VZCZCXRO3340
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1579 2981203
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241203Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2168
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001579 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, DRL 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ICC AND UN PEACEKEEPING IN CAHOOTS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: This week the pro-government Khartoum newspaper 
Al-Rai al-Aam printed front-page headlines claiming proof of 
collusion between International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor 
Miguel Moreno Ocampo and the UN.  Citing three-year old reports and 
statements made in press interviews, the paper paints the UN as an 
eager and willing supplier of high-value intelligence for the ICC. 
Although the paper stopped short of directly connecting Bashir's 
indictment with UNAMID and UNMIS peacekeeping and humanitarian 
missions in Sudan, Post anticipates stronger language on the same 
theme from more media outlets in the weeks to come as the regime 
prepares the ground for either further escalation or conciliation 
with the international community on the ICC issue. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On October 22, Al-Rai al-Aam referred to a quote from June 
22nd, 2005 by Jean Marie Guehenno, former Undersecretary General for 
Peacekeeping Operations, in which Guehenno allegedly confirmed that 
the UN and ICC had entered into a pact to share intelligence 
gathered in the course of everyday UN peacekeeping operations.  "I 
would like to thank you for mentioning clause 18, paragraph 4 of the 
agreement," the newspaper quotes Guehenno as writing to  Ocampo over 
three years ago, "which indicates facilitation of each others' 
roles, particularly the confidentiality of shared information and 
protection of sources..."  The paper then accuses the UN as "ready 
to provide the office of the ICC with relevant photos and 
documents," and colluding to not disclose the secret documents and 
their contents to "suspected and indicted individuals." 
 
¶3. (SBU) The following day, under the front-page headline "Ocampo 
Acknowledges Secret Coordination with the UN," Al-Rai al-Aam claims 
that both Ocampo and the UN have matter-of-factly acknowledged their 
cooperation.  The paper quotes as proof Ocampo's defense the 
previous day on Al-Arabiya satellite television channel: "The UN 
could not collect intelligence information as it contradicts its 
mandate.  However, the UN could gather different period reports 
described as legal reports."  The articles continues: "From its side 
the UN acknowledged its coordination with the ICC, and mentioned 
that the peacekeeping force is authorized to present detailed 
reports in its operational zone." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment: Al-Rai al-Aam has intentionally confused UN 
peacekeeping operations' regular bureaucratic reporting requirements 
as "intelligence sharing," but as these articles are under  the 
heavy-hand of the National Congress Party (NCP), such a simplistic 
view is not surprising. While the headlines above were limited to 
one influential newspaper, the issue bears watching, as the NCP 
appears to be hinting publicly that alleged collusion between the 
ICC and UNMIS/UNAMID gives the NCP cause for expelling at least some 
members of UN peacekeeping organizations if an arrest warrant 
against President Bashir is issued.  The regime has also accused 
NGOs of providing Ocampo with information, so we expect that if 
there are expulsions, Western humanitarian NGOs operating in Darfur 
may be targets of the regime as well. 
 
FERNANDEZ