VZCZCXRO5317
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #2867 2661458
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231458Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6989
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CAIRO 002867 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPKO MASS EG SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR: DEMOCRATIC POPULAR FRONT SEEKS INVITE TO 
LIBYA TALKS 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 2711 
 
     ¶B. BERMAN-LARSON 9/20/2007 E-MAIL 
 
¶1. (SBU) In an introductory meeting with poloff on September 
20, Cairo-based Siddique Ander and Osama Mohamed El Hassan, 
President and Secretary General, respectively, of the 
Democratic Popular Front (DPF), asked for USG pressure on the 
UN and AU to get the DPF invited to the planned October 27 
peace talks in Libya.  DPF representation is essential, claim 
Ander and El Hassan, as the DPF has the support of "all the 
non-janjaweed Arab tribes" in Darfur, which are marginalized 
by the GOS, and not represented by the other Darfur rebel 
factions.  Ander and El Hassan opined that by splintering 
into many different factions, the other rebel groups, 
particularly the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), will be 
over-represented at the talks, and potentially able to claim 
an unfairly large portion of wealth and power sharing in any 
deal with the GOS. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The humanitarian situation in Darfur is the DPF's 
top concern, Ander and El Hassan said, and along these lines 
they repeated their offer of military "assistance" as the 
UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) prepares to deploy to Darfur 
(ref A).  They asserted that the DPF has "10,000 fighters" on 
the ground that could assist UNAMID during the deployment 
process, to guarantee security on the ground and ensure that 
the GOS does not undermine deployment. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ander and El Hassan were accompanied by Jalal 
Mahmoud, based in Philadelphia and currently setting up a DPF 
office there.  This office will help the DPF increase ties 
with the USG and increase the DPF's media visibility, Mahmoud 
said.  All three expressed frustrations that the DPF receives 
almost non-existent coverage in international media (with the 
exception of one military operation in August, per reftel), 
and were keen for the USG to assist with their public 
relations (NFI). 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment:  The DPF is clearly looking to grab as much 
influence as possible in any final settlement in Darfur. Per 
ref B e-mail exchange with Embassy Khartoum, we understand 
that the DPF has made a similar request to the UN and AU, 
with no substantive response.  DPF leaders' requests for USG 
support and organizational wherewithal seem little different 
than those of Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and SLM 
faction leaders in Cairo.  At this point, we have scant other 
information to judge the DPF's level of support or 
capabilities in Darfur.  End comment. 
JONES