VZCZCXRO7662
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0547/01 1001524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091524Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0510
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000547 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KSCA OTRA EAID CDC SU
SUBJECT: AEC PLENARY: DISAGREEMENT OVER ABYEI AND CENSUS 
 
REFS: A) KHARTOUM 508 
B) KHARTOUM 524 
C) KHARTOUM 472 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY: The Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC) met 
in plenary session April 8.  Highlights included disagreement by the 
two sides over an Administrator for the Abyei area, and over 
inclusion of questions on ethnicity and religion in the upcoming 
census.  CDA Fernandez briefed on his recent trip to Abyei (REFS A 
and B), in the process joining others in urging the two sides to 
come to an agreement on naming an Administrator for the neglected 
area.  The Italian Ambassador briefed on the Power Sharing Working 
Group's field visit to Juba the previous day (April 7), at which the 
Census was the featured topic.  The SPLM reiterated its insistence 
on amending the census questionnaire, without conceding that the 
change would force postponement of the census.  END SUMMARY. 
 
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (U) AEC Chairman Amb. Derek Plumbly reported on his introductory 
meetings with various international observers of the CPA process. 
He said that everywhere he received assurances of renewed focus on 
and support for the CPA process.  The Vice Chairman (the Kenyan 
Ambassador who had led the Kenyan Delegation to the recent African 
Union ministerial visit to Khartoum, REF C) told the meeting that 
the African ministers had explored ways to mobilize the 
international community in support of the CPA and Darfur peace 
processes, discussed how the upcoming census could be carried out in 
Darfur, and agreed on the urgent need to provide capacity building 
assistance for Southern Sudan. 
 
ABYEI:  INCONCLUSIVE DISCUSSION ON ADMINISTRATOR 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶3.  (U) The Dutch Ambassador briefed on the current situation in 
Abyei.  As Coordinators of the Three Areas Working Group, the Dutch 
are planning a field visit to Abyei, but postponed scheduling of it 
until after April 9, when the Presidency is to discuss the area. 
U.S. CDA Fernandez then gave a readout of his recent trip to Abyei. 
He noted that the U.S. is looking for ways to increase development 
and humanitarian assistance in the Abyei and Muglad areas.  The 
single most important step forward would be for the parties 
immediately to agree on a fixed border and a mutually acceptable 
administrator.  He noted the controversy surrounding the presence of 
Edward Lino, but said he had brought with him much needed technical 
expertise that have been sorely lacking.  Absent an agreement, he 
appealed for UNMIS to be granted unfettered access in the area. 
 
¶4.  (U) Further, CDA Fernandez stressed the need for balanced media 
reporting and for an end to inflammatory language (such as use of 
the word "jihad") on both sides.  Finally, he said both sides should 
facilitate and stop interfering with NGOs working in the area. 
 
¶5.  (U) The two sides then engaged in a lively discussion of the 
status of Edward Lino (REF B), and the situation in Abyei.  The SPLM 
rep said the Lino appointment was only made ad interim, to fill the 
vacuum until the Presidency could confirm an appointment to the post 
of Administrator.  The two sides are getting closer to finding a 
solution to the Abyei situation, she said.  The NCP insisted that 
only the Presidency could name an Administrator, and that any other 
party usurping that function only added to confusion in the region. 
He charged that there were reports of armed SPLA elements 
accompanying Lino into Abyei.  Finally, he denied that there was any 
"vacuum" in Abyei to be filled, insisting that there remained a 
lawful (i.e., Khartoum-appointed) administrator in the area who 
could fill this function until the Presidency names a replacement. 
 
 
¶6.  (U) Chairman Plumbly attempted to foster consensus, pointing out 
that access for UNMIS is very important and that the parties should 
rely on the political process to forge a compromise.  He said the 
two sides need to "reduce the temperature" on what is said and done 
on the ground.  He noted the vacuum on the ground with regard to 
services and urged "if our goal is to make unity attractive, then 
it's vital to make the three areas a success." 
 
¶7.  (U) After further squabbling over the Abyei situation, Charge 
Fernandez cited an example to illustrate the current situation: 
Abyei town will have electricity for the first time next month as a 
result of U.S. developmental assistance.  "We want to do more, but 
we've refrained from doing so because there is no government there 
to work with," he said.  That effectively brought the Abyei 
discussion to a close. 
 
CENSUS: ETHNICITY-RELIGION QUESTION GOES NOWHERE 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶8.  (U) The Italian Ambassador briefed on the Italian-sponsored 
Power Sharing Working Group visit to Juba April 7 (which included a 
PolOff from the U.S. Embassy).  The group had been briefed by the 
heads of both the Northern and Southern census bureaus.  He noted 
 
KHARTOUM 00000547  002 OF 002 
 
 
that there was still disagreement over inclusion on the census form 
of the questions on Ethnicity and Religion.  The SPLM rep 
reiterated, as she had in Juba, the SPLM position that there was no 
point in going through with the census if the two questions are not 
included.  In turn, the NCP rep noted that the SPLM had earlier 
agreed to the census form as it was being distributed, without the 
two contentious questions. 
 
¶9.  (U) NOTE:  At the Juba session, the CBS Director General noted, 
with no disagreement from his southern counterpart, that there was 
no time remaining to print up an "appendix" form to include the two 
questions.  Doing so, he said, would mean postponing the census 
until after the rainy season.  END NOTE. 
 
¶10.  (U) Chairman Plumbly brought the census discussion to a close 
by noting, inconclusively, that "it is hard to reconcile the demand 
to adjust the questionnaire with the pressing need to move ahead on 
the census." 
 
WORKING GROUP STATUS REPORTS: SLOW PROGRESS ON MTE 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶11.  (U) The Coordinators of each of the working groups reported on 
their group's activities, most of which relate to the Mid-Term 
Evaluation.  CDA Fernandez noted that the U.S. is close to 
completing a first draft of the Wealth Sharing Working Group's 
contribution to the MTE.  He noted that the WSWG has arranged two 
upcoming events to provide input for the MTE:  a return appearance 
before the WSWG of the Chairman of the Fiscal and Financial 
Allocation and Monitoring Commission (FFAMC) on April 10, and then a 
field visit April 16 to Juba to hear presentations by GoSS 
officials. 
 
Other Business 
-------------- 
 
¶12.  (U) Amb. Plumbly said the next AEC plenary may be scheduled for 
May 1 (not a holiday in Sudan), to avoid conflict with the 
Consortium meeting May 3-5.  The meeting ended with the two sides 
pledging their commitment to provide the resources to ensure 
finishing the MTE on time.  The NCP rep was the most categorical, 
stating that at every meeting, they would have a representative 
empowered to make decisions.  The rep of the SPLM (from which most 
of the scheduling difficulties have come) was not as forthcoming in 
her assurances, but said her party would do likewise. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) COMMENT: The AEC plenary session highlighted the 
currently discouraging state of play on CPA implementation, with the 
disagreement over the census the most immediate problem.  However 
Abyei remains the most serious and intractable issue on CPA 
implementation.  Both parties noted that the Presidency will discuss 
Abyei April 9, though neither seemed very optimistic that an 
agreement would be reached any time soon. 
 
FERNANDEZ