US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS3116

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 003116 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/FO, AF/E AND AF/RSA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, EAID, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: DARFUR:  EU HEARING DIFFERENT STORY ON AU CASH FLOW 
 
REF: ADDIS ABAB 2288 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR KYLE SCOTT.  REASON: 1.4(B)(D) 
 
1.  (C) Mission spoke briefly to Friedrich Hamburger, Chef de 
Cabinet to Development Commissioner Nielsen, for a readout on 
where things stand on supporting deployment of the African 
Union (AU) protection element.  We relayed in general terms 
information in Addis Ababa 2288 on the AU's cash flow and 
logistics problems, and asked if it coincided with Commission 
understanding of the situation.  Hamburger said it did not. 
In the Commission's last contacts with the AU (last Friday 
according to Hamburger's information), the EC had been told 
the AU did not have a cash flow problem and did not expect 
one. 
 
2. (C) The EC still has not signed the AU-EU agreement 
because it is precluded from doing so by legal hurdles 
involving the EU's arms embargo on Sudan.  The embargo is 
expected to be officially lifted by the Council in its 
meeting next Monday, which will free the Commission to sign 
the agreement and release the funds.  For technical reasons, 
however, it could take up to ten days for the money to make 
it to the AU's accounts.  Although the funds are available 
retroactively (back to June 1), Hamburger conceded this will 
not help in the interim if the AU has serious cash flow 
problems.  If this is in fact the case (and he emphasized 
this is not now the Commission's understanding), Hamburger 
suggested another donor might have to fund the immediate cash 
shortfalls until the Commission's funds kick in. 
 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
 
McKinley