VZCZCXRO3969
RR RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0011 0031418
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031418Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9656
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000011 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KSCA OTRA EAID CDC SU
SUBJECT: AEC COORDINATORS MEET TO PLAN WORK IN THE NEW YEAR 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  AEC working group coordinators met January 3 at 
the behest of the Acting AEC Chairman (the Norwegian Ambassador) in 
advance of the first AEC plenary session for 2008.  The Norwegian 
Ambassador said the NCP and the SPLM had agreed to brief the 
Commission on terms of the agreements they had concluded ending the 
SPLM walkout from participation in the Government of National Unity 
(GoNU) in mid-October.  The agenda will also include a discussion of 
plans for producing the mid-term report on CPA implementation. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
Waiting for Presidential Decree 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Norwegian Ambassador, Fridtjov Thorkildsen, told 
representatives of the U.S., UK and Netherlands embassies, along 
with the new Italian and Kenyan ambassadors, that the two parties 
(SPLM and NCP) had agreed that the Norwegian Embassy should chair 
the AEC until a new chairman is named in a Sudanese Presidential 
Decree.  He said that his discussions with Presidential Advisor 
(NCP) Sayed al Khatib indicated that the decree would probably be 
limited to naming a new chairman, and would refrain from making 
changes in the international membership of the AEC.  The Kenyan 
Ambassador said the NCP had expressed to him its preference that 
Kenya chair the AEC.  However, he stated that he informed the NCP 
that Kenya is not prepared to perform this function. 
 
Next Plenary on January 8 
------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The newly arrived Italian Ambassador urged maintaining the 
January 8 date for the first AEC Plenary of the new year because of 
its symbolic importance, one day before the three-year anniversary 
of the CPA.  With all AEC coordinators in agreement, the Norwegian 
Ambassador said he would seek concurrence from the SPLM and NCP. 
The main items on the agenda will be (1) a briefing by the parties 
on their agreement for resuming their partnership in the GNU; (2) 
discussion on forthcoming working group meetings; and (3) discussion 
on drafting the required mid-term CPA report.  On the last issue, it 
was agreed that an ad hoc committee would be formed to establish the 
terms of reference for the three-year review.  Working group 
coordinators agreed not to raise the issue of a high-level 
international conference to review CPA implementation at the first 
plenary. 
 
 
Status of UK candidate for AEC Chairman 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The UK rep said there was still some way to go before 
obtaining approval of the two parties to the candidacy of Sir Derek 
Plumley for the post of AEC chair.  He thanked the other parties, 
particularly the Norwegian Ambassador, for weighing in with the two 
parties on behalf of the candidate, and asked the others for 
suggestions as to when might be a good time for Plumley to visit 
Khartoum to present himself personally to the parties.  Participants 
agreed with the CDA Powers that the UK Embassy should get the 
parties to agree on this point, and that Plumley's attendance at the 
January 8 AEC plenary would not be a good idea. 
 
Comments on SPLM team, Abyei proposal 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Commenting on the SPLM's new team of ministers in the GNU, 
the Norwegian Ambassador opined that while the NCP considers Pagan 
Amum a hardliner, it also seemed to believe that Amum's presence 
would strengthen the SPLM's presence in the AEC.  He added that the 
SPLM had still not identified its primary AEC representative, but 
that Minister Kosti Manibe would be present at the first plenary. 
Presidential Advisor Sayed Al Khatib would probably remain a strong 
AEC focal point representing the NCP.  Thorkildsen also said the 
SPLM had made it known that it had offered to the NCP two options 
for resolving the Abyei issue: Either the NCP accept the ABC report, 
in which case the SPLM would support the NCP for the presidency in 
the 2008 elections; or the SPLM would begin looking for other 
electoral partners in the election. 
 
Recruiting new staff for AEC secretariat 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Amb. Thorkildsen said the issue of recruiting new staff 
members for the AEC secretariat would be delayed pending selection 
of the next Chairman. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) COMMENT:  We expect Amb. Thorkildsen to proceed with his 
interim AEC leadership by pushing for progress in a cautious and 
measured fashion, which is what is called for at this time when the 
two parties begin their renewed partnership in the GNU. We will 
continue to weigh in with the parties on behalf of the UK candidacy 
for the chairmanship. 
 
POWERS