VZCZCXRO6591
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RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0092/01 0312252
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 312252Z JAN 08 ZFF4
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3641
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 1586
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0938
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 1055
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0990
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 8983
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5/UNMA// PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000092 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; PLEASE PASS TO SE WILLIAMSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2018 
TAGS: AF PGOV PREL SU NSC UNSC KPKO MOPS
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON DARFUR PEACEKEEPING DEPLOYMENT FOR 31 
JANUARY 2008 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 138 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro Wolff for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 3, 6, 
and 9. 
 
¶2.  (C) SUMMARY: UN Integrated Operational Team (IOT) updated 
USUN MSC on UNAMID deployments, SOFA negotiations, UK Chief 
of Staff (COS) Persona Non Grata situation, Canadian APCs, 
and Government of Sudan (GOS) attempt to deny US contractors 
access to Darfur.  The second UKUN-hosted donors meeting on 
helicopters was disappointing and suggests that the 
interagency process could usefully consider direct USG 
support.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (C) UNAMID Deployment. 
 
- According to the IOT, UNAMID is ready to absorb the advance 
parties of the Egyptian engineers.  The signal unit and heavy 
transport company now scheduled to begin arriving in 
February.  Main bodies are scheduled to deploy mid-March. 
The Egyptian infantry battalion is still on track to deploy 
advance elements in March and complete deployment in April. 
(NOTE: This information at least partially conflicts with Ref 
A's report that UN officials in Sudan do not believe UNAMID 
is fully prepared to accept the battalions.  END NOTE) 
 
- The IOT noted that the Ethiopian Pre-Deployment Visit (PDV) 
is scheduled for 10-15 February.  At a meeting last week in 
Washington with DPKO Force Generation Services (FGS) and 
Department of Field Support (DFS) reps, and U.S. State and 
DOD personnel, the UN reps stressed that it would be useful 
if the U.S. had representatives present for the PDVs to 
ensure the U.S. was procuring the correct equipment. 
 
(ACTION REQUEST: USUN recommends the Department request 
proper procurement personnel accompany the UN on the PDV. END 
ACTION REQUEST) 
 
¶4. (C) Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). 
 
- The IOT informed USUN that the SOFA was close to being 
agreed upon. The UN Secretary General was to speak to 
President Bashir at the AU Summit in Addid Ababa concerning 
outstanding SOFA issues.  The IOT reports that main issues 
still pending in the SOFA are land grants and accoutrements 
for UNAMID forces.  IOT believes these issues will be cleared 
up in Addis Ababa.  (NOTE: Ref A includes a less optimistic 
assessment of prospects for concluding SOFA negotiations. 
END NOTE.). 
 
¶5.  (C) UK Chief of Staff (COS) Persona Non Grata. 
 
-- The IOT informed USUN that the GOS sent a Note Verbal to 
UNAMID Headquarters asking for UNAMID COS Brigadier General 
Houston, a UK national, be removed from the country 
immediately.  The IOT said the Secretary General will discuss 
this with President Bashir on the margins of the AU summit. 
UKUN MilAd stressed that the UK prefers to keep this low key 
and an issue between the UN and GOS for the time being. The 
UN was pushing back on the GOS, claiming Gen Houston is part 
of the UNAMID staff and was posted properly. 
 
¶6.  (C) Canadian APCS. 
 
-- The IOT informed USUN the Canadian APC contract will run 
out at the end of June 2008. IOT reported to us this week 
that Senegal and South Africa will be able to provide their 
own APCs after June 2008, a reversal of last week's IOT 
report that Senegal and South Africa would continue to need 
beyond June the Canadian APC's they are now using.  IOT adds 
this week that the three Rwandan battalions now utilizing 
Canadian APCs would like to take over in June the Canadian 
APC's now being used by Senegal and South Africa.  UN 
suggested Rwanda contact Canada bi-laterally to work on a way 
to acquire the additional APCs. 
 
(ACTION REQUEST: USUN recommends the Department request 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000092  002 OF 002 
 
 
Embassy Ottawa approach the GOC to thank Canada for their 
support and encourage Canada work with Rwanda to continue APC 
support.  END ACTION REQUEST.) 
 
¶7. (C) Government of Sudan Wants US Contractors Out of Darfur. 
 
--The IOT informed USUN that while Jane Holl-Lute was in 
Darfur, Sudanese officials told her that they want all US 
contractors out of Darfur. The UN did not receive this in 
writing.  UN IOT told USUN Military Staff Committee (MSC) 
that the contracts and contractors from the U.S. companies 
must stay in place until at least September 2008.  In 
September 2008 the UN hopes to put in place a 
multi-functional logistics contract that will replace current 
contracts and contractors.  Max Kerley , Director of the 
Logistics Support Division for UN/DFS told USUN MSC he fears 
the GoS will continue to hinder the UNAMID effort through the 
denial of visas and import licenses. 
 
¶8. Follow Up UK Helicopter Meeting. 
 
--On 30 January 2008 USUN MSC and USUN Washington 
representatives attended the follow up meeting to the 16 
January 2008 meeting.  The intent of the follow up was to 
bring all offers of helicopters back from country capitals 
regardless of capabilities.  The only offer that materialized 
was an Ethiopian offer of 4 attack helicopters and two 
utility helicopters.  The Ethiopians conditioned this offer 
by noting these helicopters are to be used only in the sector 
where Ethiopian ground forces are deployed. Ethiopia also 
indicated that their pilots would require some additional 
training and the aircraft require some additional equipment. 
The Thai representative attending the meeting indicated that 
Thailand might be able to provide pilots for the mission, but 
did not offer helicopters. 
 
9.(C ) DPKO next steps on helicopters. 
 
-- On 31 January, General Per Arne Five, acting UN Military 
Adviser, told USUN MSC that his office is reviewing all 
helicopter offers with a view to possibly redefining the type 
of air frames acceptable for this mission.  In particular, he 
mentioned UH-1 Huey aircraft.  His concern is that a TCC 
might offer such aircraft and the UN might turn down the 
offer because they do not meet the current UN requirements 
for this mission.  Should the internal review change current 
requirements for helicopters, DPKO would then send out a new 
request to potential TCCs for aircraft based on the revised 
standards. General Five stated that no request would be sent 
to the U.S. unless it was certain the U.S. could provide 
something. 
 
(ACTION REQUEST: Due to the failure of the UK sponsored 
helicopter meeting to generate necessary airframes and the 
possibility that DPKO could send out a new request for 
helicopters to potential TCCs, USUN requests that Department 
coordinate interagency discussion of whether the U.S. would 
entertain a helicopter request from DPKO.  This discussion 
should include how any U.S. offer could impact on the 
likelihood of other TCCs making offers, the public relations 
aspect of U.S. non-response to the expected UN solicitation, 
or even the UN saying no to a U.S. offer of obsolete 
airframes.  END ACTION REQUEST.) 
 
KHALILZAD