VZCZCXRO0195
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0348 0701147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101147Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0152
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000348 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF S/E WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI SU
SUBJECT:  UMMA PARTY OFFICIAL DENIES AGREEMENT WITH NCP 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 332 
 
Dialogue, But No Agreement, With NCP 
--------------------------------- 
¶1.  (SBU) On March 6 Emboffs met with Dr. Mariam Al Sadig Al Mahdi, 
Secretary for Foreign Relations, National Umma Party (and daughter 
 
SIPDIS 
of Umma leader and former Prime Minister Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi). 
Emboff's asked Dr. Al Mahdi about press reports suggesting that Umma 
and the National Congress Party (NCP) have entered into a wide 
ranging "agreement."  Al Mahdi denied that there is any formal 
agreement between her party and the NCP.  Rather, she said, the two 
sides have agreed to open a dialogue and establish a framework 
within which to proceed.  On March 5, the two parties agreed to meet 
on a monthly basis.  Al Mahdi indicated that Umma has been engaged 
in similar discussions with other parties for some time. 
 
An End to the "NCP State?" 
------------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU) Mahdi said that Umma has induced the NCP to agree to the 
hiring of members of other political parties for positions in the 
government (at the working level in the Ministries and various 
government services, not senior political appointments).  Until now, 
she said, government employment either has required NCP membership, 
or recommendation of an NCP-official.  Al Mahdi remarked that this 
had reduced Sudan to being an "NCP state."  This was not a 
power-sharing agreement, she emphasized, but applied to working 
level positions.  She said that Umma will be back in the government 
at the top anyway, if 2009 elections are free and fair, 
 
Engaging with All Parties 
------------------------- 
¶3.  (SBU) According to Dr. Al Mahdi, these discussions were 
initiated by the NCP.  Following the crisis within the Government of 
National Unity (GNU) caused by the SPLM's withdrawal from the 
Council of Ministers in December, the NCP has been advocating a 
policy of "inclusiveness."  It now is reaching out to the other 
opposition parties outside of the GNU.  Its approach to the Umma 
Party is part of that broader strategy. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Al Mahdi explained that this is the third attempt at a 
formal dialogue with the NCP undertaken by the Umma Party since 
¶2000.  During that same period, Umma has been engaged in discussions 
with the other political parties and, including with the NCP, 
currently is involved in five separate party dialogues.  In these 
discussions, she said, Umma is pursuing broad agreement on five 
issues:  agreeing on basic freedoms, resolution of the Darfur 
conflict, reaching a common vision for the CPA (with parties other 
than the NCP and SPLM), consensus on the election law, and building 
inter-party trust and confidence.  However the current "agreement" 
is only on the agenda. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶5.  (SBU) Dr. Al-Mahdi downplayed the importance of this framework 
agreement with the NCP, trying to put it in a broader context of 
other existing discussions in which Umma is participating.  She also 
stated that contacts were begun at the NCP Party's initiative, not 
the Umma Party's initiative.  She portrayed the NCP as badly shaken 
by the SPLM's walk-out from the GNU in November and seeking to 
deepen its ties with other parties outside the GNU.  It is not 
apparent that Umma's other dialogues have borne much fruit thus far. 
 Whether the new discussions lead to anything significant - and more 
importantly whether the Umma party is able to regain a share of the 
political stage in Sudan - remains to be seen. Many observers see 
the party as a spent force with its traditional constituencies 
already being poached by the NCP, SPLM and Darfur rebel groups. 
 
FERNANDEZ