VZCZCXRO3859
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0671/01 1231036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021036Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0706
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000671 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KSCA OTRA EAID CDC SU
SUBJECT: AEC PLENARY OF MAY 1, 2008 
 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  The 31st ordinary plenary session of the AEC was 
held May 1, 2008.  The two sides (SPLM and NCP) sparred over recent 
incidents around Abyei, while CDA Fernandez stressed the need to 
grant UNMIS forces freedom of movement in the Abyei area to reduce 
tensions (an expression supported around the table).  The AEC's 
working groups reported that they are beginning to solicit comments 
from the parties on their draft reports that will be used to compile 
the AEC's Mid-Term Evaluation.  END SUMMARY 
 
ABYEI DISCUSSION: CONCERN OVER RENEWED VIOLENCE 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2.  (U) The Netherlands Ambassador, as Coordinator of the Three 
Areas Working Group, led a discussion of Abyei by calling attention 
to recent outbreaks of violence in the area.  He asked whether the 
two parties are satisfied with the early warning system in place, 
and whether they were making good use of UNMIS forces.  CDA 
Fernandez stressed the need for UNMIS to be able to patrol freely in 
the area.  Allowing this unbiased third party free access is the 
best measure the two parties can take to reduce tensions, he said. 
During the meeting, other members of the international community 
echoed these sentiments. 
 
¶3.  (U) In response, the SPLM rep insisted that only the 
implementation of the Abyei Protocol could end tensions in the area. 
 Abyei residents are worried about their future, while they see 
their natural resources being taken away from them.  Until the Abyei 
issue is resolved through full implementation of the Protocol, these 
tensions and problems will only continue to fester, he said.  The 
NCP representative spoke up to say, in typically legalistic fashion, 
that the areas where the recent outbreaks of violence took place 
were not in Abyei area per se, but rather just over the border in 
South Kordofan (in fact some of the fighting where SPLA units are 
deployed, such as in Kharsana, are well north of the 1/1/56 
border). 
 
¶4.  (U) The Dutch Ambassador pressed the two sides for their views 
as to when an Administrator would be named for the area, but failed 
to receive a response.  The NCP reiterated that the Presidency must 
appoint the Administrator, a step delayed by the need to define the 
Abyei area boundaries.  He noted suggestions to appoint an 
Administrator without defining the northern border of the Abyei 
area, which was the only one at issue.  The SPLM insisted that 
unless the borders are first determined, naming an Administrator 
would only generate more confusion in the troubled area. 
 
¶5.  (U) Chairman Plumbly brought the Abyei discussion to a close by 
noting the concern expressed around the table that USMIS be employed 
in situations of tension such as Abyei.  He also noted that the 
Dutch Coordinator of the Three Areas Working Group would soon be 
scheduling a working visit to Abyei, and he urged both parties to 
take part in that event. 
 
CENSUS 
------ 
 
¶6.  (U) Discussion then turned to an update of the national census 
currently being carried out.  This part of the AEC's discussion is 
being reported SEPTEL. 
 
WORKING GROUP REPORTS 
--------------------- 
¶7.  (U) CDA Fernandez kicked off reports by AEC working group 
coordinators, noting that the Wealth Sharing Working Group is 
putting final touches to its "Elements" for use by the AEC's primary 
drafter in cobbling together a unified text for the Mid-Term 
Evaluation (MTE). Those "elements" will be distributed shortly to 
the two parties for comments.  Chairman Plumbly stressed that at 
this point the two parties should only furnish general reactions to 
content, rather than engaging in line-by-line "haggling" over text. 
 
¶8.  The other working group coordinators noted various upcoming 
events within their groups.  In particular, the Italians (Power 
Sharing Working Group) noted that they are working to schedule a 
meeting on May 26 or 27 with the caucus of the National Assembly. 
The purpose of this event will be to hear from them a status report 
on legislation related to CPA implementation.  All the working 
groups reported that they were now beginning to seek comments on 
their Elements for the MTE. 
 
AFRICAN UNION UPGRADES ITS CPA SUPPORT EFFORTS 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶9.  The only item raised under "Any Other Business" was an 
introductory statement by newly-arrived Ambassador Mahmoud Kane from 
the African Union.  The Ambassador announced that the AU is 
upgrading its local representation.  It recently opened an AU 
Liaison Office in Sudan with the purpose of providing support to the 
CPA process.  The office includes a presence in Juba as well as 
Khartoum, he said. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The May 1 plenary provided an opportunity for 
 
KHARTOUM 00000671  002 OF 002 
 
 
both sides to vent over the two issues currently providing the most 
heat in the CPA process: the ongoing Census, and the tensions in 
Abyei.  For the first time in many months, the SPLM was ably 
represented at AEC, by SPLM Deputy SG Yassir Arman, who aggressively 
presented his party's position. On Abyei, we will have to wait and 
see whether the international community's plea to allow UNMIS to do 
their job in the area will be heard, but we are not optimistic.  On 
the Mid-Term Evaluation, currently devouring the lion's portion of 
AEC energies, the outlook is good.  The working groups have kept up 
with the ambitious schedule outlined by Chairman Plumbly.  Our 
discussions with other coordinators show that all are attempting to 
produce a report free of finger-pointing, concentrating instead on 
recognizing progress and recommending steps to move the process 
forward.  We are guardedly hopeful that the two sides will approach 
the effort in this spirit, and not get bogged down in haggling over 
wording.  Inshallah. 
 
FERNANDEZ