DARFUR PEACE TALKS: TAHA REMAINS, AU PREPARING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000798 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/SPG, D, INR, DRL, PRM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SU NI CD SUBJECT: DARFUR PEACE TALKS: TAHA REMAINS, AU PREPARING FINAL DOCUMENT REF: ABUJA 772 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Sudanese Vice President Taha remains in Abuja to continue consultations with the parties. JEM is avoiding meeting Taha, but is complaining it is being left out. His delegation may be augmented with the arrival of Salah Gosh and Mutrif Sadiq. The African Union's Peace and Security Council Commissioner reportedly directed the mediation to give the power and wealth-sharing documents to the parties this week. USDEL continues to work the parties through differences over the cease-fire document. The final security arrangements issues are about to be discussed. Chad's mediation team left Abuja after its government severed ties with Sudan. USDEL is encouraging the parties to continue consultations with Taha and continues to bolster the AU mediation's efforts to put the peace deal forward. End Summary. - - - - - - - AU MEDIATION - - - - - - - ¶2. (SBU) Prior to his departure for New York on April 15, AU Special Envoy Salim Salim told USDEL that the entire peace deal would be on the negotiating table by the end of the week. On April 17, we heard that Peace and Security Council Commissioner Djinnet directed the AU mediation to share the power and wealth-sharing documents with the parties. USDEL lawyer is working on power and wealth-sharing documents to get them ready for distribution. - - - - - - - - - - CEASE-FIRE DOCUMENT - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (SBU) The drafting group on security arrangements met in morning and evening sessions to push ahead on discussion of cease-fire provisions regarding preparations and disengagement. The biggest blocking point is the issue of policing. The movements insist on recognition of authority for their "police" and the government insisting on the contrary. A secondary blockage is between the use of the phrase "janjaweed/armed militia" (movements' position) vice "janjaweed/outlaw militia" (government's position). The movements claim that the government wants to water down every reference to the janjaweed. The drafting group will meet again this morning, possibly making progress through phase two (redeployment). Movements refuse to go further without tabling of texts on integration and demobilization. ¶4. (SBU) USDEL has updated earlier drafts on integration and demobilization for the African Union so that they can be presented today. Remaining security chapters could be tabled as early as April 19. Some of the problems encountered, such as the argument over policing or the differences on control of the border, might be more amenable to solution in the context of discussion on integration. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GOS CONSULTATIONS WITH PARTIES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶5. (SBU) Meanwhile, Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha remains in Abuja and is continuing his consultations with Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) leaders Minni Minnawi and Abdelwahid Nur. The GOS describes Taha's meetings with Minni and Abdelwahid as positive. Minni also described his initial meeting with Taha as promising, but after subsequent meetings wants Taha to be able to show more flexibility, particularly on integration of his forces into the military. SPLM's Malick Agar, working in coordination with Taha, is also talking with Minni about realistic numbers of combatants to be integrated. Abdelwahid and his representatives to the various commissions said that Taha emphasized his commitment to achieving a peace deal that is fair for all and will be respected. Taha told Abdelwahid that the movements need to view the peace talks in terms of how to position themselves to fill the political vacuum that exists in Darfur. Taha said that the Minister of Finance has instructions to work with the Dutch on the Joint Assessment Mission which may be set for late July and has allocated 100 million USD for water projects in Darfur. The GOS accepts the principle of compensation, but is against individual compensation. Taha said that the GOS was not in favor of giving Darfur a Vice Presidency, but instead a senior assistant to the President position with real competencies. Members of Abdelwahid's group said that though the GOS's position does not appear to ABUJA 00000798 002 OF 002 have changed, they view continued discussions as useful. ¶6. (SBU) Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has refused Taha's invitations for a meeting, but publicly complains it is being left out of discussions. JEM's excuses for refusing Taha's overtures range from "short notice" to complaints about the venue. JEM also issued a communique questioning Taha's authority to make a peace deal. Khalil left for N'Djamena on April 14. The international partners and SPLM continue to urge JEM to see Taha. - - - - - - CHAD/SUDAN - - - - - - ¶7. (SBU) Chad pulled out of the co-mediation at the talks on April 17. Chad mediation team member Habib Doutom told the international partners that Chad could not continue to mediate a conflict within a country "with which we are at war'. He said that the ongoing Sudanese aggression had made Chad a party to the conflict. Doutom said that the Chadian Government will not expel the Sudanese refugees if a UN force can be raised to help protect them by June 30. The Chadian Government can no longer protect the refugees from attacks or forced recruitment into rebel forces. Chad will remain engaged on resolving Darfur in other venues, through the African Union and United Nations. In December, the Darfur rebel movements had threatened to pull out of the peace talks after the Sudanese-backed rebels attacked Adre. The April 13 attack has generated a lot of concern within SLM and JEM, but not led to any threats of a walk-out. Khalil is in N'Djamena reportedly to help Deby. SLM leaders are worry that Deby will be overthrown, but are primarily concerned about the well-being of their members in N'Djamena if Sudanese-backed Tama or Arab rebels overrun the capital. - - - - - - - - - - COMINGS AND GOINGS - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. (SBU) USDEL was told on April 17 that Sudanese Intelligence Chief Salah Gosh and Mutrif Sadiq were arriving in Abuja. Salim Salim is expected back April 21. JEM's Khalil Ibrahim is in N'Djamena. - - - - COMMENT - - - - ¶9. (SBU) Taha's continued presence is pushing the AU mediation to get the deal put forward. USDEL will continue narrowing the differences on the security issues in order to make the potential trade-offs more clear to the parties in anticipation of the final paper. CAMPBELL