VZCZCXRO2053
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1499/01 2831046
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091046Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2039
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001499 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, SPG 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: AEC PLENARY ADDRESSES DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION, AND 
REINTEGRATION 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On October 7, the Assessment and Evaluation 
Commission's (AEC) monthly plenary session focused on disarmament, 
demobilization and reintegration (DDR).  A/CDA Asquino attended the 
meeting for the U.S.  Prior to a lengthy presentation by an UNMIS 
DDR expert, AEC Chairman Derek Plumbly gave a report on his recent 
travels to South Sudan, the AEC's operating budget, and the latest 
agreement on the composition of Abyei's interim administration.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 
- - - - - - - - - 
¶2.  (U)  Ambassador Plumbly opened by stating that he had spent part 
of September visiting areas of the south in "an attempt to take the 
mid-term evaluation beyond these walls."  Plumbly visited Malakal, 
Rumbek, Bor, and Juba to survey Southern Sudanese views on CPA 
implementation.  He said there were a number of reoccurring themes 
emerging from the visit.  First, South Sudan's state constitutions 
need support.  Second, communities near oil production areas voiced 
concern about the industry's environmental impact and the lack of 
consultation with local communities.  Third, Plumbly noted that 
joint integrated units (JIUs) of SPLA and SAF troops need immediate 
attention in many areas.  Plumbly stated that in Bor there is 
absolutely no "joint-ness" in the JIUs, and that in other areas such 
as  Malakal there is a complete lack of logistical support for these 
units. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Plumbly also reported that he reached out to many 
institutions established by the CPA in September, including:  the 
Commission for the Rights of Non-Muslims; the National Civil Service 
Commission; and the DDR commissions in North and South Sudan. 
Plumbly emphasized the importance of these often neglected, but very 
important, commissions. 
 
DDR PRESENTATION 
- - - - - - - - - 
¶4.  (U)  The majority of the meeting was then taken by a 
presentation from UNMIS DDR Expert, Mr. Adrian Verheul Chief of 
UNMIS's Integration.  Verheul stated that on December 31, 2008, 
UNMIS will end its interim programming (focusing on DDR institution 
building) and begin its actual DDR programming on a test-basis in 
Blue Nile and South Kordofan.  Verheul emphasized that additional 
funding is needed for this work, and that UNMIS will call a meeting 
designed to be "more than just a pledging conference, as we need 
more than just funds, but also stronger partnerships and structured 
dialogue."  Verheul estimated that DDR activities will require 
approximately 430 million USD over the next three to four years. 
Verheul stressed that Sudan's DDR program will be "the largest DDR 
program on the planet," that it is part of the political process, 
and that it requires the commitment and trust of all parties 
involved.  (Note: The AEC distributed a one-page "Briefing Note on 
DDR."  This document will be sent to AF/SPG and the Office of the 
Special Envoy.  End Note.) 
 
¶5.  (U)  The SPLM's Angelina Teny responded that DDR programming 
should have started two years ago, and that there are no guarantees 
that the work will succeed.  Verhuel agreed that, ideally, DDR work 
should have started earlier, but then outlined the practical 
impediments that had made this impossible.  A/CDA Asquino stated 
that the U.S. was pleased that South Kordofan had been selected as 
one of the two areas chosen for DDR programming on a test basis. 
Thousands of ethnic-Nuba SPLA soldiers remain disconnected from the 
state government in South Kordofan, and have not been redeployed 
primarily because they are from the Nuba Mountains and do not wish 
to leave their homes.   He commended Verheul for emphasizing that 
"development" must be a part of DDR. Asquino said that in  South 
Kordofan, the Nuba people are very much concerned with such 
development issues as property rights, and such problems must also 
be weighed during the DDR process.   The UK's Ambassador welcomed 
the gradual approach of the pilot DDR program, while the NCP 
representative expressed concern about the potential for a lack of 
cooperation from local authorities in South Sudan and the 
sensitivities involved in weapons collection.  To the latter point, 
Verheul clarified that DDR is not a weapons collection program "as 
disarmament takes place in the barracks" and this program differs 
significantly from civilian disarmament. 
 
ABYEI, ELECTIONS, AND FOREIGN RESERVES 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶6.  (U)  Chairman Plumbly said that the reported appointment of an 
interim administration for Abyei and a secretary general for the 
region's Unity Fund are "crucial" steps for stability in the region. 
 NCP representatives confirmed news reports and stated that there is 
agreement between the SPLM and NCP on the "full composition" of 
Abyei's administration.  With respect to planning for the 2009 
 
KHARTOUM 00001499  002 OF 002 
 
 
mid-term elections, the Italian Ambassador (and chair of the Power 
Sharing Working Group) stated that there has "been no significant 
progress."  A/CDA Asquino also urged the parties to agree promptly 
on the membership of the National Election Commission so that body 
can begin its important work. 
 
¶7. At the conclusion of the meeting, working group coordinators 
presented their recent activities and plans for future work.  On 
behalf of the Wealth Sharing Working Group (chaired by the U.S.,) 
A/CDA Asquino stated that in the coming weeks the group would 
prioritize issues of transparency in oil revenues and the oil 
industry's environmental impact, as topics for future meetings. 
The NCP representative responded by saying that the Wealth Sharing 
Group should also address the refusal of the National Bank of 
Sudan's affiliate in Juba to return foreign reserves to the central 
National Bank in Khartoum.  He emphasized that this was required 
under the terms of the CPA.  Asquino responded that the Wealth 
Sharing Group was aware of the problem; if requested the group 
certainly was prepared to offer technical advice and assistance to 
both sides in the dispute.  He added, however, that he understood 
senior National Bank of Sudan officials in Khartoum were discussing 
the issue, and believed the best outcome would be for them to find 
an amicable solution. 
 
¶8. Chairman Plumbly ended the meeting delivering a copy of the AEC's 
budget (which will be forwarded to AF/SPG,) and thanked the U.S. for 
its contributions to the organization. 
 
COMMENT: 
- - - - - 
¶9.  (SBU)  The October 7 plenary demonstrated just how far the AEC 
has come in the last year.  Two representatives from both the SPLM 
and NCP, all international members, and a room full of observers 
packed the meeting.  Rather than bickering, as had sometimes been 
the case during past meetings, the NCP and SPLM both provided 
constructive input and appeared to move closer to working in the 
spirit of the CPA.  Movement forward on Abyei certainly contributed 
to the meeting's collegial atmosphere of cooperation.  While this in 
itself is cause for guarded optimism, no one should doubt that much 
hard work remains for the GNU's major partners in the challenging 
months ahead. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Post will forward the minutes for the 36th AEC Plenary 
Session to AF/SPG and the Office of the Special Envoy. 
 
ASQUINO