VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0702/01 1990041
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180041Z JUL 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6951
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000702 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SU AF
SUBJECT: U/SYG LE ROY BRIEFS COUNCIL ON UNMIS 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  On July 17, the Security Council held 
consultations on the Secretary General's quarterly report on 
the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).  U/SYG Le Roy 
briefed the Council on the upcoming decision of the Permanent 
Court of Arbitration (PCA) regarding the Abyei boundary 
dispute, expected on July 22, and the potential for ensuing 
violence.  Stressing that security is primarily the 
responsibility of the parties to the Comprehensive Peace 
Agreement (CPA), Le Roy detailed UNMIS,s contingency plans. 
Le Roy also discussed the parties, lack of preparation for 
2010 elections and failure to engage in a political dialogue 
to prepare for the 2011 referendum.  Council discussions 
focused on Abyei, elections, increasing violence in Southern 
Sudan, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) 
efforts, incursions by the Lord,s Resistance Army in the 
south, and the March 4 expulsion of non-governmental 
organizations.  No reference was made to the International 
Criminal Court (ICC) indictment of Bashir.  End Summary. 
 
Le Roy Focuses on Abyei 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On July 17, the Under Secretary General for the 
Department of Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy briefed 
the Council in closed consultations on the Secretary 
General's July 14 UNMIS report.  Le Roy focused on what he 
characterized as the most urgent issue in Sudan ) the PCA 
decision on the Abyei boundary dispute, expected on July 22. 
Le Roy emphasized that both the National Congress Party (NCP) 
and the Sudan People,s Liberation Movement (SPLM) had 
pledged to respect the decision, but that NCP officials had 
said they could not control the reactions of the Miseriya, 
whose grazing and water rights could be affected because 
their migration routes are within the disputed territory.  Le 
Roy also said that if Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the 
Sudanese People,s Liberation Army (SPLA) move into the 
disputed territory, the situation would quickly get out of 
control, with Joint Integrated Units (JIU) and Joint 
Integrated Police Units (JIPU) drawn into conflict. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Given the potential for violence, Le Roy said that 
UNMIS had increased the number of troops in the Abyei area to 
783 people, and that fourteen Armored Personnel Carriers 
(APCs) also would be available.  Le Roy noted that UNMIS 
troops in Juba and elsewhere had been placed on alert and 
humanitarian stocks had been increased.  Le Roy said that 
UNMIS had learned valuable lessons from the Abyei violence 
that erupted in May 2008 and would do its utmost to dissuade 
violence and ensure humanitarian access.  However, Le Roy 
pointed out that the UNMIS mandate is chiefly a Chapter 6 
mandate, and that UNMIS troops have limited capacity to 
perform UNMIS,s Chapter 7 mandate to protect civilians. 
Ultimately, Le Roy said that UNMIS,s ability to protect 
civilians will depend on the parties, commitment to maintain 
order. 
 
Le Roy Discusses Other CPA Issues 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Le Roy returned from travel to Sudan on July 15 and 
said that he was concerned with the complete lack of 
confidence he had observed between the two parties to the CPA 
) the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People,s 
Liberation Movement (SPLM).  He said that some southerners 
had indicated an intention to unilaterally declare 
independence, but he noted that the South is facing a severe 
budget crisis and is ill-prepared for independence.  Le Roy 
said that he had conveyed to both parties that they must 
discuss post-referendum issues at the same time they prepare 
to hold the 2011 referendum. Le Roy also stressed that the 
international community must fully engage in the process, and 
he praised the U.S. for hosting the Forum for Supporters of 
CPA Implementation to focus global attention on critical 
outstanding implementation issues. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Le Roy also discussed elections difficulties, 
observing that the Darfuris with whom he met indicated that 
they would not participate in elections absent a peace 
agreement.  Additionally, Le Roy stated that internally 
displaced persons (IDPs) are concerned that they will not be 
able to register to vote because they lack requisite 
documentation, and he noted that the SPLM continued to reject 
the census results that determine the allocation of 
representation within the legislature.  Le Roy also said that 
the National Elections Commission (NEC) had not yet developed 
a comprehensive operational plan and budget and that major 
donors continued to wait for this plan before committing to 
elections contributions. 
 
Council Deliberations 
--------------------- 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Ambassador DiCarlo expressed concern for the 
volatile situation in Abyei and reiterated that the U.S. 
expects both parties to peacefully implement the PCA 
decision.  DiCarlo said that Special Envoy Gration would be 
in Abyei on July 22, when the decision is expected to be 
announced. She expressed concern with increasing tribal 
violence in the south and urged better cooperation between 
UNMIS and the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo (MONUC) regarding the increasing attacks by the LRA in 
Southern Sudan.  DiCarlo also said that the U.S. is concerned 
with the NEC,s failure to develop a budget for elections and 
a voter registration plan, but noted that the U.S. continues 
to provide elections assistance and to urge the parties to 
complete the tasks necessary to ensure credible elections. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The interventions of France and the UK echoed 
Ambassador DiCarlo,s remarks, and additionally welcomed the 
SYG,s inclusion of benchmarks in the July 14 report.  China 
urged the parties to respect the PCA decision on the Abyei 
border and said that the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) 
must consolidate inter-tribal conflict mechanisms to quell 
violence in the south.  Uganda questioned whether outside 
forces were responsible for inciting inter-tribal conflict 
and characterized the census dispute as a "ticking time bomb" 
that could explode, destabilizing the region. Russia, Turkey, 
Austria and Uganda lamented the parties, failure to make 
unity an attractive option for the upcoming 2011 referendum. 
Japan discussed the need to strengthen coordination between 
the UN and donors for predictable and sustainable support to 
the DDR process.  Libya stressed the achievements of the CPA, 
noting that 120,000 IDPs had returned and that 325,000 
refugees from neighboring countries had also returned to 
Southern Sudan.  Mexico, Costa Rica, Croatia and France also 
expressed concern that the March 4 expulsion of NGOs 
continued to have repercussions in southern Sudan. 
 
Le Roy Responds 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Le Roy responded to Uganda,s question about 
external factors contributing to inter-tribal violence by 
noting that while the SPLA had indicated that the NCP 
instigated this violence, the NCP had not yet responded to 
this allegation.  Le Roy said that property and grazing 
rights, a population that is well-armed and frustration with 
the economic situation clearly were contributing factors to 
the violence.  With regard to making unity attractive, Le Roy 
said that there had been little investment by the north in 
the south, and while the UN continued to urge the parties to 
make unity attractive, there was little political will to do 
so.  On elections, Le Roy said that the international 
community must press the parties to adhere to the April 2010 
date for elections.  Le Roy said that if this date slips, the 
rainy season will have started and to postpone elections to 
the end of the year would place them too close to the 2011 
referendum. 
RICE