AUSTRIA ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT BASHIR'S POSSIBLE AU

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 003937

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2015
TAGS: PREL AU SU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT BASHIR'S POSSIBLE AU
CHAIRMAN CANDIDACY

REF: STATE 226663

Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Gregory E. Phillips for
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) On December 21, Econ Unit Chief met with Caroline
Gudenus, Head of the MFA's Sub-Saharan Africa Division, to
discuss USG concerns regarding Sudanese President Bashir's
possible candidacy to be Chairman of the African Union (AU).
Gudenus said Austria, which assumes the EU Presidency January
1, would not formally exert any pressure on AU members to not
elect Bashir. However, Gudenus emphasized that she and other
EU officials informally voiced concern about a Bashir
candidacy with AU member states on the margins of a December
2 troika in Bamako. According to Gudenus, the EU was keenly
aware that if Bashir became Chairman, this would complicate
the African Mission in Sudan, as well as the Abuja political
talks.


2. (C) Gudenus said that she did not detect strong support
for Bashir among AU member states. At Bamako, Gudenus said
some AU states had mentioned possible alternatives, including
Gabonese President Bongo, Congolese President Sassou, and
Rwandan President Kagame.
MCCAW