VZCZCXRO3978
RR RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2479/01 2831013
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101013Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4907
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 002479 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UN SU
SUBJECT: Darfur: Non-Signatory Conference Best Way Forward 
 
 
This is an action request, please see paragraph 6. 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: Darfur Partners Group met on October 4, 2006, at 
British Ambassador's residence.  The meeting was hosted by the UK 
Ambassador and included Charge D'Affairs Cameron Hume, the French 
Ambassador and representatives from the Netherlands, Norway, 
Germany, the EU, and the UN.  After a review of the security 
situation in Darfur and the recent visit by the President of the 
European Union (EU), the "Gang of Four/Five" presented a plan to 
hold a Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) non-signatories conference as 
soon as possible.  In addition to requesting financial support, the 
Gang outlined several details that must be resolved before a 
conference can be held.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
North and South Largely Stable, No Change on UN Troops 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2.  Following a short discussion of the action points from the 
Darfur Partners Group Meeting of September 20, 2006, the British 
Security Officer provided a brief synopsis of the current security 
situation on the ground.  He said that despite heavy reinforcements 
of the GoS military that have been observed in El Fashir, including 
ground troops, attack helicopters and Antonovs, the overall security 
situation in the north has remained relatively stable. 
Notwithstanding the attack in Al-Guraydah (South Darfur) against 
Minni Minawi's SLM/A forces by the SLM/A Free Will Movement, the 
overall security situation in the south was also reported to be 
relatively stable.  The military capability of the SLM/A Free Will 
Movement was questioned and it was thought that without GoS support, 
its capability was limited. 
 
¶3. The meeting between the President of the E.U., Jose Barosso, and 
President Bashir was also briefly mentioned.  No change in the GoS 
stance with respect to U.N. peacekeepers was envisaged.  The U.N. 
was also waiting a response from the GoS as to their consideration 
and acceptance of the proposed U.N. light support package with 
regards to the A.U. 
 
¶4. The "Gang of Four/Five" (US, UK, Netherlands, EU, and Norway) 
briefed the meeting on the current status of its non-signatories 
project.  They explained that momentum has been building, even 
without the international community's active support, to hold a DPA 
non-signatories conference within the next several weeks.  The 
consensus was that facilitating such a conference, albeit not ideal, 
was better than doing nothing.  The Gang believes that international 
support is imperative if the conference is to get off the ground.  A 
notional budget of $200,000 was submitted for consideration.  Before 
a conference can be held though, several questions/hurdles have to 
be answered/overcome.  They are as follows: 
 
-- Participation:  Should the conference be restricted to military 
commanders only or should it be all inclusive to include politicos, 
IDPs and intellectuals/academics? 
 
-- Venue:  Should it be held in Darfur to facilitate military 
commanders' participation, or in Nairobi or Kampala to facilitate 
non-resident Darfurian's participation? 
 
-- Facilitator:  Three NGOs (i.e., Justice Africa, SUDO and DISA) 
have met with the Gang with their proposals to host the conference. 
As each NGO has its own agenda, care must be taken.  The consensus 
was to contract with two of the NGOs, providing oversight 
throughout. 
 
-- GoS:  The government does not support the conference and is 
currently inviting some military commanders to Libya to put pressure 
on them to sign the DPA. 
 
-- UN:  Although the UN had been invited to be a member of the Gang, 
no participation on their part has been forthcoming.  UNSR Pronk is 
now actively promoting a conference in parallel to the Gang's, which 
raised concern for some in the Partners' Group. 
 
-- AU:  To ensure a successful conference, especially if held in 
Darfur, the A.U. must be brought on board.  Their assets may be 
needed to provide transportation to the conference. 
 
-- Eritrea:  Eritrean interference should not be underestimated and 
they, like the UN, may be promoting a conference of their own. 
 
-- Funding:  The Partners Group thought that the preliminary cost 
estimate of $200,000 was possible.  Respective governments will be 
canvassed for sources of funding. 
 
¶5. Lastly, the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) 
representative briefed the Darfur Partners Group as to a recent 
visit to the Omdurman party offices of SLM/Minawi.  Support for 
party capacity building and office equipment would be sought. 
 
¶6. ACTION REQUEST: CDA Hume requests that funds in the amount of 
$50,000 be made available as the USG's contribution to the DPA 
Non-Signatory Conference.  To be an active player in the process, 
 
KHARTOUM 00002479  002 OF 002 
 
 
financial support must be forthcoming as soon as possible. 
 
POWERS