VZCZCXRO9740
PP RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDU RUEHKUK RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN
RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0003 0030900
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 030900Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4975
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000003 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/03/2020 
TAGS: MARR PGOV PHUM PREF PREL SU CD
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR GHAZI UPBEAT ON DECEMBER 
24-25 SUDAN-CHAD TALKS, BUT CAUTIONS MORE WORK REQUIRED 
 
REF: A. 09 NDJAMENA 621 
     ¶B. 09 KHARTOUM 1146 
     ¶C. 09 KHARTOUM 1273 
     ¶D. 09 KHARTOUM 1423 
 
Classified By: Classified By: A/CDA Mark L. Asquino for reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary. In a December 30 meeting with Acting Charge 
d'Affaires and poloff, Presidential Advisor Dr. Ghazi 
Salaheddin was upbeat about the December 24-25 visit to 
Khartoum of a high-level Chadian delegation led by Chadian 
Foreign Minister Musa Faki.  He noted that the delegation had 
met with President Bashir and other Sudanese officials and 
made progress toward full normalization of relations.  Ghazi 
cautioned, though, that Chad must acknowledge the full extent 
of the presence of anti-Sudan rebels on its territory.  On 
this and other issues, more work needed to be done before a 
final agreement could be reached.  Ghzi said the meetings had 
built confidence on both sides, especially at the 
interpersonal level.  He is considering heading the Sudanese 
delegation scheduled to go to Ndjamena on January 7 for the 
next round of talks.   End Summary. 
 
2.(C) Ghazi told Acting Charge and poloff that the visit of 
the Chadian delegation led by Chadian Foreign Minister Musa 
Faki to Khartoum on December 24-25 had resulted in some of 
the most successful meetings between the two countries in 
recent years.  In his view, Sudan and Chad have moved from a 
complete lack of trust with each other to a position in which 
normalization of relations appears possible.  In this regard, 
he noted that in some ways Chad seemed even more optimistic 
about this occurring than Sudan. He noted, however, that in 
his view, the Chadian delegation came to Khartoum thinking 
that it would be possible to strike a final agreement.  Ghazi 
cautioned that such an agreement would not be possible until 
Chad acknowledged the full extent of the presence of 
anti-Sudan rebels on its territory.  When the acting Charge 
asked what Ghazi saw as the next step in moving normalization 
forward, he responded that the two countries needed to 
implement provisions of the 2006 Joint Protocol,  Ghazi said 
that during the December 24-25 talks, he had told Chad's US 
Ambassador Bechir that, despite real difficulties, Sudan had 
delivered on its promise to relocate anti-Chad rebel forces 
away from the Sudan-Chad border.  Ghazi said that Sudan now 
expected Chad to do the same with anti-Sudan forces on 
Chadian territory. (Note:  In an aside, Ghazi joked that 
Chad's Ambassador Bechir was "almost Sudanese," given the 
amount of time the latter had spent living in Sudan before 
moving to Chad. End Note.) 
 
¶3. (C) Ghazi said the December visit to Khartoum had built 
confidence on both sides, especially at the interpersonal 
level. He added, however, that he could not yet say there was 
"institutional confidence" between the two governments.  He 
continued that due to Chad's "tribal system," bringing about 
normalization of relations between the two countries would 
require winning "the hearts and minds of Chadian President 
Deby and his inner circle". Dr. Ghazi said that the Sudanese 
delegation had been better-prepared for meetings on a number 
of technical issues than their Chadian counterparts. When 
asked whether the follow-up, January 7 meetings in Ndjamena 
would be at a senior or technical level, Ghazi answered that 
the original intention was for working-level talks on 
military-security issues.  Due to this, Ghazi said he had 
originally not planned to lead the delegation.  However, he 
noted he now may do so, given the importance of maintaining 
previous momentum built on interpersonal relationships. 
 
4.(C) Comment. If the Chadians and Sudanese can implement the 
2006 Joint Protocol, this will be an important step toward 
resolving their long-term differences.  Such resolution will, 
in turn, contribute to helping address security problems in 
Darfur.  During the next stage of talks, however, Chad and 
Sudan will need to agree upon and take concrete actions that 
result in stabilization and effective control of their porous 
border.  Even more challenging, the two countries must 
convince their respective proxy rebel forces that the days of 
Chadian and Sudanese political/military "patronage" and 
territorial sanctuary are truly over, End Comment. 
 
 
 
ASQUINO