VZCZCXYZ0356
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKH #0314 0631512
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031512Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0094
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000314 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SE WILLIAMSON AND AF/SPG 
NSC FOR HUDSON AND PITTMAN 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM MARR SU
SUBJECT: SUDANESE FONMIN ON SPECIAL ENVOY NON-PAPER AND CONGRESSMAN 
PAYNE MEETING 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) FOREIGN MINISTER DENG ALOR TOLD CONGEN JUBA STAFF ON MARCH 
1 THAT PRESIDENT BASHIR'S MEETING WITH SPECIAL ENVOY WILLIAMSON WENT 
"EXTREMELY WELL," AND THAT ALOR EXPECTED POSITIVE FORWARD MOVEMENT. 
ALOR CLAIMED THAT BASHIR HAD NOTED IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING THAT 
"ONLY A MAD MAN DEFIES THE UNITED STATES."  WHILE CONCEDING WITH A 
LAUGH THAT BASHIR HAS SAID THIS QUITE CONSISTENTLY IN THE PAST, DENG 
AFFIRMED "WE (GNU) WILL BE ESTABLISHING A JOINT IMPLEMENTATION 
COMMITTEE TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE PAPER."  IT WILL 
BE STAFFED WITH TECHNICAL EXPERTS AND POLITICIANS, "AND THE SPLM 
WILL BE REPRESENTED ON ALL ISSUES - OBVIOUSLY ON ABYEI AND 
PARTICULARLY ON DARFUR."  ALOR RETURNS TO KHARTOUM ON MARCH 3 TO 
CHAIR THE INAUGURAL COMMITTEE MEETING AND RETURN WITH 
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FIRST VICE PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT. 
 
¶2. (SBU) THAT SAME EVENING, ALOR TOLD CONSUL GENERAL DATTA OF A 
FEBRUARY 14 MEETING IN WASHINGTON HE HAD WITH U.S. CONGRESSMAN 
DONALD PAYNE THAT INCLUDED PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR MUSTAFA OTHMAN 
ISMAIL.  ACCORDING TO ALOR, PAYNE TOLD ISMAIL THAT HE WAS ONLY 
SEEING ISMAIL AT ALOR'S REQUEST, AND THEN REPORTEDLY ADDED POINTEDLY 
THAT THE NCP "IS NOT TRUSTED."  FURTHER, A CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION 
WOULD LIKELY MEAN THAT HE, PAYNE, WOULD HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE 
WHITE HOUSE IN THE FUTURE, AND THAT WITH A PHONE CALL HE COULD GO 
SEE THE PRESIDENT AND TELL HIM "TO HIT SUDAN AGAIN," REFERRING TO 
WHAT HAD HAPPENED UNDER THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION.  ALOR SAID 
ISMAIL RELATED THIS TO BASHIR IN ALOR'S PRESENCE UPON THEIR RETURN 
TO KHARTOUM, BUT THE CONVERSATION WAS INTERRUPTED BEFORE ALOR WAS 
ABLE TO GAUGE BASHIR'S REACTION. 
 
¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: ALOR WAS CLEARLY QUITE PLEASED BY THE SE 
WILLIAMSON VISIT AND VISIBLY RELAXED BY ITS OUTCOME.  ALOR HAS 
COMPLAINED TO CONGEN STAFF IN THE PAST ABOUT BEING UNHAPPY WITH VICE 
PRESIDENT KIIR'S DECISION TO MAKE HIM FOREIGN MINISTER, AND INFORMED 
SOURCES TOLD CONGEN POLOFF THAT ALOR WAS "FRANTIC" IN THE DAYS 
LEADING UP TO HIS INAUGURAL VISIT TO WASHINGTON, HAVING RECEIVED NO 
INSTRUCTIONS FROM KIIR.  (NOTE: KIIR DID MEET WITH ALOR 48 HOURS 
BEFORE ALOR BOARDED A PLANE AND 24 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING WITH 
BASHIR, TAHA, ISMAIL, AND KIIR. END NOTE.)  WORRIED HE WAS BEING 
PLACED IN A POSITION THAT WOULD DAMAGE HIS STANDING IN THE SPLM, HIS 
OWN MEETINGS IN KHARTOUM AND READOUTS ABOUT THE SE'S VISIT TO JUBA 
APPEAR TO HAVE STRENGTHENED ALOR'S HAND AND HEART. 
 
FERNANDEZ