SUDAN: EGYPT WELCOMES DARFUR PEACE DEAL, LOOKS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002702

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS PHUM EG SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN: EGYPT WELCOMES DARFUR PEACE DEAL, LOOKS TO
PROMOTE ITS SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION


Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Presidential Spokesman Soliman Awad told the
Ambassador late May 8 that Egypt had publicly welcomed the
peace deal between Darfur rebels and the Government of Sudan
(GOS) signed in Abuja May 5. Awad said the Presidency issued
a statement to the media welcoming the agreement(faxed to
NEA/ELA),that praises the negotiators, calls upon rebel
factions that did not yet sign to adhere to the deal, and
expresses its "readiness to participate in peace keeping
forces assigned to monitor the deal." The GOE has not made
any public pronouncements yet regarding United Nations troops
relacing the African Union mission (AMIS). Awad told the
Ambassador that Egypt would maintain its current level of
personnel in Darfur (36 AMIS "monitors"). Offering further
detail on the Presidential statement, Awad said Egypt was
already referring to its personnel in Darfur as "peace
keeping troops" versus monitors, as it does with its 760
"peace keepers" in the South of Sudan. While it remains
unstated, Egypt's willingness to see these troops rehatted
from AMIS to UN forces is implicit in the statement.


2. (C) MFA Sudan Affairs Director Marsoum Marzouk told
Poloff May 8 that besides the Presidency statement, President
Mubarak had not publicly commented on the agreement, but had
sent telegrams to both President Bashir and to President
Obasanjo to congratulate them on finalizing the agreement and
to stress Egypt's willingness to assist with its
implementation. The letters were not made public, but it was
Marzouk's understanding that Mubarak's correspondence did not
address the issue of rehatting AMIS soldiers to UN blue
helmets. Marzouk noted a separate press statement issued by
Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit that also welcomed the
agreement, and mentions Egypt's present contributions to the
AMIS mission, but does not comment on a transition from AMIS
to UN peace keeping forces in Darfur.


3. (C) Comment. Egyptian interlocutors continue to warmly
praise the role played by Deputy Secretary Zoellick in
reaching a peace agreement in Abuja, and are looking now at
how best to effectively implement the May 5 deal. The
Darfur-Darfur dialogue appears to be a critical component of
Egyptian thinking in this regard, and their Sudan experts
have indicated to us privately that they will play some role
in the dialogue, either through the Arab League, the African
Union, or bilaterally. Our Egyptian hosts also look forward
to face-to-face talks with USG Sudan experts to address how
they can most effectively work with us to regain stability in
Sudan and aid in reconstruction of the country. We assess
that the GOE is unlikely to take an activist role on the
UN/AMIS rehatting issue, but will continue to press the GOS
to be flexible and will not oppose the rehatting effort in
New York. End comment.
RICCIARDONE