David A Fabrycky  05/31/2009 01:11:49 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  PE

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UNCLAS        DOHA 00358
CXDOHA:
    ACTION: P/E
    INFO:   DAO PAO OMC RAO AMB DCM FCS

DISSEMINATION: P/E /2
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:JELEBARON
DRAFTED: P/E:DFABRYCKY
CLEARED: ADCM:SRICE

VZCZCDOI131
PP RUEHC RUEHEE RUCNFUR RUEHBJ RUEHBS RUEHKA
DE RUEHDO #0358/01 1510924
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 310924Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9101
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0365
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0215

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DOHA 000358 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR AF/SPG AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SU CD QA UK RS FR CH EUN UN AU
SUBJECT: DOHA DARFUR TALKS SITREP THREE (E6 MEETING) 
 
---------------- 
(SBU) KEY POINTS 
---------------- 
 
-- E6 (P5 plus EU) Envoys for Sudan met May 27 in Doha with Qatari 
State Minister Al-Mahmoud and AU/UN Joint Mediator Bassole to review 
the status of the Doha process on Darfur. 
 
-- During a session open to press, E6 Envoys voiced strong support 
for, and confidence in, the Doha process.  Most Envoys called for 
expanding engagement in the process to include civil society, noted 
the close links between Darfur and Sudan's North-South issues, and 
emphasized the importance of peace in Darfur to wider regional 
stability. 
 
-- During a closed session, Al-Mahmoud and Bassole were sober about 
the parties' lack of progress and worried about continued fighting 
on the ground in Darfur.  The UK and Russian Envoys called for 
closer coordination with other players such as Libya and Egypt, a 
point not entirely welcomed by Al-Mahmoud. 
 
-- The Envoys' Final Statement has been emailed to S/USSES staff and 
is accessible online via the Qatar News Agency at: 
http://www.qnaol.net/QNAEn/Local_News/Politic s/Pages/ 
TheStatementIssuedbytheMeeting233927052009.as px. 
 
End Key Points. 
 
Open Session 
------------ 
 
¶1. (U) Each representative gave an opening statement during a 
plenary meeting open to the press.  Highlights of the statements 
follow. 
 
Qatar 
----- 
 
¶2. (U) Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (and GOQ Sudan 
lead) Ahmed Al-Mahmoud opened the public session by thanking the E6 
representatives for their countries' support of the Doha process. 
He argued the Darfur solution must be based on a broad national 
consensus which, inter alia, "underlines both the unity of Sudan and 
its territorial integrity."  Al-Mahmoud called for the 
implementation of past agreements between the warring parties.  He 
outlined several pillars of the Qatari-AU/UN process:  engagement of 
all parties to the conflict, including civil society; cessation of 
hostilities; achievement of a just peace with tangible effects on 
the ground; the need for an unobstructed flow of humanitarian 
assistance; and reconciliation.  Al-Mahmoud concluded by calling for 
the continued strong support of the international community for the 
Doha process. 
 
AU/UN 
----- 
 
¶3. (U) AU/UN Joint Chief Mediator Djibrill Bassole lauded the E6 
participation which underscores the international community's 
confidence in the process and determination to coordinate efforts 
toward peace.  He lamented the actions by Chadian rebel groups which 
have violated the early May Good Will Agreement, and underscored the 
importance of good Sudan-Chad relations in achieving peace in 
Darfur.  Bassole outlined the impasse between the JEM and GOS on 
prisoner exchanges and cessation of hostilities, with neither party 
showing flexibility.  He noted that of the main groups, only the SLM 
remains outside the process and he is hopeful SLM leader Abdulwahid 
Nur will soon come to the table.  Bassole said he will now focus his 
efforts on a framework agreement and, at minimum, a cessation of 
hostilities. 
 
China 
----- 
 
¶4. (U) Chinese Envoy Liu Guijin called on all of Darfur's opposition 
groups to take part in the Doha talks.  He emphasized the close 
linkages between Darfur and North-South peace issues.  Guijin noted 
recent Chinese government donations to a trust fund and other 
assistance projects to benefit the people of Darfur. 
 
European Union 
-------------- 
 
¶5. (U) EU Envoy Torben Brylle, while noting the EU was the largest 
contributor to humanitarian assistance in Darfur, underscored the EU 
is ready to begin development assistance as peace takes hold.  He 
also called on other parties to join peace talks, including the 
people of Darfur - so there are more voices than just armed groups 
and the government.  Brylle emphasized the importance of an 
effective UNAMID deployment which could protect humanitarian support 
networks. 
France 
------ 
 
¶6. (U) French Presidential Advisor Bruno Joubert emphasized the 
urgent need for progress in Darfur, due to the widespread 
humanitarian effects of the conflict, the potential for regional 
instability, and the consequences of failure in Darfur on 
North-South CPA issues.  He said the crisis in Darfur is the origin 
of the Chad-Sudan tensions, and not a result of those tensions. 
Joubert called for the Government of Sudan to give a true signal and 
concrete demonstration of its willingness to negotiate, and stop the 
illusion of a military solution to problems in Darfur.  Likewise, he 
called for the JEM to accept negotiations open to other rebel 
movements and populations in Darfur.  Joubert concluded that the 
peace process must include all the key players, including Libya and 
Egypt, and SLM participation is indispensible. 
Russia 
------ 
 
¶7. (U) Russian Envoy Mikhail Margelov cast Russia's interest in 
Sudan in a wide context, noting that Russia is coming back to the 
African continent and "raising old ties."  However, Moscow is not 
doing so in a Cold War bipolarity mindset but in order to protect 
its economic interests and the stability of the continent.  While 
expressing full support for the Qatari initiative and AU/UN 
mediation, Margelov also welcomed Libya's efforts.  He cast doubt on 
Sudanese government control over all the rebel groups.  Margelov 
affirmed Russia's readiness to do "full-scale humanitarian 
assistance" for Darfur, especially where it could be helpful on 
logistics.  Finally, he opined that the ICC indictment of Bashir 
does not solve problems in Darfur or serve the wider cause of 
peace. 
 
United Kingdom 
-------------- 
 
¶8. (U) UK Envoy Michael O'Neill focused on three points of 
commonality among the Envoys: the need for political will on Darfur; 
the importance of flexibility in the process; and the need to 
include other parties, especially civil society.  He emphasized that 
the Doha process is the key, though other efforts should be welcome. 
 O'Neill argued the ICC indictment of Bashir is a symptom, and not a 
cause, of Sudan's problems, and illustrates the complexity of Sudan 
issues.  He concluded by challenging the E6 to have one strong voice 
on Darfur - tactical differences are fine but the international 
community must not let its message get diluted. 
 
Closed Session 
-------------- 
 
¶9. (U) Following the open session, the representatives held a 
closed-door discussion of the current status of the process and 
debated a way forward. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Qatar's Al-Mahmoud noted the collective emphasis on and 
importance of the SLM's participation in the process, and a 
Chad-Sudan resolution as a basis for peace.  He further noted the 
very important work of the Special Envoy in getting the JEM to 
return to the talks.  He noted he had recently returned from Sudan 
and Chad where he delivered messages from the Amir of Qatar on the 
importance of self-restraint between the two countries and the need 
for them to actively support the Doha process.  Al-Mahmoud reported 
that both countries' leaders made promises in this regard, though he 
worried that "one capital" believes it can defeat the rebels and 
will fight.  Al-Mahmoud says he responded that the international 
community will be against them if they undertake further hostile 
acts.  He noted his continued collaboration with Libya and said he 
would visit Libya, Chad, and Sudan again soon. 
 
¶11. (SBU) AU/UN Mediator Bassole announced he would inform all the 
parties, especially JEM, that prisoner issues must not become a 
tripping point.  Likewise, a cessation of hostilities is essential 
to any progress and unfortunately there is no "good will" evident on 
the ground, as fighting continues.  Bassole noted his efforts to 
fold-in to the process two other sets of groups: small factions 
under the JEM umbrella who officially declared their participation 
in the Doha process; and the "Tripoli groups" who he had encouraged 
to unite with the others and participate in talks.  Bassole said the 
JEM does not accept these latter groups but it cannot necessarily 
oppose their participation in the process.  Bassole declared his 
desire to integrate and engage civil society groups, seeing them as 
complementary to the armed movements.  He concluded by calling for 
the Envoys' support on bettering Chad-Sudan relations. 
 
¶12. (SBU) French Advisor Joubert worried that on Chad-Sudan, the 
international community is witnessing just the latest iteration of 
an annual occurrence whereby promises are broken and violence breaks 
out.  With the rainy season approaching in Darfur, it is essential 
to keep the process moving quickly.  Moreover, JEM will be 
strengthened the more time elapses and therefore less likely to 
deal. 
 
¶13. (SBU) UK Envoy O'Neill returned to the need for flexibility in 
the process, calling on Qatar and the AU/UN Mediator to be ready to 
meet other parties outside of Doha if that would be helpful.  He 
cited Libya and Egypt as two countries worthy of greater inclusion. 
O'Neill offered that perhaps the international community and the E6 
leaders are not as seized with Sudan as they should be, and there is 
not enough coherence on the main issues. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Picking up on O'Neill's comments on other actors, 
Al-Mahmoud responded that there are many parties interested in Sudan 
though it is often for their own interests.  He welcomed wider 
involvement, but only when it was positive.  (Note: a not-so-subtle 
dig at Egypt and possibly others). 
 
¶15. (SBU) Russian Envoy Margelov agreed with O'Neill that Sudan 
needs to be elevated as an important issue for each country's 
leader.  He noted a recent G-8 meeting in Rome where the 
participants decided to encourage elevation of Sudan to the G-8 
leaders' summit agenda this summer.  Margelov also called for a 
broader view of Sudan issues, keeping in mind that other neighbors 
such as Uganda and Kenya have views on North-South CPA issues.  He 
noted that Russia intended to host a conference on Sudan in 
September to further refine international approaches to these 
issues. 
 
¶16. (SBU) Al-Mahmoud added that the AU feels south Sudan 
independence would be disastrous for the African continent, and 
senior AU officials underscored the seriousness of their concerns 
several times to him. 
 
¶17. (SBU) In the session's final comment, Chinese Envoy Guijin 
welcomed SE Gration's statement that he would try to bring SLM 
leader Nur into the Doha process. 
 
¶18. (U) SE Gration's delegation has cleared this cable. 
 
LEBARON