VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKH #1138/01 2040851
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230851Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7957

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001138 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, AF/EPS, EB/IFD, AND EB/ESC 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR, AND ALSO PASS USAID 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EFIN ECON SOCI AID SU
SUBJECT: OIL AND ABYEI - AEC PLENARY RAISES CONTENTIOUS ISSUES 
 
REF: 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  In a July 17 Assessment and Evaluation Committee 
(AEC) plenary session, representatives from the Sudan People's 
Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the National Congress Party (NCP) 
addressed several unresolved and contentious issues including: the 
relationship between the National Petroleum Commission and the 
Executive Committee; the failure of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) 
troops to redeploy from oil production areas; and the most recent 
developments on Abyei.  Through trading critical remarks and 
questioning the AEC's mandate, the SPLM and NCP representatives 
provided two different accounts of the status of implementing the 
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and signaled that the 
institution of the AEC may need further support.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) AEC Chairman Vraalsen began the plenary session with a 
pointed opening statement.  He stated that there have been high 
level consultations outside the framework of the AEC which have "not 
reported any visible results."  He criticized the media and both the 
SPLM and NCP for not celebrating the second anniversary of the 
Government of National Unity (GNU).  He then directly asked, "My 
question to the parties is where are you taking the country?"  He 
closed his remarks asking for the parties' reports on Abyei, the 
Sudan Armed Forces deployment in the oil areas in Unity State and 
Upper Nile, and the status of preparatory work for the census. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
WHO MAKES THE CALL?  NPC OR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE? 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶3.  (U)  SPLM representatives reported that the National Petroleum 
Commission (NPC) has been established with full registration and 
approval of its internal regulations, though the secretariat still 
needs to be formed.  They added that an NPC office will be 
constructed in Juba.  Although representatives provided a positive 
reading of the recent decisions regarding oil blocks 5a and 5b, they 
acknowledged that the "relationship between the Executive Committee 
and NPC still needs to be refined."  When pressed by Chairman 
Vraalsen as to whether it was the NPC or the Executive Committee who 
made the final decision, SPLM and NPC representatives gave vague and 
elusive answers. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
SAF TROOPS REMAIN IN SOUTHERN OIL FIELDS 
---------------------------------------- 
¶4.   (U)  SPLM representatives expressed concern about the remaining 
presence of SAF troops in southern oil producing areas.  Although 
SAF redeployment was on schedule in Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal, 
large numbers of troops remained in oil production areas.  SPLM 
representatives stated that the presence of some 4,400 troops in 
Unity State near oil fields has created tension with the local 
population who see this as a clear violation of the CPA. 
 
¶5.  (U)  SPLM representatives stated that they judge the commitment 
of their partner by the steps they take toward redeployment.  SPLM 
representative Angelina Teny stated that she asked one SAF commander 
protecting an oil area in Unity State about their presence, and he 
responded "We cannot leave the oil areas until they are secure."  In 
retelling this story, she asked those present at the AEC plenary, 
"These forces need to make sure this area is secure from whom?"  She 
stated the Government of South Sudan and its forces would do 
everything in its power to insure the security of its only source of 
revenue - the oil fields.  NCP representatives stated that the oil 
areas are a national asset that needs to protection, and made no 
indication that SAF troops would redeploy any time soon. 
 
----- 
ABYEI 
----- 
¶6.  (U)  SPLM representatives gave a cautiously optimistic report on 
Abyei,  stating that after lengthy discussion, the parties have 
agreed to separate Abyei's oil issue from that of the border. They 
added that deliberations went much further than what is stipulated 
in the CPA, and also said that the SPLM has presented a "position to 
the NCP" that is awaiting a response.  The NCP representative said 
that the issue of boundaries represents the biggest stumbling block, 
but that both parties have a desire to solve the Abyei issue. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  This AEC plenary provided some stirring 
moments.  Vraalsen's pointed opening statement directly probed the 
commitment of the SPLM and the NCP to the CPA.  Meanwhile, the SPLM 
shared stern words on SAF redeployment from oil fields, and the NCP 
charged that they would like to hear more positive news from the 
SPLM, rather than just complaints. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED.  This frankness also included a debate 
about the mandate of the AEC.  NCP representatives responded to 
concerns about their commitment by questioning the overall authority 
of the AEC, stating that it is not a court or tribunal.  Alluding 
that the AEC does not have the ability to enforce the CPA or 
reprimand the parties involved, this representative essentially 
questioned the overall mission of the AEC.  Although the open and 
direct discussion in the session should be applauded, this exchange 
may signal that the institution of the AEC may need to be 
strengthened and that certain parties may need to be reminded of the 
AEC's important role in the future of the CPA and Sudan as a whole. 
END COMMENT. 
 
¶9.  (U) Draft Minutes from this 22nd AEC Plenary meeting have been 
e-mailed to the Sudan Programs Group along with the following 
documents: 
 
-  Attendance list for the 22nd AEC Plenary meeting 
                                               -  Approved minutes 
from the 21st AEC Plenary meeting held on June 7th, 2007 (part 1) 
-  Chairman's report for the period June 7 to July 7 
                                               (part 1) 
-  Draft narrative report from the Security Working Group on '2 year 
of CPA implementation' (part 2) 
-  Matrix for the above 
-  Draft narrative report from the Power Sharing Working Group on '2 
year of CPA implementation'(part 3) 
-  Matrix for the above 
-  Power point presentation by UNOPS on the "Effect of Logistics and 
Operations on Elections" (part 4) 
 
FERNANDEZ