VZCZCXRO3929
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1770/01 3461556
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111556Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2511
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001770 
 
DEPT FOR S/ES-CR, S/ES-OS, AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG 
NSC FOR HUDSON AND PITTMAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶E. O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SU
SUBJECT: LETTER OF APPRECIATION FROM SUDANESE PRESIDENT AL BASHIR TO 
PRESIDENT BUSH 
 
¶1. (U) Post has received a letter of appreciation (text in paragraph 
2) for President Bush from Sudanese President Al-Bashir. A copy of 
the original letter has been transmitted to the Department via 
pouch. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin Text: 
 
Dear Mr. President: 
 
On behalf of the people and government of Sudan, I express my 
sincere appreciation for the dedication your administration has 
shown in helping bring the north-south Sudan civil war to an end. 
As your eight years in office come to a close, you can be 
justifiably proud of this major and historic foreign policy triumph. 
 Indeed, as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, southern Sudanese 
and the rest of Sudan will cast votes in fair and free general 
elections during 2009, which the Carter Institute and other 
international monitors will be invited to observe. 
 
I am writing to you directly because we stand on the threshold of 
another historic opportunity: a durable peaceful settlement of the 
conflict in Darfur and the normalization of relations between the 
United States and Sudan.  I have instructed my government to do all 
that it can to expedite the full deployment of UNAMID troops in 
Darfur (see attachment).  These steps have been taken to help 
supplement security in the internally displaced persons camps, and 
protect relief supply lines from relentless rebel and bandit attacks 
- which remain the biggest threat to the marked improvement in 
humanitarian indicators on the ground in Darfur since 2004. 
 
My government does not condone impunity in Darfur.  In fact, members 
of government agencies have been sentenced to death for proven 
crimes in Darfur.  My government has also recently established 
special courts, headed by a widely respected Darfuri, which will 
involve lawyers appointed by the African Union and the Arab League, 
to re-visit other alleged cases of abuse in Darfur. 
 
To pave the way for a more comprehensive political settlement in 
Darfur, I inaugurated in mid-October a rolling domestic town-hall 
initiative, endorsed by, and with input from, Darfur's civic leaders 
and all of Sudan's other main political parties, which drew-up 
concrete recommendations for ending the Darfur conflict peacefully. 
 
Finally, I would like to reaffirm to you that my government will 
continue to do its utmost to accomplish all that it takes to solve 
the issue of Darfur peacefully.  I know your administration is in 
contact with the various rebel factions, and could be of enormous 
assisance in both pressuring them to reciprocate positively to the 
unilateral ceasefire by the Sudan Armed Forces that I sincerely 
declared in late November, and bringing them to the table at the 
crucial forthcoming Qatari-sponsored peace talks. 
 
The Sudanese people and I welcome you personally to Khartoum, even 
after you leave office.  You will receive a warm welcome. 
 
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest 
consideration. 
 
Omer Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir 
President of the Republic of Sudan 
 
Enclosure text: 
 
Fast-track customs clearance at Port Sudan (7 days maximum) 
operating for UNAMID equipment and assets. 
 
Sudanese government provides escorts for UNAMID convoys to Darfur 
every 48 hours; escorts to be increased shortly to every 24 hours. 
 
Sudanese government - in consultation with UNAMID and UN's World 
Food Programme - agreed to give extra security for transportation of 
humanitarian goods along vital aid corridors throughout Darfur. 
 
UNAMID gets use of El Fasher, Nyala, and El Geneina airports to 
facilitate deployment and operations:  Sudanese government also 
recently approved UNAMID request to extend airport working time by 
two hours. 
 
Sudanese government granted all land and water access requested by 
UNAMID to support its infrastructure and base expansion. 
 
UNAMID trains Sudanese police on modern policing techniques and 
human rights law.  Cooperation programme spawns establishment of 
community policing in South Darfur state, with training of over 287 
people - thirty of them women. 
 
UNAMID boosts patrols - with full support from the Sudanese 
 
KHARTOUM 00001770  002 OF 002 
 
 
government - to provide additional security in internally displaced 
persons camps. 
 
Sudanese government provides logistical and humanitarian support 
following armed attack on UNAMID personnel in Shangeli Tobaya, 
¶2008. 
 
Sudanese government approved troop contributions to UNAMID from 
Thailand and Nepal; expedited deployment of engineering units from 
Egypt, China, and Ethiopia for UNAMID, too. 
 
Sudanese government welcomes US government offer of assistance in 
airlifting troops and other vital assets to hasten UNAMID 
deployment. 
 
Sudanese government signed memorandum of understanding to facilitate 
landing of South Africa planes at Sudanese airports to alleviate 
logistical difficulties and rotation of military staff for UNAMID. 
 
End text. 
 
FERNANDEZ