VZCZCXRO6897
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0400 0771234
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171234Z MAR 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0243
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000400 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SPLA - DEFENSE WHITE PAPER 
 
¶1. (SBU) At the beginning of last week, President Salva Kiir finally 
signed the Defense White Paper (DWP).  At this point the DWP has 
been reviewed and approved by the SPLA military leadership, the GOSS 
Defense Council, the GOSS Council of Ministers (cabinet equivalent) 
and the President.  The President's original intent was to issue a 
written Presidential Proclamation approving the DWP after it was 
approved by the Council of Ministers.  His legal advisors have 
advised him that a Proclamation would not be appropriate for a 
matter of policy such as the DWP.  Based on this advice, he signed 
the DWP, but has not issued a Presidential Proclamation.  As result, 
the DWP has not been released or distributed yet.  The next step in 
the approval process is for the DWP to be reviewed and voted on by 
the GOSS Parliament which reconvenes on 1 April. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Comment: In the interim, The SPLA senior leadership, 
including the Chier of Staff Lt Gen Oyay Deng, has recommended to 
the President that he release the DWP in its current form as a 
pre-decisional draft to key partners such as the U.S.  This would 
allow the U.S. and other partners to move forward in their planning 
to support SPLA transformation.  This has not happened yet; however 
we continue monitor this on a daily basis and will get a copy as 
soon as possible. 
 
FERNANDEZ