VZCZCXRO4841
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #1205/01 3591732
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241732Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5600
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 1825
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 1338
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1328

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001205 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SU AF
SUBJECT: UNSC DISCUSSES DEC SYG REPORT ON UNAMID 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  On December 19, U/SYGs Le Roy and 
Malcorra briefed the Security Council on the SYG's December 
12 report on Sudan.  The Sudanese Permanent Representative 
also spoke.  In the consultations that followed, Council 
members discussed the security and humanitarian situation in 
Darfur, UNAMID deployment, UN-AU Chief Mediator Bassole's 
efforts to foster political dialogue, the need for a 
ceasefire to be observed by all parties and adequately 
monitored, and the ICC indictment of President Bashir.  End 
Summary. 
 
U/SYG's Le Roy and Malcorra Brief the Council 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On December 19, UN Under-Secretary General for the 
Department of Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy briefed 
the Security Council on recent developments affecting the 
security and humanitarian situation in Darfur.  Le Roy 
highlighted that, despite the GOS unilateral declaration of a 
ceasefire on November 12, GOS aerial bombardments and clashes 
between GOS forces and rebels have continued.  Le Roy noted 
that, from November 12-25, UNAMID patrols verified reported 
allegations of ceasefire violations, including five 
allegations of GOS aerial bombardment.  Le Roy said that 
UNAMID located four bombing craters near the village of Abu 
Dongal and six craters near Korbiya. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) UN Under-Secretary General Susana Malcorra briefed 
the Council on key issues affecting UNAMID deployment. 
Malcorra said that engineering work for the Nyala supercamp 
will be completed by the end of 2008, with El Fasher and El 
Geneina supercamps scheduled for completion at the end of 
January 2009.  She said that GOS cooperation had facilitated 
UNAMID deployment, noting that the Tri-partite meeting 
between the UN, AU and GOS held on November 16 demonstrated 
progress on all areas raised during the October 7 Tri-partite 
meeting.  The parties will meet again in January in Addis. 
Malcorra cautioned that the goal for 80 percent deployment by 
the end of March is dependent on TCCs' readiness to deploy. 
She urged TCCs to begin pre-deployment preparations as soon 
as possible. 
 
The Sudanese Perm Rep Responds 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Sudanese Perm Rep Abdalmahmood Mohamad detailed GOS 
cooperation with UNAMID, and noted that while being fully 
committed to honoring its ceasefire declaration, a series of 
rebel and bandit attacks since November 12 had provoked GOS 
response.  Mohamad noted that the Sudan People's Forum 
provides a basis for peace efforts in Darfur and asserted 
that if rebels heed the initiatives led by Qatar and joint 
UN-AU mediator Bassole, peace could be attained in 2009.  He 
closed by urging that the Council not allow "adventures" like 
the efforts of the International Criminal Court(ICC), to 
derail the peace process. 
 
Council Deliberations on Ceasefire 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Ambassador DiCarlo expressed USG concern over 
continued violence in Darfur and the GOS failure to honor its 
own unilaterally declared ceasefire.  France rebuked the GOS 
claim that bandits had provoked it into violating the 
ceasefire, and noted that an effective monitoring mechanism 
is needed.  The UK said that UNAMID would be the natural 
focus of monitoring efforts and asked for details about how 
UNAMID proposes to monitor the ceasefire.  Russia noted that 
despite what could be labeled a disproportionate GOS response 
to rebel provocations, the Council must still hold rebel 
groups accountable for ceasefire violations as well.  Russia 
also reiterated its earlier request for investigation of the 
September 29 helicopter crash in which four Russians were 
killed. 
 
UNAMID Deployment 
----------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Both Belgium and the UK requested specific 
information from the Secretariat as to how the GOS has 
complied with the tripartite mechanism, noting that while 
recent cooperation is welcome, members should not forget 
prior GOS intransigence.  The UK also mentioned the joint 
UN-US-UK assessment trip to Ethiopia concerning the Ethiopian 
pledge of attack helicopters for UNAMID.  The UK asked DPKO 
to report on why these helicopters cannot deploy until March, 
noting that the assessment of the UN-US-UK team was that the 
helicopters could be deployed with minimal upgrades.  Panama 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001205  002 OF 002 
 
 
noted that after hearing about the need for helicopters for 
months, the continued inability to deploy Ethiopian 
helicopters merits concern. 
 
Political Process/ICC 
--------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Most delegations welcomed Bassole's initiative to 
jumpstart the peace process and Qatar's complementary 
efforts.  Delegations noted the upcoming meeting in Doha on 
January 4 or 5 of the African Union - Arab League Ministerial 
Steering Committee on Darfur.  Russia, Indonesia and China 
asserted that the Council must be prepared to take actions to 
ensure rebels participate in the political process. 
Regarding the impact of the ICC on the peace process, 
Ambassador DiCarlo said that meaningful peace cannot be 
obtained while impunity reigns.  France, the U.K., Belgium, 
Croatia, Costa Rica, Panama and Italy further asserted that 
if the GOS wishes to cooperate with the Council then it must 
cooperate with the ICC as well. 
 
A/SYG Mulet Responds to Member Questions 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) A/SYG Mulet responded to members questions. 
Concerning the September 29 helicopter crash, Mulet noted 
that the GOS has the lead in investigating but that the ICAO 
is involved to ensure the investigation comports with 
international standards.  Mulet said that the Secretariat 
would provide a full briefing to the Council in early 2009 on 
compliance with the tripartite mechanism but that GOS 
cooperation has significantly improved.  Mulet cited the GOS 
liaison office in El Fasher, movement of goods through 
customs, and issuance of visas as evidence of improvement. 
On Ethiopian helicopters, Mulet said a UN team will conduct a 
pre-deployment visit to ensure pilots and maintenance plans 
meet international standards.  Mulet also addressed ceasefire 
monitoring by noting that in a Phase IV security environment, 
limited mobility diminshes the ability to enforce a 
ceasefire.  He indicated that Bassole supports a ceasefire 
mechanism but does not want to create additional structures 
duplicative of measures already in place. 
Khalilzad