VZCZCXYZ0062
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKH #0315 0631512
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031512Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0095

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000315 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, AND AF/RSA 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS KDEM EAID MARR SU
SUBJECT: PROGRESS ON SPLA DEFENSE WHITE PAPER 
 
¶1. (SBU) Responding to a request from SE Williamson during his visit 
to Juba, SPLA Defense White Paper Committee Chairman Kuol Diem Kuol 
told ConGen PolOff March 1 that he expected the paper to be 
completed by March 7 and issued via Presidential Order shortly 
thereafter.  According to Kuol, GOSS President Kiir himself told the 
Southern Sudan Defense Council (SSDC) to have the paper ready by 
Wednesday, March 5.  In order to meet this deadline, Kiir called an 
extraordinary session of the SSDC for March 3 dedicated solely to 
discussion of the paper, and scheduled an extraordinary session of 
the GOSS Council of Ministers on March 4 to review the final draft. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Kuol said GOSS President Kiir is "extremely pleased" by 
progress on the White Paper.  Vice President Machar, and other 
ministerial members of the Council worked on the draft paper 
throughout March 1 so that GOSS Minister for Legal Affairs and 
Constitutional Development Michael Mikuei could review the draft's 
compliance with the Interim National Constitution and Interim 
Constitution of Southern Sudan on March 2. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Following the Presidential Order, the SPLA will establish a 
series of implementation committees to assist with and ensure the 
SPLA's transformation.  Kuol said U.S. advisors would be welcome to 
serve on these committees.  Post will follow-up with SPLA Chief of 
Staff General Oyai Deng on the matter following Minister Makuei's 
clearance on the draft. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: The SPLA Defense White Paper, begun in March 2007 
but unveiled to SPLA allies and "security sector stakeholders" alike 
at a GOSS-wide conference in Juba in September 2007, has received 
only limited civilian vetting so far.  While Southern Sudan 
Legislative Assembly (SSLA) MP and vocal proponent of SPLA reform 
Peter Bashir Bendi participated in the recent Addis Ababa-based 
drafting round (attended by U.S. military advisors seconded to the 
SPLA, in addition to select members of the USG-funded SST Training 
and Advisory Team), President Kiir did not follow through on his 
pledge to appoint five civilian members to the White Paper 
Committee, and that, coupled with the paper's promulgation via 
Presidential Order, could irritate the GOSS Legislative Assembly. 
While Kiir's action is necessitated by USG funding constraints (the 
SSLA does not reconvene until April), GOSS credibility would be 
greatly safeguarded by a robust and detailed description of 
forthcoming deliverables once the SPLA White Paper is officially 
adopted.  Having responded to SE Williamson's request that the White 
Paper be completed within two weeks, the GoSS hopes the USG will 
respond to their efforts with increases in U.S. security- sector 
assistance.  They will likely be disappointed if this is not 
forthcoming. 
 
FERNANDEZ