VZCZCXRO5541
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHGI RUEHKUK RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0701 1490708
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 290708Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3884
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000701 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/C, AF/PDPA, 
IIP/G/AF, PA/PRS, RRU-AF 
NSC FOR MGAVIN 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI ASEC AU UNSC KPAO OIIP SU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION TO U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO SUDAN EAST-WEST 
TOUR 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY: The current East-West tour to China, Qatar, United 
Kingdom and France by U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan General Scott 
Gration has dominated most of the local news in Sudan.  While a 
handful of pro-government newspapers remain optimistic and describe 
the visits as "encouraging" and "a serious attempt demonstrated by 
the U.S. Administration towards solving the crisis in Darfur," two 
influential pro-government dailies remain wary and point out the 
"uncertainty" with regard to the true value of the tour. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) Pro-government "Al-Ahdath" ran a feature analysis supportive 
of General Gration's multi-faceted approach to finding a solution to 
existing conflicts in Sudan.  Even hardline, pro-government daily 
"Al-Intibaha," which typically takes an adversarial stance towards 
the U.S., quoted the Government of Sudan (GoS) as saying it welcomes 
the tour and considers it a "positive move."  The paper quotes 
Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) officials as saying that 
the tour goes hand in hand with the Special Envoy's initiative to 
declare a 90-day ceasefire in order to establish an environment 
conducive to peace talks between the GoS and armed movements in 
Darfur.  In a quote from MFA Acting Undersecretary Ambassador Ali 
Yousif, the paper describes General Gration as "keen on identifying 
common ground between all parties involved in the Darfur peace 
process." 
 
¶3. (U) "Sudantribune.com," an independent online publication based 
in Paris, published an article on May 24 entitled "U.S. Envoy to 
Begin Diplomacy Blitz." "After working quietly to improve bilateral 
channels with the Government of Sudan and to persuade rebel leaders 
to come to peace talks on the Darfur conflict, U.S. Special Envoy to 
Sudan Scott Gration is now undertaking a multilateral diplomacy 
blitz to widen the international scope and intensity of his 
diplomatic strategy."  The article comments that this intense level 
of diplomatic activity has not been seen since the period of 
negotiations for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). 
 
¶4. (U) Another news analysis report, published in the May 24 edition 
of pro-government daily "Al-Rai-Al-Aam," applauds the U.S. 
Administration's "seriousness" in basing its decisions upon 
first-hand collection of facts rather than pre-digested, second-hand 
information.  The political reporter acknowledges that General 
Gration's East-to-West tour "is not an easy task" but rather one 
full of "contradicting viewpoints."  The reporter warns that the 
Special Envoy's tour will amount to little unless, contrary to what 
General Gration's predecessors have done, he fills his travel bag 
with solutions and "deals with the issues in a meaningful way."  An 
editorial published on May 27 in the same paper by Assistant 
Editor-in-Chief Ismail Adam is entitled "The Darfur Demons."  Adam 
points out that "while the Darfur demons [the Justice and Equality 
Movement delegation] head for Doha today, six international Special 
Envoys are holding a noteworthy meeting in Doha in preparation for 
the next round of talks on Darfur.  It appears that today's meeting 
... brings together all the foreign forces fuelling the conflict in 
Darfur."  Adam holds that the success of the current tour by the 
U.S. Special Envoy will be measured by his ability to bring to the 
negotiation table the Sudanese government alongside the armed 
movements in Darfur.  Adam cautions, however, that the public must 
"differentiate between all the armed movements, some of whom are 
gangsters, psychopaths or armed robbers in disguise."  Mostly, he 
warns, the public must beware, as "one of these demons might enter 
the arena under the guise of a Special Envoy!" 
 
¶5. (U) Another pro-government paper, "Akhbar Al-Youm," ran a 
circumspect editorial in which the columnist calls into question a 
remark by U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Gration, who is alleged by the 
paper to have said that solving the Darfur issue requires "a 
friendly relationship between Sudan and America."  The columnist 
says he is wary of such "diplomatic moves," given that America has 
always looked at Sudan "with suspicion" based on Sudan's "Islamic 
allegiances and adherence to Sharia Law."  The editorial concludes 
with typical rhetorical skepticism, asking, "If the United States 
pursues a friendly relationship with Sudan, will Israel stand by and 
watch silently with its arms crossed?" 
 
ASQUINO