VZCZCXRO4810
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHC #6846/01 1730121
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210120Z JUN 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 2260
INFO DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 066846 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPKO PGOV PREL SU
SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS FOR AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD'S 6/24 
BRIEFING 
 
In consultations on Tuesday, June 24, 2008, following the 
briefing by UN Special Envoy for Darfur Jan Eliasson and 
African Union Special Envoy for Darfur Salim Ahmed Salim, 
USUN may draw on the following points: 
 
The United States would like to extend its appreciation to 
both UN Special Envoy for Darfur Jan Eliasson and African 
Union Special Envoy for Darfur Salim Ahmed Salim for their 
presentations today as well as for their efforts to restart 
the political process in Darfur aimed at achieving a peaceful 
solution to the crisis in Darfur.  With that in mind, I would 
like to make three points. 
 
First, we remain gravely concerned about the continuing 
violence in the region.  We strongly condemn the May 10th 
attack on Omdurman, Sudan by the Justice and Equality 
Movement (JEM) and the June 11th attack by Chadian rebels in 
Eastern Chad. The Security Council should stand ready to 
consider consequences, including sanctions, for those who 
continue to threaten peace and stability in the region. 
 
In recent months, violent attacks by forces of the Government 
of Sudan and rebels operating in the area have resulted in 
significant civilian casualties and a large increase in the 
number of internally displaced persons. 
 
The United States continues to urge all parties to 
immediately cease hostilities and to refrain from preemptive 
and counter attacks that contribute to the disruption of the 
distribution of life-saving humanitarian assistance. 
 
Second, the United States is disappointed with the current 
impasse in the Darfur political process and the political 
dynamics that further complicate the prospects for peace in 
Darfur.  We must continue to press the principal parties to 
the conflict to engage in a dialogue aimed toward a peaceful 
resolution.  We stress the importance of improving the 
political climate in Sudan by easing tensions between Chad 
and Sudan and implementing the North-South Comprehensive 
Peace Agreement, especially the latest roadmap on Abyei. 
These actions would create conditions conducive to a 
successful political process. 
 
- IF THEY ANNOUNCE A MEDIATOR: The United States is very 
pleased that the chief mediator has been appointed and looks 
forward to collaborating with him or her closely for a 
relaunching of the Darfur peace negotiations. 
 
- IF UN/AU DOES NOT ANNOUNCE A MEDIATOR: The United States is 
disappointed that the appointment of a chief mediator has not 
yet been finalized and we strongly encourage the  Secretary 
General to expedite this process.  Concerned countries stand 
ready to assist the Secretary General in identifying 
appropriate candidates and supporting a chief mediator as 
that individual takes up his or her important duties. 
 
Third, through our efforts with the Friends of UNAMID group, 
we continue to wholeheartedly support and encourage the UN's 
efforts to reach its goal of having 80% of the UNAMID's 
authorized deployment completed by the end of 2008.  Recent 
events have shown that the protection of civilians in the 
Darfur region remains disturbingly inadequate.  As the 
protection of civilians is at the heart of UNAMID,s purpose, 
deployment of these forces will help create a more stable 
security environment conducive to new political talks.  While 
we welcome the recent news that the contingent-owned 
equipment for the Chinese engineers in Nyala has reached its 
destination, allowing for the arrival of the main Chinese 
party by July 1, we are reminded by this single success of 
the multitude of other critical benchmarks that have yet to 
be met. 
 
Overall, we are concerned that the steps taken toward UNAMID 
deployment have been inadequate and insufficient to achieve 
the UN's year-end deployment goal.  We remain convinced that 
the only way to make this ambition a reality is to confront 
the challenges that have made and are continuing to make 
deployment so difficult. 
 
The United States calls on the Department of Field Support to 
redouble its efforts to create the logistics infrastructure - 
especially new camps - so that UNAMID will more quickly 
absorb troops and improve its 
operational capabilities.  The current pace and level of 
civilian support for UNAMID is also inadequate.  The UN must 
dedicate its best leaders and support personnel to UNAMID in 
order to ensure its success. 
 
STATE 00066846  002 OF 002 
 
 
The United States remains deeply troubled by the Government 
of Sudan,s continued efforts to obstruct 
UNAMID deployment and operations.  The Security Council and 
key bilateral partners must continue to press the Government 
of Sudan to: 
 
-- Stop delaying customs clearances and visa processing; 
grant full airport access, freedom of movement and 
communications access; facilitate the acquisition of suitable 
land for camp construction and communications for UNAMID and 
its implementing partners; and 
 
-- End its opposition to non-African personnel in UNAMID, 
including Thai troops, Nepalese Police, and international 
headquarters and contract staff. 
 
The United States also recognizes the important role UN 
member states and troop contributing countries have to play, 
and calls on the international community to meet its 
responsibility by reinvigorating its efforts to source and 
deploy attack and utility helicopters, medium and heavy 
transport units, multi-role logistics and engineering units, 
and an aerial reconnaissance unit. 
 
For its part, the United States will continue to work with 
African UNAMID troop contributing countries on a bilateral 
basis, executing a $100 million project to provide nearly 
6,000 personnel from six African troop contributing countries 
with the equipment and training necessary to deploy and 
operate successfully in Darfur. 
 
Conclusion 
---------- 
 
The United States reiterates its strong belief that the 
situation in Darfur represents a humanitarian crisis that 
demands immediate attention and action from the international 
community.  We remain firmly committed to the success of 
UNAMID as it seeks to bring about an end to the Darfur crisis 
and lead the way toward a peaceful resolution of the 
conflict.  In order to achieve this success, the 
international community must act quickly and in concert in 
order to assure that the UN and humanitarian agencies 
currently in the region are able to operate to their fullest 
potential. 
RICE