VZCZCXRO9599
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0302/01 0531220
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 221218Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0238
INFO DARFUR COLLECTIVE
IGAD COLLECTIVE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000302 
 
CODEL 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINR PREL ASEC SU CD CH
SUBJECT: CODEL DURBIN IN KHARTOUM, FEBRUARY 18, 2010 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: During a stop in Khartoum on February 18, 
Senators Dick Durbin and Sherrod Brown met with the Undersecretary 
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mutrif Siddiq.  The CODEL's 
wide-ranging discussion with the key National Congress Party (NCP) 
insider covered elections, Darfur, the role of China and Nile water 
rights.  In a meeting with the senators, heads of the two UN 
peacekeeping missions in Sudan noted "cautious optimism" in the 
lead-up to the April elections, but remain concerned about 
insecurity in Darfur and the lack of political determination in the 
south.  End summary. 
 
 
 
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VARIOUS ISSUES DISCUSSED WITH MFA 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) MFA Undersecretary Dr. Mutrif Siddiq told Senators Durbin 
and Brown during their visit to Khartoum on February 18 that the 
April national elections are a positive step for all Sudanese 
citizens but that it is a complicated electoral process, given that 
Sudan has not held elections since 1986.  However, Siddiq expressed 
confidence in the National Election Commission (NEC) to determine 
the appropriate number of polling stations to accommodate all 
registered voters within the three-day polling period scheduled for 
April 11-13.  Although registration varied in some areas, Siddiq 
called the percentage of eligible voters registered a "good 
average." 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Responding to a question on Darfur, Siddiq told the 
senators that the situation has stabilized.  He cited a lack of any 
major humanitarian problems, except perhaps, in sanitation needs. 
Siddiq cautioned that high levels of humanitarian assistance in 
Darfur have created a "dependency syndrome" in which there is 
little motivation for many internally displaced persons (IDPs) to 
return home and become self-sufficient when everything is provided 
freely.  He said the Government of Sudan (GOS) is looking at ways 
to encourage IDPs to return home and cited an upcoming conference 
in Cairo to discuss the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 
Darfur.  While Siddiq acknowledged that security problems continue 
in some areas of Darfur, he claimed that overall security has 
improved. He believed that with the increased peace, now is an 
opportune time for more countries to invest in the reconstruction 
of Darfur. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Siddiq called China a "serious partner" with Sudan, as 
well as to much of Africa, and said that most development projects 
in Sudan are Chinese.  He told the senators that China is neutral, 
yet supportive, of implementation of the Comprehensive Peace 
Agreement (CPA).  Siddiq added that China demonstrates respect and 
does not attempt to impose conditions upon Sudan. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Senator Durbin asked about future water rights if Southern 
Sudan votes in favor of secession in 2011.  Siddiq stressed the 
need to address water rights in a consensus manner. He opined that 
it will be possible for North and South Sudan to reach an agreement 
but will be held for discussion along with other post-referendum 
issues.  With regard to Egypt, Siddiq said they are taking 84 
percent of the Nile River and Sudan would like to re-negotiate 
those terms. 
 
 
 
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UN CHIEFS IN SUDAN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC 
 
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KHARTOUM 00000302  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) On February 18, Senators Durbin and Brown met in Khartoum 
with senior officials from the two UN peacekeeping missions in 
Sudan.  Acting Special Representative for the Secretary General 
(A/SRSG) to the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Jasbir Lidder noted an 
"air of cautious optimism" pervading the country prior to the first 
national elections in 20 years.  Lidder said he believed that the 
elections will proceed peacefully despite an acrimonious political 
atmosphere and media restrictions, because the primary 
disagreements surrounding the elections are political in nature, 
and can be resolved by Sudan's major parties through political 
means.  Lidder remains concerned, however, that an independent 
Southern Sudan would not be viable should voters in the south 
choose independence in the planned 2011 referendum.  "The governing 
structures in the south are not stable, and the government offers 
no services, and no governing procedures," he noted.  Criticizing 
the Government of Southern Sudan, A/SRSG Lidder said that the 
south's main political players so obsessed with internal "mirco" 
issues, that they ignore the external "macro" issues such as 
corruption, development and political sophistication. 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Newly-arrived Joint Special Representative (JSR) of the 
UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Ibrahim Gambari 
acknowledged that his mission faces an uphill struggle in the 
war-torn western region of Sudan, but announced confidently that he 
had arrived in Sudan to fulfill his instructions to "make it work." 
Gambari outlined his four priorities for his tenure in El Fasher 
for the senators.  First, he expects UNAMID to become more 
proactive in issues surrounding the Darfur peace process, 
post-conflict recovery, and internal economic development.  Second, 
he will insist that UNAMID peacekeepers interpret their mandate 
more robustly, adding, "We need to defend ourselves," particularly 
in the wake of an attack on February 16 against a UNAMID police 
patrol in South Darfur.  Third, Gambari intends to look separately 
at the issue of Darfur's internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, 
to identify ways for IDPs to transition to constructing viable 
communities.  Fourth, Gambari sees UNAMID's role in improving 
Chad-Sudan relations as key to bringing about an end to the long 
conflict, and said UNAMID will also work to minimize the unintended 
consequences of the fighting.  Gambari was somewhat more 
pessimistic than his UNMIS counterpart on the issue of elections in 
Darfur, warning that Sudan's two main parties would use their 
political monopolies to crowd out opposition voices, especially in 
Darfur, where the NCP has a political hegemony over all other 
parties. 
 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) Senators Durbin and Brown did not clear this cable prior 
to their departure. 
WHITEHEAD