VZCZCXRO2329
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0858 2021116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211116Z JUL 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4128
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000858 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A/S CARSON, AF/C 
NSC FOR MGAVIN 
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: SE GRATION URGES BASSOLE TO PURSUE PEACE PROCESS WITH 
RENEWED VIGOR, ACCELERATED TIMELINE 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The UN/AU Joint Mediation Support Team (JMST) will 
continue its work with the so-called "Tripoli Group" of rebel 
factions and plans to hold a civil society conference in September 
to broaden participation in the peace process, Joint Chief Mediator 
Djibril Bassole told SE Gration in a July 15 meeting. In line with 
this expanded participation, Bassole and his team are working on a 
more comprehensive draft framework for the talks. SE Gration urged 
Bassole to build upon 2005 Declaration of Principles (DOP) and 2006 
Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) rather that starting anew, and urged 
that the JMST accelerate its timeline and redouble its efforts 
towards finding a lasting political solution to the Darfur conflict. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On July 15, SE Gration met with UN/AU Joint Chief Mediator 
Djibril Bassole in Khartoum. Bassole stated that the "new focus" of 
his team is the so-called Tripoli Group of rebel factions since JEM 
suspended its participation in the Doha talks in June. He expressed 
optimism that JEM would rejoin the process if there was progress 
made on the issue of prisoner release (septel), but acknowledged the 
need to broaden participation in the Doha talks beyond JEM. SE 
Gration noted that JEM remains a militia movement with no broad, 
popular constituency. He urged Bassole to pursue his outreach to 
other parties with a renewed vigor to make the next round of the 
Doha talks a more inclusive process. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Bassole stated that in line with broader participation 
anticipated in the next round of Doha talks, he and his team are 
attempting to draft a more comprehensive framework agreement. SE 
Gration urged that the JMST make use of previously agreed-upon 
language from both the 2005 Declaration of Principles (DoP) signed 
by the GOS, JEM and the SLA, as well as the 2006 Darfur Peace 
Agreement (DPA) signed by the GOS and SLA/Minni Minnawi. Bassole 
agreed with SE Gration's suggestion that if he could make use of 
existing and agreed upon language, it would save time and move the 
peace process forward. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Bassole also told SE Gration that he and his team plan to 
invite Darfuri civil society representatives to Doha for a 
consultative conference, currently being planned for September. SE 
Gration applauded the effort to broaden participation in the peace 
process, but expressed disappointment at the timing. He urged 
Bassole to pursue the peace process with a renewed vigor and 
accelerate his timeline so that a lasting political solution could 
be found. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: The JMST continues to be passive in its approach 
and will continue to require prodding and assistance from the USG to 
push forward the peace process. The planned civil society conference 
is a welcome effort to broaden participation amongst a wide spectrum 
of Darfurians, but sustained pressure on the JMST must be maintained 
to ensure it happens in a timely manner. 
 
 
WHITEHEAD