US embassy cable - 04ABUJA1218

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001218 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PHUM, PREF, MOPS, PARM, SU, AU, NI, DARFUR 
SUBJECT: SUDAN:  SUPPORTING DEPLOYMENT OF AFRICAN 
PROTECTION FORCE 
 
REF: A. STATE 150764 
     B. ABUJA 1211 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN CAMPBELL.  REASONS 1.5 (B & D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: July 12, Ambassador Campbell met with 
President Obasanjo to deliver demarche (REF A) on support for 
the African Union deployment to Sudan.  Obasanjo said that 
Sudan had accepted the AU protection force at the summit in 
Addis Ababa and had agreed to cooperate with the AU.  While 
Obasanjo could not offer specifics, he said Nigeria and other 
contributors to the AU force would likely require air lift 
support and peace-keeping training in order to deploy to 
Sudan.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) July 12, Ambassador Campbell delivered demarche (REF 
A) to President Obasanjo. 
 
(C) - The President said the AU was in the process of 
determining the size of the force to be deployed and which 
countries would contribute to it.  He said Nigeria would 
certainly contribute if asked, and he indicated that Nigeria 
would be asked.  He did not offer a timetable for the 
deployment. 
 
(C) - Obasanjo said the GOS had agreed to the deployment of 
an AU protection force and will cooperate with the AU in its 
efforts to stabilize the Darfur region. 
 
(C) - Obasanjo added that he anticipated the AU would seek 
authorization for the AU protection force from the UNSC. 
 
3. (C) With respect to requests for financial assistance and 
logistical support for such a force, Obasanjo did not delve 
into specifics, but he said Nigeria and other contributors to 
the AU force would likely require air lift support in order 
to deploy to Sudan.  Obasanjo commented that the dearth of 
air lift capacity in Africa would greatly reduce the 
effectiveness of the proposed AU standby brigades and called 
on the U.S. and other donor countries to work to increase 
Nigeria's air lift capabilities.  Obasanjo also took the 
opportunity to mention the usefulness of the Nigerian 
military's five U.S.-trained peacekeeping battalions and 
reiterated his long standing request for five more. 
 
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POLIO 
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4.  (C) In a brief side bar before discussing Darfur, 
Obasanjo commented to Ambassador that he had just come from a 
lengthy, unscheduled meeting on polio with Kano Governor 
Shekarau.  Obasanjo appeared up beat and said progress was 
being made but gave no other details.  Ambassador plans to 
meet with Shekaru this week.  We will continue to report on 
this issue as more information becomes available. 
CAMPBELL