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PP RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0106/01 0371517
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061517Z FEB 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3665
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 1588
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY 1331
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 1057
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0675

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000106 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UNSC CD KE SO SU XA XW ZF
SUBJECT: SYG BRIEFS UNSC ON KENYA, SUDAN, CHAD 
 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Jeffrey DeLaurentis for Rea 
sons 1.4 B/D. 
 
¶1. (C) Summary. Secretary-General Ban briefed the Security 
Council on February 5 on his recent trip to Africa. Ban 
reported on the critical nature of the situations in Kenya, 
Sudan, and Chad, highlighting recent progress in mediations 
in Kenya and in SOFA discussions with the Government of 
Sudan, although DPKO later walked the SOFA report back 
somewhat. Ban informed the Council of a new panel to improve 
security for UN staff. The UK delegation proposed a PRST on 
Kenya co-sponsored by the French and Belgians.  Delegations 
welcomed the possible SOFA for UNAMID, but called for 
simultaneous progress in the political process. Delegations 
supported AU mediation efforts in Chad. Ambassador Khalilzad 
called for AU missions to support Somalia, a concern that was 
seconded by the Libyan and Italian PermReps. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Secretary-General Ban briefed the Security Council 
on February 5 on his recent trip to Africa and the situations 
in Kenya, Sudan, and Chad.  On Kenya, Ban reported that 
former Secretary-General Annan's panel had drafted an agenda 
and roadmap for talks, and that the parties were discussing 
immediate measures to end the crisis and were planning to 
discuss the disputed election.  Ban said he encouraged Kenyan 
officials and opposition leaders, including President Kibaki 
and Odinga, to exercise political leadership and implement 
the compromises necessary to secure a stable future for their 
country. He noted that UN staff had been deployed to Nairobi 
to assist Annan and that UNDP had established a trust fund to 
support the panel's work.  Ban also said that he had 
dispatched UnderSecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs 
Holmes to the region and that his genocide adviser was 
following the situation closely. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Secretary-General reported that he discussed the 
situation in Chad with African leaders at the AU summit in 
Addis Ababa. He said that deteriorating security conditions 
had forced him to evacuate UN staff, though a small number 
remained in Chad.  He thanked French forces for protecting UN 
personnel, welcomed AU mediation efforts, and urged the 
Council to react swiftly to the situation. 
 
¶4. (C) Secretary-General Ban was concerned about limited 
humanitarian access in Sudan and called for imminent 
deployment of UNAMID so that the people of Darfur would not 
lose confidence in the UN. He expected Khartoum to sign a 
status of forces agreement this week. (NOTE. A well-placed 
DPKO source later reported to DepPolCouns that the tentative 
SOFA deal would give Sudanese Civil air authorites 
jurisdiction over UNAMID flights and that UN legal advisor is 
unlikely to accept that provision.  DPKO expects a delay of 
at least a few days over this emerging issue. END NOTE.)  He 
also noted the need to rectify UNAMID's lack of ground and 
aviation assets. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Ban said that he is establishing an independent 
panel to be chaired by veteran UN diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi to 
review and enhance UN staff security. 
 
AFRICA REMAINS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE UNITED STATES 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Ambassador Khalilzad said Africa remained a high 
priority for the United States.  He condemned the actions of 
the rebels in Chad and called on the Government of Sudan to 
end any and all support to the rebels.  He welcomed Ban's 
report of progress in deploying UNAMID and hoped that this 
would help re-energize the political process.  He noted US 
support for the UN mediation efforts in Kenya and welcomed 
that the parties evidently had reached an agreement. 
Ambassador Khalilzad called on AU missions to fulfill their 
commitments to deploy peacekeepers in Somalia and on the 
donor community to give generously to the mission.  The 
Libyan and Italian PermReps voiced their support for his 
statements on Somalia. 
 
SUPPORT FOR MEDIATION IN KENYA; PRST PROPOSED 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) On Kenya, delegations expressed support for Annan's 
mediation efforts and the hope that the parties would 
implement the February 1 agreement and address issues through 
dialogue rather than violence. Many delegations called for 
focus on the underlying issues fueling the conflict in 
addition to resolving the election dispute. Belgian PermRep 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000106  002 OF 003 
 
 
Verbeke suggested that the mediators use time-bound 
negotiations in upcoming discussions. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The UK delegation, along with the Belgian and French 
delegations, drafted a PRST that UK PermRep Sawers noted was 
supported by Annan. The UK, Belgian, and French PermReps each 
cited the responsibility of the Kenyan leaders to protect 
their citizens. Costa Rican PermRep Urbina said the 
international community would need to assume responsibility 
if the Kenyan leaders did not. Secretary-General Ban also 
voiced support for the PRST. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Several delegations voiced concern for the 
deteriorating humanitarian situation in Kenya, and the 
Belgian and French delegations stressed the rising prevalence 
of sexual violence and violence against children. The 
Secretary-General said he had raised the possibility of a 
 
SIPDIS 
human rights fact-finding mission with key Kenyan leaders, 
including President Kibaki, and that he planned to pursue it 
with all possible resources and with the assistance of 
UnderSecretary-General Holmes. 
 
HOPE FOR IMMINENT PROGRESS ON UNAMID 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶10. (SBU) Delegations welcomed Ban's report that a status of 
forces agreement for UNAMID forces was imminent, but called 
for the agreement to be fully implemented. The Russian and 
Libyan PermReps called for a non-confrontational dialogue 
with the Government of Sudan.  Several delegations voiced 
concern that the violence in Chad could further destabilize 
Sudan. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Delegations also called for political progress in 
Sudan, and they urged rebel groups to unify and enter the 
political process. French PermRep Ripert said that France 
would help re-launch the political process and he requested 
help from the international community. Ban responded that two 
rebel groups had evidently agreed on a unified negotiating 
team and agenda with five other groups in unification 
discussions. Ban also noted that his office had been in 
contact with rebel leaders in Paris and elsewhere outside 
Sudan to discuss unification, and he urged Council members 
with influence over rebel groups to take similar action. 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Belgian, French, Croatian, and Costa Rican 
delegations voiced concern about Sudan's non-cooperation with 
the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ban said he had 
discussed this issue with President Bashir and planned to 
continue to raise it in private discussions with the 
president due to its sensitivity. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Ambassador Khalilzad, joined by Indonesian PermRep 
Natalegawa, asked Secretary-General Ban about the appointment 
of a joint AU/UN senior negotiator to work with the parties. 
Ban responded that the UN continued to work with the AU to 
find an acceptable candidate, as their first choice was 
unavailable. 
 
¶14. (SBU) UK PermRep Sawers said the UK was working to 
address UNAMID's helicopter shortfall.  He said Bangladesh 
and Ethiopia had offered helicopters, but noted that training 
and equipment still were needed. 
 
CONTINUING CONCERN OVER CHAD 
------------------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) Delegations cited continuing concern for the 
situation in Chad and voiced support for AU mediation 
efforts. French PermRep Ripert called for international 
community assistance for the Government of Chad. Belgian 
PermRep Verbeke called for support for MINURCAT forces so 
that these forces would not be intimidated or their full 
deployment jeopardized. 
 
UNMEE 
----- 
 
¶16. (SBU) South African PermRep Kumalo and Belgian PermRep 
Verbeke expressed further concern about the situation in 
Ethiopia and Eritrea and both called for UNMEE to stay in the 
area to prevent further violence between the parties. Costa 
Rican PermRep Urbina suggested the Council would have to 
consider what role the UN should play if the parties do not 
cooperate with the UN mission. 
 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000106  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶17. (SBU) Council President Arias (Panama) updated members on 
his meeting with the Eritrean Charge as requested by the SC 
following the Council's adoption of a press statement on 
February 4 demanding that Eritrea resume fuel shipments to 
UNMEE.  He said that the Charge cited a "miscommunication" 
between the Council and Eritrea because the Council had not 
accounted for the boundary problem in its resolution. Arias 
said there was no indication that the Eritreans would change 
their position on cutting fuel supplies to UNMEE. Ban said he 
remained very concerned about the situation and that he had 
discussed the issue with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia and 
had written a letter to the President of Eritrea. 
KHALILZAD