VZCZCXRO8843
RR RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHROV
DE RUEHUJA #0856/01 1101011
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201011Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5301
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 3819

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000856 
 
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: NEXT STEPS 
 
REF: ABUJA 798 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary: On April 19, African Union Chief 
Negotiator Sam Ibok discussed potential next steps for 
putting forward the entire peace deal with USDEL.  During the 
same meeting, AU Special Representative Baba Gana Kingibe 
said that there will be a transition from AMIS to a re-hatted 
force in Darfur and that he is prepared to travel with UN 
Special Representative for Sudan Jan Pronk on a 
pre-assessment mission.  Meanwhile, the Movements continue 
consultations with Vice President Ali Osman Taha and Sudan 
Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM) members, with somewhat 
mixed results.  Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) leader Minni 
Minnawi outlined his talks with Vice President Taha for the 
international partners.  Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) 
members met Taha for the first time on April 18 with AU 
mediators present.  End Summary. 
 
- - - - - - - 
AU MEDIATION 
- - - - - - - 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  USDEL met with AU Chief Negotiator Sam Ibok and 
Special Representative Baba Gana Kingibe on April 19.  Ibok 
wanted to know the status of the cease-fire discussion and 
final security arrangements document.  Khartoum CDA Hume said 
that the main sticking points on the cease-fire remain 
policing, responsibility for border control, and the 
disarmament of the janjaweed.  (retel)  The discussions are 
at a point where the final security arrangements document 
needs to be given to the parties.  USDEL security expert and 
lawyer finalized the security arrangements document, set to 
be given to the parties on April 20.  Ibok agreed with USDEL 
that the parties are ready for the entire package and that 
the AU wanted to put it forward by week's end (April 21).  He 
asked for advice on how to proceed.  CDA Hume said that the 
final security arrangements paper needs to go to the parties 
on April 20.  All of the issues would then have been tabled. 
Then, the entire package, including power, wealth, and 
security, could be briefed to the parties, followed by the 
document within 24 hours. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Kingibe clarified the AU's position on the AMIS-UN 
transition.  Kingibe said that the AU will move forward on 
the basis of the GOS's statement that it would consider an 
AMIS-UN transition if there was a peace deal.  Given the 
momentum of the peace talks, it is prudent for the AU and UN 
to work together on an assessment.  Kingibe is preparing to 
travel with Pronk to Darfur to begin an assessment on the 
transition needs.  Kingibe said that the GOS will have to 
accept the probability that there will be a UN force 
structure that includes the south, Darfur, and possibly, the 
East in the future.  They may be a UN Force Commander with a 
deputy for each region.  For Darfur, Kingibe said that the 
deputy would be an African and the character of the force 
will remain African. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - 
TAHA CONSULTATIONS 
- - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The hefty GOS delegation, led by VP Taha and 
recently augmented by Security Chief Salah Gosh, continues 
active round robin meetings with the movements.  The results 
are mixed.  SLM leader Minni Minnawi's early meeting some ten 
days ago seemed to provide the reassurance that Khartoum was 
prepared to make a deal.  Much  of that earlier optimism 
dissipated during the subsequent five sessions.  Minni claims 
Taha offered concessions early and has later reneged.  Taha's 
people say that Minni, when alone, appeared more flexible 
than when accompanied by some of his senior lieutenants. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  During a meeting with the international partners 
on April 19, Minni expressed concern that the GOS would 
identify the major points of contention but not negotiate 
seriously on them.  Minni said that the GOS may hope that as 
the April 30 deadline approached, some framework document 
would be proposed with the details of decisions to be left to 
be worked out during the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue.  This has 
been a long-standing fear of the Movements and a "solution" 
they will continue to reject.  There is no indication that 
the AU intends to pursue such a course. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  One of the major sticking points continues to be 
the integration of the rebels into the Sudanese Armed Forces. 
 Both sides have accepted the principle of integration but 
the GOS insists that it must be done on an individual basis 
determined by SAF needs and rebel combatants' proficiency. 
 
ABUJA 00000856  002 OF 002 
 
 
The Movements acknowledge that eventually their soldiers will 
become part of the SADF as individuals but insist that during 
the transition period unit integrity should be maintained. 
The Movements are especially sensitive to the fact that the 
GOS has already integrated a number of janjaweed into the 
ranks without the rigorous vetting that they seem to want to 
impose on the movements.  Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement 
(SPLM) members of the GNU delegation, particularly Malik 
Agar, understand the Movements' position and told us they 
would attempt to help craft a GOS position, and persuade 
Taha, Salah Gosh, and Magzoub Al-Kalifa, that unit 
integration during the transition, lots of training to 
improve competencies, and then integration into the national 
forces could be an acceptable compromise. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) members met 
with Taha on April 18.  The meeting was facilitated by the AU 
mediators, who also attended the meeting.  Ibok said the four 
hour meeting was difficult with JEM restating its positions 
on power, wealth, and security issues.  JEM members, however, 
told USDEL that they would be willing to continue to meet 
with Taha.  JEM's spokesman, Ahmed Hussein, said that it is 
important for the Movements to be seen as cooperating with 
Taha to strengthen his hand against Magzoub.  Nonetheless, 
JEM continues to put out negative press statements about the 
peace process.  The SLM factions, well-aware of JEM's 
game-playing, say they are considering ways lessen JEM's 
shenigans. 
 
- - - - 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The African Union now appears onboard to deliver 
the entire peace package to the parties within 24 hours, as 
promised. 
CAMPBELL