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OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDU RUEHFL
RUEHGI RUEHIK RUEHJO RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMR
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DE RUCNDT #0212/01 0671601
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071601Z MAR 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3866
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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000212 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SU MOPS
SUBJECT: SYG BAN AND U/SYG GUEHENNO DISCUSS SUDAN WITH SE 
WILLIAMSON 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Special Envoy Williamson met with 
Secretary-General Ban and U/SYG Guehenno at the United 
 
SIPDIS 
Nations on March 5.  SE Williamson underscored President 
Bush's commitment to help to alleviate the suffering in 
Sudan, and emphasized the importance of more rapid UNAMID 
deployment.  He also previewed the Friends of UNAMID Group 
and offered to lead support efforts in Sudan.  SYG Ban said 
that Sudan remained a top priority and called for 
acceleration of the political process.  Ban pledged UN 
cooperation and expressed the need for international, and 
especially U.S. support.  U/SYG Guehenno raised concerns 
about the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and UNAMID 
deployment.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During March 5 meetings with SYG Ban and U/SYG 
Guehenno, SE Williamson conveyed POTUS frustration with the 
situation in Sudan.  He commented that the "genocide in slow 
motion" is reprehensible and incomprehensible and repeated 
the importance of boots on the ground as soon as possible. 
SE Williamson also expressed concern over UNAMID's inability 
to absorb additional troops, including an additional influx 
of 3,600 peacekeepers by June 1.  He told SYG Ban that the UN 
was well situated to play a major role in Sudan and that it 
was crucial for the USG and the UN to work together closely. 
SE Williamson reminded SYG Ban of the recent USG announcement 
of USD 100 million to train and equip African peacekeeping 
forces.  He also commented that the NGO community is playing 
an "enormous role" in Sudan with 1,000 international and 
14,000 local humanitarian workers.  While in Sudan last week, 
SE Williamson heard from NGO representatives who said that 
UNAMID's presence and readiness to engage in targeted patrols 
have helped to decrease the level of violence in the country. 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) SYG Ban said that Sudan remains one of his top 
priorities.  He remarked that the UN and the USG share 
objectives and commitment to Sudan, noting his recent 
meetings with both President Bush and Secretary Rice.  Ban 
said that it is essential to accelerate the pace of deploying 
the hybrid mission as well as stepping up the political 
process.  According to Ban, there was a strategic decision at 
the top-levels of the Sudanese government to integrate Sudan 
as a member of the international community.  He noted that if 
the Sudanese were able to "stick to their commitment," they 
would expect incentives from the United States including the 
lifting of sanctions, he said, which he raised with both 
President Bush and Secretary Rice. 
 
¶4. (SBU) SYG Ban said there is an urgent need for helicopters 
and the transfer of heavy equipment in Sudan.  He expressed 
frustration with his lack of success in persuading South 
Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Brazil, India, China, or European 
countries to provide helicopters.  We should be fully 
prepared to provide our own support, he said, commenting that 
"we could easily be blamed by both the international 
community and the Sudanese for lack of action."  He suggested 
that the USG should "take this issue seriously" and talk to 
developed nations, who should be responsible for supplying 
helicopters and heavy equipment.  We need international 
support, he said, but specifically USG support and leadership. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Williamson recognized the need for U.S. leadership 
and added that the USG will coordinate with partner countries 
to help address problems in UNAMID deployment.  He said that 
it is important for the United States and the UN to work 
creatively together.  SE Williamson told Ban that the United 
States and Canada would launch on March 6 a "Friends of 
UNAMID" group of nine partner countries to help ensure the 
rapid deployment of UNAMID.  The March 6 meeting, to be held 
at the U.S. Mission to the UN, will include senior 
representatives from capitals as well as Permanent 
Representatives.  Following this meeting, Friends of UNAMID 
will meet at the working level on a weekly basis.  These 
discussions will focus on benchmarks for UNAMID deployment. 
On helicopters, SE Williamson added that during his recent 
trip, the Egyptians offered to provide helicopter assistance. 
 He remarked that UNAMID should address its inability to 
absorb additional troops.  SE Williamson urged SYG Ban, and 
Ban agreed, to make a public statement welcoming the Group of 
Friends and noting the USD 100 million for the development of 
troops in Africa. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In a separate meeting, U/SYG Guehenno said that he 
was very concerned about the JEM, commenting that this was a 
"particularly bad time" in Sudan.  He also remarked that most 
battalions on the ground were under-equipped and demoralized. 
 He noted that better-equipped battalions are gradually 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000212  002 OF 002 
 
 
replacing weaker battalions, and that the UN is making the 
best out of a bad hand.  On the Egyptian deployment, Guehenno 
said that the Egyptians would "come strong" but were 
unwilling to break into battalions.  SE Williamson agreed 
that the situation was difficult, adding that the real 
victims were the 75,000 displaced people.  He told Guehenno 
that it was crucial to get boots on the ground and assured 
him that the USG and the UN would work together 
constructively to establish peace and stability in Sudan. 
 
¶7. (SBU) This cable has been cleared by SE Williamson. 
KHALILZAD