VZCZCXRO9351
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1130/01 2030602
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 220602Z JUL 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7941
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001130 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV AU EAID UN SU
 
SUBJECT: SPLM DARFUR INITIATIVE CONTINUES, DIALOGUE NEEDED WITH 
AU-UN 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00001130  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
REFTEL: A: Small-James Telcon July 17, 2007 
B: Small-James e-mail July 18, 2007 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) 
intends to continue its regional consultations over the next few 
weeks with the Darfurians with the goal of still holding a 
conference in Southern Sudan in early August, as originally outlined 
by its Darfur Task Force (Task Force).  The Task Force is undeterred 
by AU-UN plans to meet with the Darfurians in Arusha August 3-5. 
They maintain that the SPLM initiative is focused on facilitating 
unity among the Darfurians and that they have no desire to mediate a 
political solution with Khartoum.  There is a disconnect between the 
communication the Task Force is having with AU-UN representatives in 
Juba, who have been supportive of the SPLM, and divergent messages 
being transmitted by AU-UN members in Khartoum.  Post is encouraging 
the SPLM to bridge this gap and address misperceptions about SPLM 
intentions with the AU-UN leadership.  The Task Force will urge the 
SPLM Secretary General to do this in Khartoum as soon as possible. 
USG assistance to the Task Force will be limited to provision of 
office space and communications equipment, but no conference support 
at this stage.  Please see action request Para 7.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) CG called on the SPLM Task Force members in Juba July 17 
to apprise them of ongoing developments at the Second International 
Meeting on Darfur in Tripoli and to assess SPLM plans for holding 
their proposed August conference.  Task Force Members Edward Lino 
Abyei, James Kok Ruea, and Dr. Priscilla Nyannyang Joseph, told CG 
unequivocally that the SPLM was continuing its consultations with 
the Darfurian parties and intended to hold its conference in 
Southern Sudan beginning August 6.  They insisted that the AU-UN 
efforts underway will not change their dates and that only the 
Darfurians could get them to stand down on their plans since "it is 
the Darfurians meeting."  The Task Force is, however, switching the 
sequence of their proposed discussions to include first only the 
non-signatories, then a meeting of both signatories and 
non-signatories, and finally a meeting with the civil society 
groups. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The Task Force members intend to travel in three separate 
groups starting July 19, for consultations with the Darfurians in: 
1) Asmara; 2) London and Paris (to see Abdul Wahid and others); and 
3) Tripoli.  The latter group hopes to go directly from Tripoli to 
Darfur accompanied by the Darfurian leaders.  They said this did not 
happen last time the Task Force members were in Tripoli and they 
were determined to go to Darfur this time. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Task Force explained that its initiative must continue 
because the SPLM has an interest in seeing a political solution in 
Darfur and could not be sidelined or brought under the AU-UN 
program.  They insisted, however, that they were not in competition 
with the AU-UN and that their efforts were complementary to the 
AU-UN Roadmap.  The SPLM Task Force asserted that it accepts the 
AU-UN lead on the Darfur Peace Process.  Nevertheless, they said the 
SPLM cannot be "submerged" under the AU-UN program, which purports 
to be neutral, as the SPLM is a political party and is admittedly 
"biased in favor of the marginalized" groups in Darfur. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)) CG again met with the Task Force on July 18 to share a 
copy of the Tripoli Communiqu and to clarify what USG assistance to 
the Task Force could go forward (reftels).  The Task Force members, 
including its Secretary Dr. Achier Deng Akol, reiterated their 
intent to move forward with their plans for an August 6 conference. 
In response to CG's inquiry on why they had not participated in the 
Tripoli meeting, the Task Force members said neither the SPLM nor 
the Task Force had been invited and admitted they had no one there 
representing them.  They acknowledged that while there is a 
communication gap between the AU-UN and SPLM in Khartoum, they have 
had what they described as constructive conversations with two 
Senior UN Department of Political Affairs representatives in Juba, 
Vladimir A. Zhagora, who has visited Juba, and Ambassador Pascal 
Ngoga who is resident here.  The Task Force blamed, without any 
details, Khartoum/NCP elements for efforts to scuttle their 
conference plans. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) CG encouraged the Task Force to address the communication 
issues with the AU-UN, which they said they would do immediately by 
urging SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum to meet with the AU-UN 
representatives in Khartoum. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Action Request: Post will work on finalizing the transfer 
of the two containers for the Task Force office space and the 
existing communication equipment package, but will not take any 
action to facilitate travel to any SPLM conference at this point, as 
instructed by AF/SPG (septel b).  We request, however, Department 
guidance on future USG support to the SPLM Darfur Initiative and our 
 
KHARTOUM 00001130  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
message to them on those efforts. 
 
FERNANDEZ