VZCZCXRO0637
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1684 1981309
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171309Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3734
INFO RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 0031
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0027
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0043
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0003

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001684 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS FOR HUME AND FRAZER 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL UG SU
SUBJECT:  UPDATE ON UGANDA-LRA TALKS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The Government of Southern Sudan's (GoSS) 
mediation initiative between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and 
the Government of Uganda (GOU) has made limited progress to date. 
On July 16 the parties agreed to basic ground rules and exchanged 
opening position papers, which were reportedly "miles apart."  GOU 
officials say that they will make a good faith effort to find a 
settlement unless it becomes clear that they are wasting their time. 
 Community of Sant'Egidio officials have engaged with the LRA 
delegation.  End summary. 
 
-------------------- 
Initial Arrangements 
-------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On July 17, CG met with Ugandan counterpart Busho 
Ndinyenka, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Oryem Henry Okello, 
and Chief of Military Intelligence and Security Col. Leopold Kyanda. 
 Okello said that talks with the LRA were still in their incipient 
stages.  The two sides for several hours on July 16 and agreed to 
basic ground rules, including a commitment to avoid insults or 
confrontational language.  They had also exchanged position papers, 
which Okello described as "miles apart."  The only point of 
convergence was agreement that it was important to negotiate a 
peaceful end to the conflict.  Busho added that the GOU side was 
waiting for a communication from chief GoSS mediator Vice President 
Riek Machar to meet again and discuss the agenda for the talks. 
 
------------------- 
Ugandan Bottom Line 
------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Okello stressed that the Ugandans were in Juba for the long 
haul and would not abandon the talks unless it became clear that 
"(we) are wasting our time."  He observed that the LRA delegation 
was not of sufficient stature to make binding commitments on the LRA 
leadership.  The Ugandan side would thus insist that eventually, if 
points of agreement could be reached, it would be necessary for the 
LRA leadership to participate directly in the talks at the level of 
LRA Deputy Commander Vincent Otti, at the very least.  He denigrated 
press reports that claimed the Ugandan delegation was set to travel 
to Garamba to meet Joseph Kony at his headquarters. 
 
¶4. (SBU) A Ugandan consular official who participated in the July 16 
session said that the LRA delegates had talked at length but with 
little focus.  He characterized their input as "nonsense," but said 
that the GOU had extended its deadline for reaching an agreement 
from July 31 to September 12.  In a number of one-on-one asides, 
various Ugandan participants continued to express skepticism about 
the prospects for a negotiated settlement. 
 
------------------ 
Nothing on the LRA 
------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) We have picked up no second-hand reports on the LRA 
delegation's perspective, but have scheduled a meeting for this 
evening with a representative of the Community of Sant'Egidio that 
has been in contact with the LRA delegation and has participated in 
the opening sessions.  The Sant'Egidio representative confirmed that 
talks are scheduled to resume July 17 at 1430 hours. 
 
STEINFELD