NETHERLANDS/SUDAN: WEIGHING IN WITH THE DARFUR

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002523 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL SU NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/SUDAN: WEIGHING IN WITH THE DARFUR REBELS REF: SECSTATE 168722 Classified By: POLCOUNS Andrew Schofer for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On September 14, POLOFF shared reftel points with Stella Kloth, Sudan Desk Officer at the MFA and member of the Dutch Government's Sudan Task Force, and requested contact information for SLM representatives in the Netherlands. Kloth provided this information on September 15. ¶2. (C) On September 15, POLOFF contacted Salih Rizgalla, member of the SLM Chapter of the Netherlands, and presented reftel points. Rizgalla promised to share the points with his colleagues when he resumes participation in the Abuja talks on September 21. Rizgalla also plans to participate in the SLM conference in Darfur. He voiced optimism about the progress of the talks and said he would pursue a close dialogue with Ambassador Yates. ¶3. (C) POLOFF subsequently received a phone call from Nasrah Adin, referred to POLOFF by Rizgalla. Adin is an SLM member based in Riyadh and will attend the Abuja talks and the Darfur conference. POLOFF presented points. Adin conveyed his enthusiasm for the planned workshops, echoed Rizgalla's interest in working with Yates, and emphasized the importance of SLM unity. BLAKEMAN