Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05CAIRO6509
2005-08-24 10:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

SUDAN: DARFUR REBEL GROUPS AND ZAM ZAM BLOCKADE;

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM PINR MOPS EG SU SA KBIO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006509 

SIPDIS

AF/SPG FOR MARY FLEMING AND PHIL DROUIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR MOPS EG SU SA KBIO
SUBJECT: SUDAN: DARFUR REBEL GROUPS AND ZAM ZAM BLOCKADE;
NEW MFA SUDAN TEAM

REF: STATE 152250 (NOTAL)

Classified by Acting ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006509

SIPDIS

AF/SPG FOR MARY FLEMING AND PHIL DROUIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR MOPS EG SU SA KBIO
SUBJECT: SUDAN: DARFUR REBEL GROUPS AND ZAM ZAM BLOCKADE;
NEW MFA SUDAN TEAM

REF: STATE 152250 (NOTAL)

Classified by Acting ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Post is unaware of any permanent official
representation in Egypt of either the Sudan Liberation
Movement/Army (SLM/A) or the Justice and Equality Movement
(JEM). While representatives of these Darfur rebel groups
may occasionally transit Cairo and engage locally-based
Sudanese opposition groups and possibly with the GOE on a
low-key basis, post does not maintain contact with either
group. We do engage regularly, however, with the National
Democratic Alliance, which we understand has ties to the
Darfur rebel groups. In future meetings with the NDA
leadership, we intend to share reftel demarche points and
request that the message be conveyed to the SLA leadership.


2. (C) During an August 22 conversation with poloff, MFA
Sudan Affairs Office Director Afifi Abdelwahab asserted that
neither the SLM/A nor the JEM maintain offices in Egypt.
Contact with these groups, he said, was made via Egyptian
embassies in the region (i.e., "Asmara"). Nevertheless,
Afifi said that SLM/A Secretary General Mini Menawi had in
June requested an invitation from the GOE, had been welcomed,
but failed to show up without explanation. Asked about
reports of problems with humanitarian access to refugee camps
such as the Zam Zam camp in northern Darfur (reftel),
Abdelwahab said that he was unaware of any such problems.
Abdelwahab took the opportunity to make a plug for Egypt's
field hospital located in El Fasher, which he said,
maintained 13 doctors who had "treated thousands" of Sudanese.


3. (C) Bio notes: Afifi Abdelwahab (Minister
Plenipotentiary) was recently assigned to Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia as Consul General and plans to arrive there shortly
with his wife and children. He welcomed contact with USG
colleagues while in the Kingdom. Abdelwahab has been a good
working-level contact of this Embassy, has proficient English
language skills, and is positively disposed toward the U.S.
His previous diplomatic postings to Saudi Arabia should allow
Afifi to quickly settle in. Abdelwahab's predecessor in the
Sudan Affairs job, Mohamed Qassem, is currently Egypt's
Ambassador to Riyadh, suggesting the importance to Egypt of
maintaining close relations with the Saudis on Sudan issues.
Abdelwahab is expected to be replaced in the MFA Sudan
Affairs Office by Egypt's Ambassador to Kampala, Uganda Mr.
Mafoum Marzouk (phonetic). End bio notes.


4. (U) Minimize considered.


Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo

You can also access this site through the
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website.

JONES