VZCZCXRO8239
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1509/01 2691255
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 261255Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8642
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 0232
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001509 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UN AU SU
SUBJECT: SPLM TO PROCEED WITH DARFUR INITIATIVE 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00001509  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
---------------------------------------- 
SPLM Forging Ahead with Darfur Initiative 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Despite the failure of recent overtures to Darfur 
rebel leader Abdulwahid al Nur, the Sudan People's Liberation 
Movement (SPLM) intends to proceed with an initiative in the 
next 10 days to prepare Darfur's rebel groups for 
negotiations scheduled to begin in Libya at the end of 
October, according to UN officials in Khartoum.  The 
initiative will focus on political reconciliation among the 
rebel factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the 
Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), followed by capacity 
building workshops. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Rebel Participation Still in Question 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) While acknowledging that the SPLM may face 
difficulties in garnering wide rebel participation at meeting 
in Southern Sudan, UN and AU officials in Khartoum emphasize 
that they remain supportive of an SPLM role in the Darfur 
peace process.  In addition to Abdulwahid, Justice and 
Equality Movement (JEM) leader Khalil Ibrahim has rejected 
SPLM invitations to Southern Sudan.  As a result, the SPLM 
has begun discussions with breakaway JEM commander Abdullah 
Banda and JEM Secretary General Bahar Abu Gharda in lieu of 
Ibrahim.  The SPLM has been unable to make contact with 
SLM/Unity commander Abdullah Yehia.  (Note: In a conversation 
with Poloff on September 25, SLM leader and Senior Assistant 
to the President Minni Minawi reported that he had spoken to 
Abu Gharda and Banda that day and had convinced them both to 
agree to a cease-fire and to attend the Libya negotiations. 
End note.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) First Vice President Salva Kiir has planned a tour 
of the ten Northern states--including Darfur--within the next 
month.  SPLM Deputy Secretary General for the Northern Sector 
Yassir Arman has been proposing such a trip since early 2007 
as a confidence building measure with Darfurians, many of 
whom remember the SPLM's opposition to certain power and 
wealth-sharing proposals during the negotiations for the 
Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA).  While Government of Southern 
Sudan Vice President Riek Machar has led the SPLM's Darfur 
initiative as of late, UN officials now speculate that Kiir's 
decision to visit Darfur--coming after Arman's recent return 
to Sudan--may indicate that Arman has assumed control of the 
Darfur portfolio. 
 
--------------------------- 
Opportunity for S/E Natsios 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Remarking on S/E Natsios' upcoming visit to Sudan, 
the UN point person for the SPLM suggested that the Special 
Envoy could deliver three critical messages to senior 
Southern officials: 1) Emphasize continued coordination and 
cooperation between the UN/AU and the SPLM, 2) Urge the SPLM 
to "conceptualize" its role in the Libya negotiations, given 
that it is a member of the Government of National Unity but 
not a signatory to the DPA, and 3) Discuss the SPLM's 
positions on power and wealth sharing issues of concern to 
the rebel movements and gauge the SPLM's flexibility on these 
issues. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The SPLM can play a constructive role in preparing 
Darfur's rebel movements for negotiations--though they will 
need to draw on outside expertise to be successful and may 
need to consider holding a meeting outside Southern Sudan in 
order to garner inclusive attendance.  The U.S. should work 
to ensure that the SPLM initiative is consistent with the 
broader framework of the Darfur political process and should 
re-focus attention on drawing out the SPLM's positions on 
issues.  S/E Natsios' visit to Sudan will provide an 
opportunity to jump start efforts on both fronts.  In the 
absence of greater SLM unity so its factions can agree on a 
platform and more in-depth discussion with the SPLM on its 
redlines, the National Congress Party (NCP) is under no 
pressure to tip its hand and engage in preparatory 
discussions with the UN/AU that could lay the foundation for 
success in Libya.  End comment. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00001509  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (U) Tripoli minimize considered. 
FERNANDEZ