VZCZCXRO5862
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0542 1120541
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 220541Z APR 09 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3591
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000542 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (GARBLED TEXT, PARA 6) 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/PDPA, AF/C, 
IIP/G/AF, RRU-AF, PA/PRS 
NSC FOR MGAVIN AND CHUDSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CODEL KERRY'S VISIT TO SUDAN 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The state-influenced Khartoum press corps reacted 
very positively to the visit of Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, echoing sentiments for better 
U.S.-Sudanese relations seen after the visit of U.S. Special Envoy 
to Sudan General Scott Gration earlier this month.  While some 
editorials voiced cautious speculation as to the "true purpose" of 
Senator Kerry's visit to Sudan, eager praise for the Senator (to the 
point of being unrealistic or overly-optimistic) overflowed the 
margins of several other outlets.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) Upon arrival of CODEL Kerry, the pro-government "Al-Khartoum" 
newspaper carried coverage typical of other publications, announcing 
through its headlines that "Kerry's Visit to Khartoum Will Be 
Instrumental in Lifting U.S. Sanctions on Sudan," noting that the 
Government of Sudan "welcomed the U.S. Congressional Delegation and 
that the [Sudanese] bilateral relationship with Washington was about 
to enter a new level." 
 
¶3. (U) "Al-Sahafa," a more independent newspaper, printed an 
editorial by Al-Tahir Satti, entitled "Let the Dialogue Be 
Constructive for the Nation," in which the author opined that 
Senator Kerry's visit "must be the result of the positive impact of 
[General] Gration's previous visit," and that "this sort of dialogue 
must continue... to lead to political stability instead of tension." 
 Likewise, "Akhir Lahza," a normally very pro-Government of Sudan 
(GoS) newspaper, ran a headline claiming "Kerry's Visit Affirms that 
Winds of Change Have Crossed the Ocean to Reach Sudan," with text 
promising Sudan's "ties with the U.S. will be normalized soon." 
 
¶4. (U) Not every paper was 100 percent rosy about the Senator's 
visit, however.  "Rai Al-Shaab," Dr. Hassan al-Turabi's pro-Popular 
Congress Party newspaper, ran a column in which author Mohammed 
Mahmoud Al-Bashir was openly wary of the "soft-toned approach" of 
both the Special Envoy and the U.S. Senator, asking what "Kerry's 
happiness and Gration's love" for Sudan "really means."  The 
pro-government "Sudan Vision" remarked that Sudan is "waiting for 
the implementation of U.S. promises... and hopes that [President] 
Obama comes into reality" in his approach towards Sudan. 
 
¶5. (U) On April 17, Radio Omdurman, Sudan's state-run radio service, 
carried a sermon from the Al-Shahid mosque in Khartoum by 
influential Shaykh Nazir Jalil al-Karuri that focused specifically 
on the recent visits of the Special Envoy and CODEL Kerry. 
Al-Kururi argued that these visits "prove the strength of [Sudanese 
President] Al-Bashir's position... even though he is wanted for 
prosecution by the International Criminal Court."  Continued 
al-Kururi, "Al-Bashir has not only managed to get away but now the 
whole world recognizes him as a respectable president, otherwise the 
General and the Senator would not have been sent to negotiate with 
him in his capital." 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: With few exceptions, Khartoum and its press corps 
appeared to be elated by the visit of CODEL Kerry.  Whether or not 
this optimism will translate into actual action by the Government of 
Sudan that significantly alleviates humanitarian suffering in Darfur 
(as well as advancing other U.S. interests in Sudan) remains to be 
seen. Recent Sudan history would urge caution on the regime's 
ability or willingness to fulfill its promises.  We anticipate 
positive steps by the government in the short term, but continued 
engagement and careful monitoring will be required to sustain any 
tangible movement in the right direction.  END COMMENT 
 
FERNANDEZ