFF