VZCZCXRO3863
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1185/01 2181441
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051441Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1522
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001185 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KSCA OTRA EAID CDC SU
SUBJECT: AEC PLENARY OF AUGUST 5, 2008: MEMBERS STRESS NEED TO 
APPOINT ABYEI ADMINISTRATION 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  At the 34th Plenary Session of the Assessment and 
Evaluation Commission (AEC) held August 5, 2008, members unanimously 
stressed the need for the two CPA partners to finally agree on an 
interim administration for the Abyei area to build on the momentum 
of progress made on security in the troubled region.  The AEC 
chairman urged the four working groups to take the recommendations 
contained in the recently completed Mid-Term Evaluation as their 
work plan for the next six months.  END SUMMARY 
 
ABYEI: URGENT NEED FOR APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Foreign members of the AEC who spoke were unanimous in 
pressing the two partners to agree on naming the interim 
administration for Abyei.  AEC Chairman Ambassador Plumbly noted 
that the action is now six weeks overdue.  He had spoken to VP Taha 
on August 4 and stressed the need for urgent progress. The delay 
puts into doubt the credibility of the Abyei roadmap.  CDA Fernandez 
praised progress made in the realm of security for Abyei - namely, 
withdrawal of non-JIU forces, particularly the 31st SAF brigade 
which, he pointed out, had been quartered in Abyei town for 44 
years.  Now, he said, the two sides need to maintain that momentum 
with agreement on the Administration.  Speaking for the NCP, 
presidential advisor Sayed el Khatib said an evaluation of the talks 
on naming the Administration differs from day to day; right now, he 
said, that outlook does not appear very positive.  The SPLM rep 
noted that progress on the nomination should be easier than it has 
turned out to be. 
 
¶3. (SBU) El Khatib noted that solving the interim administration 
impasse should be easy. The Abyei Protocol and June 8 roadmap are 
clear. "You name your position and I will name mine," but the need 
for consensus has made it difficult. What El Khatib was implying was 
that the NCP is well within its rights to name whoever it wants, 
including a Misseriya Arab from Abyei, as Deputy Administrator. 
 
¶4.  (U) The Norwegian Ambassador said his country, the UK and other 
donors are prepared to contribute to an Abyei reconstruction fund. 
He suggested beginning work on at least a needs assessment so that 
the incoming administration will be able to set to work more 
quickly.  The SPLM rep expressed strong support for this approach. 
The NCP rep said preparing the groundwork might be possible, but 
cautioned against any attempt to make an end-run around the 
yet-to-be-named Administration. 
 
¶5.  (U) The UK DCM related details of a briefing by the UNMIS Police 
Commissioner on progress made on the new Abyei police force.  Each 
side has already contributed 25 members for the new JIU police 
force, and six trainers are to arrive in Abyei on August 6. 
Overall, the briefing had been quite encouraging, he said. 
 
WORKPLAN FOR NEXT 6 MONTHS 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) Chairman Plumbly noted that the AEC's Mid-Term Evaluation 
(MTE) was now posted on the AEC website, by agreement of the two 
parties.  However, more needs to be done to publicize the report. 
He urged the four working groups to use the MTE's recommendations as 
the basis for their work plan for the next six months. 
 
NOMINATIONS TO NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION (NEC) 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶7.  (U) Plumbly expressed hope that the Presidency would announce 
the nominations to the NEC on time (by August 14).  NCP rep Sayed el 
Khatib said the nominations are "imminent," but noted that the 
action requires consultations with all the major parties, most 
particularly the SPLM.  A list of names is under discussion within 
the presidency, he said. 
 
OTHER ACTIONS 
------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) Among the various other matters discussed at the plenary: 
 
-- CDA Fernandez invited all interested AEC partners to an August 6 
session of the Wealth Sharing Working Group, which will feature a 
presentation by the Joint Technical Committee on Oil Revenue 
Sharing. 
 
-- The AEC will arrange for a briefing on status of progress on the 
other two of the three areas, Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan. 
 
-- The Italian coordinator of the Power Sharing Working Group is 
still working to schedule a workshop on elections; the workshop will 
await appointment of the National Elections Commission. 
 
-- The Netherlands coordinator of the Three Areas Working Group 
reported that the agreement to refer the Abyei border issue to 
arbitration at The Hague is in place; the next step is for the two 
 
KHARTOUM 00001185  002 OF 002 
 
 
sides to agree on the panel of judges. 
 
-- The Dutch also announced they are organizing another AEC trip to 
Abyei for the week of August 17. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The Plenary session was marked by a  positive 
atmosphere, especially between the two CPA partners. The  experience 
of working together on, and producing, the Mid-Term Evaluation 
obviously is still working its magic.  The plenary sent out a 
strong message on the urgency of following through on naming the 
Abyei administration - a message we can only hope will be heard by 
the Presidency in the coming days. 
 
FERNANDEZ