VZCZCXRO2630
RR RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHROV
DE RUEHUJA #0676/01 0861101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271101Z MAR 06 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5037
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 3683

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000676 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/SPG, D, INR, DRL, PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SU NI
SUBJECT: DARFUR PEACE TALKS: OBASANJO MEETS DARFUR PARTIES 
 
REF: ABUJA 650 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo 
stressed the importance of getting a peace deal soon to 
parties to the Darfur conflict on March 25.  Obasanjo also 
asked the African Union mediation for a clear schedule for 
the negotiations and expressed his desire to weigh in on the 
peace process in other capitals.  Obasanjo's efforts, as do 
ours, require the AU to put the entire peace package on the 
table this week in order not to lose the momentum and the 
high level interest now being shown in finalizing a deal. 
The AU is promising to deliver the paper, however, we remain 
concerned that the mediation lacks the capacity to do so. 
End Summary. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
OBASANJO MEETS GOVERNMENT AND MOVEMENT DELEGATIONS 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2.  (SBU)   On March 25, President Olusegun Obasanjo met with 
the Government of Sudan delegation and then the three rebel 
movements.  According to African Union (AU) Mediation team 
members, Obasanjo wanted to hear their current positions 
directly from them before he traveled abroad.  He also wants 
to be prepared to weigh in with Khartoum and Tripoli to move 
the process forward.  Obasanjo stressed the importance of 
getting an agreement as quickly as possible in both meetings. 
 Sudanese Delegation head Magzoub al-Kalifa reportedly 
disparaged the AU Mediation's efforts and complained that the 
process was too slow.  Magzoub told USDEL on March 26 that 
Obasanjo asked the AU for its immediate plans and a clear 
schedule for the discussions in coming weeks.  AU Chief 
Mediator Sam Ibok said that within one week the complete 
security arrangements language would be ready and that power 
and wealth sharing package would be on the table at the end 
of this week. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Sudan Liberation Movement faction leaders Minni 
Minawi and Abdelwahid Nur and Justice and Equality Movement 
(JEM) spokesman Ahmed Tugod Lissan met together with 
Obasanjo.  They relayed similar accounts.  They complained 
that the AU's outline of the key issues for Obasanjo was 
unfavorable to the movements' demands.  They then tried to 
make their case on powersharing issues, such as region and 
vice-presidency, but describe Obasanjo's reaction as 
non-commital.  Nonetheless, all three movement camps told us 
that they view Obasanjo's engagement, particularly with 
Khartoum and Tripoli, as essential to the process. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
MAPPING EXERCISE CONTINUES 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Throughout the weekend, SLM faction leader Minni 
Minawi and the Government of Sudan's military officers worked 
with the AU and USDEL on the mapping of their forces.  USDEL 
and AU mediation team member Alex de Waal are providing 
expertise, but the AMIS mapping experts will not arrive until 
the end of the week.  Nonetheless, the process continues with 
a high level of focus from both SLM and the GOS.  The 
Sudanese military officers tell us that they are pleased that 
after two years, the most important element of a workable 
cease-fire is underway.  In preparation for his turn at the 
map, SLM faction leader Abdelwahid Nur is obtaining GPS 
coordinates for his forces.  On March 25, Justice and 
Equality Movement (JEM) members told us that they will also 
participate in the mapping exercise.  In conjunction with the 
mapping exercise, USDEL also worked with de Waal on language 
for overall agreement, the key issues of which will be 
reported in SEPTEL. 
 
- - - - - - - - 
GOS ENGAGEMENT 
- - - - - - - - 
 
¶5.  (SBU) USDEL meetings with the GOS on March 25 and 26 
indicate a greater willingness to engage, but have yet to 
yield any major movement on key issues.  The GOS continues to 
wait for the entire document to be put on the table.  Magzoub 
has reiterated the GOS position and outlined the importance 
of maintaining a north-south balance and a National Congress 
Party majority when working on formulas for Darfurian 
representation at all levels of government.  USDEL also met 
with a small GOS working group appointed by Magzoub, headed 
by Finance Minister Lual Deng and includes GOS members of all 
three commissions.  The group is supposed to help the GOS 
team work through tough issues.  While this could be a 
positive development, we cannot judge its relevance or 
 
ABUJA 00000676  002 OF 002 
 
 
potential until there is a draft paper on the table to 
discuss. 
 
- - - - 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  We keep hearing that the paper will be on the 
table this week.  Salim reportedly arrives back today.  The 
AU mediation will be meeting on March 28 to discuss the 
"package".  We are pushing for the paper earlier rather than 
later in the week.  Without it, the AU is in danger of losing 
the building momentum, interest from the parties, and from 
key outside players such as Obasanjo. 
CAMPBELL