VZCZCXRO9265
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHLO #1873 1981600
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 161600Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9210
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0163

S E C R E T LONDON 001873 
 
SIPDIS 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2018 
TAGS: PREL KDEM PHUM UG UK
SUBJECT: UK AND UGANDA/LRA: CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE PEACE 
PROCESS 
 
REF: A. KAMPALA 904 
     ¶B. KHARTOUM 1028 
     ¶C. LONDON 1643 
      ¶D. LONDON 1862  

Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d).  

¶1. (C/NF) FCO Minister for Africa Lord Malloch-Brown "continues to support the peace process for the time being" between the Government of Uganda (GoU) and the Lord's Resistance Army, according to East Africa Desk Officers Gill Atkinson and Sheena Lavery.  Atkinson provided poloff on July 15 HMG's preferred outcomes.  First, LRA Leader Kony signs the Final Peace Agreement (FPA).  Absent that, the international community works to help implement the FPA without the actual signatures.  Lavery noted that none of the parties are actually talking about the terms of the agreement, as they have been generally agreed; it is simply a matter of signing the FPA.  With the July 5 resumption of the peace talks (reftel A), HMG has agreed to provide a small amount of funding for the process to continue for "a period of time."  Lavery said HMG had not yet determined how long it would continue the funding, but wanted to give Kony another chance to sign the FPA.  

¶2. (S/NF) On military action against Kony, Atkinson said HMG would only support action aimed to capture Kony that stood a reasonably high chance of success.  She said that a failed operation would have security implications for Uganda, DRC, Sudan, and the region in general, and she had not seen anything to indicate any of the actors on the ground had the capability to perform a successful operation.  She noted that HMG had not received any requests for intelligence support, a request which the UK would consider reluctantly.  

¶3. (C/NF) Lavery said HMG will continue to undermine the LRA through non-military means.  The UK's current priorities are a "real push" for stability in Northern Uganda, a return to normalcy for the people living there, and improved border security.  The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) continues to support the Peace, Recovery, and Development Plan (PRDP) as the principal way forward.  

Comment -------  

¶4. (C/NF) Since the FPA peace talks re-opened, HMG has softened its previous "harder edge policy" on Kony and the LRA (retel C).  With the ICC's July 14 request for indictment of Sudanese President Bashir and HMG's relatively flexible policy response (reftel D, notal), HMG will be particularly sensitive about any policies or actions that could be perceived as short of full support for the Court.   Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX TUTTLE