VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKH #0258/01 0521620
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211620Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0009

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/E WILLIAMSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS ECON EAID SU
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 17 ABORTED WEALTH-SHARING WORKING GROUP PLANNING 
SESSION AND THE NEED TO STRENGTHEN SPLM CAPACITY AT AEC WORKING 
GROUP MEETINGS 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY:  In the February 17 meeting of the Wealth Sharing 
Working Group (WSWG), the SPLM representative admitted he was 
neither prepared, nor qualified to speak on behalf of his party. 
The NCP accused the AEC secretariat of failing to deliver a document 
outlining the structure of the mid-term evaluation.  The NCP 
representatives also assumed that their suggestions were accepted in 
the February 5 plenary, although these ideas were not formally 
agreed to by both parties.  Suggestions for strengthening the AEC 
are outlined in para. 12.  END SUMMARY. 
 
NCP AGGRESSIVE AND SPLM UNPREPARED 
---------------------------------- 
¶2.  (U)  The U.S. coordinator of the Wealth Sharing Working Group 
opened the February 17 session asking for the parties' priorities 
and work in the coming months.  The NCP's Muhammad Mukhtar Al Hassan 
noted that the Working Group faces the dual challenges of completing 
the mid-term evaluation while carrying on its normal work.  He 
stated that the matrix should be the basis for the mid-term 
evaluation. 
 
¶3.  (U) Al Hassan continued that the AEC secretariat was to have 
submitted a proposal outlining the structure of the mid-term 
evaluation within two days of the AEC plenary, but had failed to do 
so.  "We need this document to unify the method and structure of the 
mid-term evaluation," he said.  (NOTE:  Plenary minutes do not 
mention a deadline associated with the drafting of this document: 
"The Chairman agreed with the NCP and said that the Secretariat 
would begin work on a structure of the mid term review immediately." 
 END NOTE.) 
 
¶4.  (U)  The Norwegian representative replied that the Terms of 
Reference (TOR) for the mid-term evaluation have only been "accepted 
in principle" and will be completed at the next AEC plenary.  He 
stated that while Norway has received feedback from the NCP on the 
TOR, it is awaiting SPLM input.  He said that the secretariat is 
working on a draft document outlining the structure of the mid-term 
evaluation. 
 
¶5. (U)  The WSWG coordinator then requested input from SPLM 
representative Khalid Ja'dain.  Ja'dain responded that he was a last 
minute fill-in for the SPLM, and was neither prepared nor qualified 
to speak on behalf of his party.  As the SPLM representative could 
make no decisions, the NCP representatives suggested adjourning the 
meeting.  The SPLM agreed, and the coordinator accepted their 
decision noting, "We need more than just attendance, we need people 
who are prepared and knowledgeable about these issues." 
 
¶6.  (U)  Before the meeting adjourned, the NCP noted the fast 
approaching April 15 deadline for the first draft of the Mid-Term 
Evaluation (MTE).  They suggested that the Working Groups meet 
weekly to accelerate the drafting process.  They added that the last 
plenary session agreed that the AEC will designate a primary 
drafter, who would not be involved in the analytical work. 
Additionally, the NCP interpreted the plenary discussion as 
concluding that experts for the MTE will be hired only for 
particular issues when a second opinion is needed. 
 
¶7.  (U) The WSWG coordinator said that the MTE should do more than 
just evaluate whether CPA-mandated mechanisms have been established, 
but should evaluate the performance of those institutions as well. 
Before the meeting was adjourned the NCP stated again that they 
expect the AEC to draft a document outlining the structure of the 
MTE, "or we will just do it ourselves." 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  After the meeting, Norwegian representative Nicolas 
Stivang told econoff that Muhammad Muktar Al-Hassan decided from the 
start of the meeting that he was "going to go on the offensive and 
attack the non-existent AEC secretariat."  Stivang continued that 
the NCP representatives appear to have many assumptions about what 
was actually decided at the last plenary session, not all of which 
are entirely accurate.  Stivang stated, "The AEC is supposed to be a 
venue for cooperation between the parties in both letter and spirit. 
 Right now, the NCP is only honoring it in letter." 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  EconOff also spoke with Abdelmoneim Mustafa Elamin, the 
AEC Executive Secretary, after the meeting.  He stated that he was 
unaware that the AEC was to draft a document outlining the structure 
of the MTE.  Elamin also inquired when the new AEC coordinator, Sir 
Derrick Plumley, would arrive in Khartoum. 
 
¶10.  (U) Participants: 
 
U.S. Embassy:  Roberto Powers, Deputy Chief of Mission, 
Eric Barbee, Economic Officer 
NCP:  Hassan Ahmed Omar, Mohamed El-Mukhtar Al-Hassan 
SPLM:  Khalid Jadain 
Norwegian Embassy:  Nicholas Strivang, Political Affairs Officer 
UNMIS:  Khalid Elsawi, Political Affairs Officer 
 
 
UNDP:  Auke Lootsma; Deputy Country Director 
French Embassy (for EU Presidency):  Vicent Schneiter, Economic 
Counselor 
 
AEC COORDINATORS REVIEW OPTIONS 
------------------------------- 
¶11.  (SBU)  On February 21, AEC coordinators met to review the 
situation and discuss ways of accelerating the Mid-Term Evaluaion 
process.  Acting AEC Chair, Norwegian Ambassador Thorkildsen, 
reported that Ambassador Plumley plans to arrive on March 16.  He 
said that the NCP has accepted the TOR and the SPLM expects to do so 
in the next few days.  The Dutch Ambassador reported progress in the 
Three Areas Working Group.  DCM Powers reported on the aborted 
February 17 WSWG meeting and noted lack of SPLM capacity and NCP 
delaying tactics as key impediments.  The UK Ambassador said that 
the Security Working Group faces challenges similar to those with 
the WSWG and is moving forward only slowly.  The Italian Ambassador 
said that work in the Power Sharing Working Group has been 
constrained by lack of embassy staff, but hopes that situation will 
soon improve. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The coordinators agreed that strengthening SPLM capacity 
is a key requirement to keeping the MTE and other AEC activities on 
track.  Ambassador Thorkildsen said he has been discussing ways to 
do so with Kosti Manibe of the SPLM and added that Norway may be 
able to fund a full-time Secretariat position to serve as MTE 
drafter.  DCM noted that the NCP has made clear they do not favor an 
outside drafter and expect the Working Group Coordinators to draft. 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶13.  (SBU) In the coming months the AEC will face a number of 
difficult challenges.  The first is how to make the mid-term 
evaluation both useful and unity-enhancing for the parties.  Some 
among the parties would like nothing better than to politicize this 
process and fixate the AEC on the minutiae of drafting.  While the 
appointment of the new chairman is welcome, we should not assume 
that his arrival will instantly transform the AEC into a fully 
functional body.  Other steps need immediate attention to support 
this fragile CPA institution.  End Comment. 
 
PROPOSALS TO STRENGTHEN THE AEC 
------------------------------- 
¶14.  (SBU)  Working Group coordinators and AEC secretariat should 
consider taking the following steps to empower the AEC at this 
critical juncture: 
 
WORKING GROUPS 
-------------- 
 - Establish weekly or bi-weekly working-level meetings for 
political officers assigned to work on the AEC from the UK, U.S., 
Italy, and the Netherlands.   Focus on improved coordination among 
AEC coordinators, especially at the working level. 
 - Continue pre-meetings for AEC plenary sessions for Khartoum 
Ambassadors. 
 -  Keep an accurate accounting of all efforts and actions taken by 
Working Group coordinators to organize working group meetings. 
Submit actions to AEC secretariat on a monthly basis. 
 - Set tone and spirit of cooperation at all working group meetings. 
 
 
- AEC SECRETARIAT 
----------------- 
 - Make use of AEC rules and procedures for formally accepting any 
decision at plenary sessions. 
 - Establish timeline for the arrival of the German legal expert, an 
additional administrator, and the new chairman.  Communicate 
expected schedule to parties, AEC administrative staff, and working 
groups. 
 - Bolster leadership of Chairman at every opportunity. 
 - Promptly draft detailed minutes of plenary sessions, clearly 
identifying any mutually agreed decisions made at each session. 
 - Send one representative from AEC secretariat to all working group 
meetings for improved continuity and coordination. 
 - Enhance transparency of AEC with a more expanded public website. 
 
 - Develop better contact lists of coordinators, SPLM and NCP 
representatives, and their backups. 
 - Set tone and spirit of cooperation at all plenary sessions. 
 
- SPLM AND NCP: 
-------------- 
 -  Expand the number of representatives (especially the SPLM) 
available for the AEC.  (Current SPLM representatives are overworked 
and struggling with multiple demands on their time and energy.) 
 -  Designate one point of contact for confirming attendance at 
scheduled meetings. 
 
 
 -  Take more initiative to propose meetings, as opposed to reacting 
to the ideas of the working group coordinators. 
 -  Provide regular updates from political executive committee. 
 -  Express intention to commitment of AEC and to working together 
in the spirit of the CPA. 
 
FERNANDEZ