VZCZCXRO4449
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0040/01 0101544
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101544Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5758
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000040 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/SE 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AU SU UN US
SUBJECT: JOINT PRESS STATEMENT OF GOV. RICHARDSON AND 
GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN 
 
¶1. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and the Sudanese 
government issued a joint press statement at 1730 local time. 
 
¶2. The text of the statement is as follows: 
 
(Begin text) 
 
H.E. Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico, accompanied by 
a delegation sponsored by and including members of the Save 
Darfur Coalition, the leading United States-based Darfur 
peace advocacy organization, conducted a visit to Sudan to 
discuss ways to secure peace in the Darfur region of Sudan 
and the protection of all civilians and other non-combatants. 
 The Governor and delegation visited El Fasher and Nayala in 
Darfur for meetings with internally displaced persons in 
Darfur, rebel groups that are signatories to the DPA as well 
as those which are not as of yet, international agencies, the 
United Nations, and humanitarian aid as well as the Wali of 
North Darfur and the Deputy Wali of Southern Darfur States 
and held meetings in Khartoum with H.E. President Omer Hassan 
Al Bashir, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Lam Ajol Ajamin, 
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Ali Ahmed Karti, 
and a number of high ranking Sudanese officials. 
 
Both sides agreed that ending the conflict in Darfur is 
Sudan's and the international community highest priority. 
Peace, they agreed, can only come through a political 
settlement that is joined in by and addresses the needs of 
all parties, on the basis of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) 
of 5 May 2006 reiterating their support for preserving 
Sudan's territorial integrity and the importance of respect 
for Sudan's sovereignty. 
 
Both sides agreed that there was a compelling need for a 
comprehensive cease-fire to launch a political process based 
on the DPA that would lead to a durable end to the conflict 
as soon as possible.  Both agreed to a 60-day cessation of 
hostilities by all parties within the framework of the DPA, 
accompanied by a start in African Union/United Nations 
diplomatic efforts, within the framework of the DPA, to begin 
narrowing the gaps between the non-signatories, including 
government approval of a field commanders' conference 
attended by the African Union and the United Nations.  This 
would be followed at the appropriate moment by an African 
Union/United Nations-sponsored peace summit, again in the 
framework of the DPA, no later than 15 March 2007. 
Simultaneously, both agreed that the UN needed to expedite as 
quickly as possible the provision of UN personnel agreed in 
Addis Ababa and further specified in Abuja in November 2006. 
President Bashir re-affirmed his commitment to continue to 
facilitate the deployment of UN personnel and equipment 
consistent with his agreement with the Secretary General of 
the UN on Phases II and III, including the eventual 
conclusions of the Tripartite Committee as stipulated in the 
DPA. 
 
The two sides noted that Governor Richardson had secured a 
commitment from commanders of the Justice and Equality 
Movement and of the Non-Signatory Front to participate in a 
process including a 60-day cease fire agreement within the 
framework of the DPA.  Governor Richardson and Save Darfur 
Coalition expressed their grave concern to all parties with 
whom they met about continuing and increasing attacks on 
civilians and other non-combatants. 
 
They reiterated that gender-based violence and such crimes 
must be condemned and prosecuted regardless of which party or 
organization was responsible, noting that Governor Richardson 
and the Save Darfur Coalition emphasized the need in all 
their meetings for implementing mechanism to ensure that 
"zero tolerance" policies towards gender-based violence be 
applied in practice, quickly and robustly.  Governor 
Richardson noted with appreciation President Bashir's 
commitment to welcome a significant contribution of female 
members to the AU/UN hybrid operations.  Both sides expressed 
their grave concern at allegations of gender-based violence 
by United Nations personnel in South Sudan. 
 
Governor Richardson and the delegation also met with the 
Under-Secretary of Justice, the Rapporteur of the Advisory 
Council for Human Rights and Dr. Attyat who presented a 
briefing on Sudanese Government efforts to institutionalize 
protections for women.  The Governor and the delegation 
accepted the offer to work with the Ministry to analyze and 
extend existing efforts to support Sudanese women against all 
gender-based violence. 
 
President Bashir and Governor Richardson also agreed that 
 
KHARTOUM 00000040  002 OF 002 
 
 
more light needs to be shed on the full situation in Darfur. 
President Bashir agreed to allow and facilitate travel by 
journalists from all over the world to Darfur. 
 
The two sides underscored the need to disarm all armed 
groups, including the Janjaweed, pursuant to the provision of 
the DPA, and further agreed not to have the National military 
aircraft painted in white markings normally reserved for 
international organizations. 
 
President Bashir agreed that government forces would attempt 
to improve security conditions in all areas of Darfur with 
special emphasis on El Geneina and would provide protection 
to food and other humanitarian convoys.  They also agreed 
that humanitarian aid agencies have greatly assisted the 
Government and people of Sudan by providing much needed 
emergency and development aid in Darfur and other parts of 
Sudan.  President Bashir agreed to expedite procedures for 
entry visas for all humanitarian aid workers as well as 
goods.  He also agreed to terminate the requirement of exit 
visas for humanitarian aid workers.  President Bashir noted 
with satisfaction the strong statements by the Save Darfur 
Coalition to rebel commanders condemning attacks by their 
members on humanitarian aid operations and agreed to initiate 
an ongoing dialogue with the Save Darfur Coalition aimed at 
ending the violence in Darfur and on achieving a political 
solution to the crisis. 
 
The two sides agreed to apprise African Union Special Envoy 
Salim Ahmed Salim and United Nations Special Envoy Jan 
Eliasson of these developments, so that the African Union and 
the United Nations will facilitate the commanders meeting and 
launch the political discussion and to maintain regular 
communication assessing progress on these important 
initiatives to identify areas of difficulty on which further 
engagement may be necessary to ensure rapid progress and 
durable outcomes. 
 
Both sides agreed that an improvement of relations is in the 
mutual interest of both countries. 
 
(End text) 
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