VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0238/01 0700004
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD3D9B24 TOQ2198-695)
O 110004Z MAR 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6045
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 1033
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 1409
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 0361
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000238 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY PARAS MISNUMBERED AND CAPTION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC ETTC SU PGOV
SUBJECT: COUNCIL DISCUSSES SUDAN SANCTIONS COMMITTEE 
REPORT, HIGHLIGHTS DIFFICULTY FOR EXPERTS 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 10, Austrian Perm Rep Thomas 
Mayr-Harting, Chair of the Sudan Sanctions Committee (1591 
Committee), briefed the Council on the activities of the 
Sudan Sanctions committee over the past ninety days, and 
highlighted the inability of the Panel of Experts (POE) to 
travel to Sudan because of visa troubles and security 
concerns. The P-5, Ugandan, and Libyan delegations spoke, 
noting their concern about POE's lack of access in the region 
and pledging their support to the 1591 Committee's work and 
the POE's mission. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On March 10, Austrian Perm Rep Thomas Mayr-Harting, 
Chair of the Sudan Sanctions Committee (1591 Committee), 
briefed the Security Council on the  activities of the 
committee over the last ninety days, noting that during the 
reporting period the Committee met on two occasions, the 
first to hear an interim report by the Sudan Panel of 
Experts, and the second to discuss a progress report from the 
Panel.  (NOTE: The POE is a UN-mandated team charged with 
monitoring enforcement of UN sanctions imposed in Sudan.  END 
NOTE) 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Chair noted the Sudan Sanctions Committee's 
concern that since January 27, the POE had not been able to 
visit Sudan because the Government of Sudan had not granted a 
visa to the arms expert.  As of March 2, the arms expert 
still had not received a visa, but the entry visas for all 
other POE had been renewed.  The Chair said he had followed 
up with the Perm Rep of Sudan on the issue.  The Chair also 
noted that those POE members who had been issued visas were 
unable to travel to Sudan because the UN had not allowed them 
country clearance for travel due to security concerns related 
to the anticipated International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest 
warrant for the Sudanese president.  The Chair noted that the 
DPKO gave assurances that the situation would be reassessed 
to determine whether the security conditions permitted 
UNAMID's support to the POE's mission. The Chair said the 
Committee had reminded DPKO that UNAMID was mandated by the 
Council to monitor arms embargoes, and that peacekeeping 
missions should provide all possible support to the work of 
experts groups in the region. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Ambassador DiCarlo noted that the setbacks faced by 
the POE highlighted the continued defiance by the Government 
of Sudan of the UN and the international community.  The 
United States, she said, encouraged the Chair to continue 
discussions with the Secretariat and DPKO about how best to 
support the Panel's mission and urged the Chair and 
Secretariat to explore ways to raise awareness within the UN 
system to enlist support for the Panel's work. DiCarlo called 
on the Council to integrate its sanctions policy more 
effectively into the international community's broader 
strategy for resolving the conflict in Sudan, which would 
enhance the Council's credibility in Sudan. 
 
¶5. (SBU) French First Counsellor de Riviere encouraged the 
Committee to work with the Government of Sudan and it's 
regional neighbors to communicate these governments' 
responsibilities to allow the POE to carry out its mandate. 
He urged Sudan to adopt a "more constructive attitude" to 
granting visas and called on UNAMID to provide assistance as 
soon as possible.  He also called on members to follow-up on 
the requests for information by the POE, noting that the POE 
had not received responses from 10 of the 20 requests to 
various governments. UK Deputy Perm Rep Pierce noted the UK's 
concern over Sudan's lack of cooperation to support the POE 
and called for increased support for the work of the Sudan 
Sanctions Committee and the POE. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Ugandan Perm Rep Rugunda noted that the Committee's 
work was linked to UNAMID efforts in the region. He said 
Uganda was very concerned about the troubles the POE was 
facing and pointed to the positive work of the POE in its 
November 2008 report to the Committee.  Rugunda noted that 
the March 4 ICC arrest warrant for President Bashir 
complicated the situation in Sudan and placed the political 
process in jeopardy.  He specifically noted the expulsion of 
the NGOs from Darfur and called on the Council to re-evaluate 
the situation in the area. He noted that although some may 
see sanctions as a way to deal with this problem, Uganda 
encouraged the Council to pursue a diplomatic dialogue with 
Sudan. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Russian Deputy Perm Rep Dolgov reiterated Russia's 
 
support for the work of the Committee, recalling the need to 
promote the political process in Sudan, calling for possible 
sanctions against those who impede the political process. 
Russia was concerned about the increased violence of rebel 
groups (specifically the JEM) and called on the Council to 
notify the rebel groups that their continued hindrance of the 
political process would not go unanswered by the Council. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Chinese Deputy Perm Rep Liu called for a political 
settlement that respected Sudan's sovereignty and territorial 
integrity, noting that Sudan has become more fragile since 
the March 4 ICC arrest warrant for President Bashir.  Liu 
noted its concern about the recent attacks on UNAMID soldiers 
and proposed that the Committee consult the Secretariat and 
consider possible travel to Sudan.  China wanted to avoid 
politicization so that the Committee could work to promote 
the peace process. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Libyan Charge Dabbashi expressed his concern for 
the POE's difficulties, encouraged the Chair to continue 
discussions with the Perm Rep from Sudan about possible 
support to the POE, but noted that Libya would not recommend 
POE travel because of safety concerns. 
Rice