Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CAIRO5123
2006-08-16 15:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
SUDAN: EGYPT RELUCTANT TO PRESS BASHIR ON UN FORCE
how-toVZCZCXRO2048 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHEG #5123 2281538 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 161538Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0656 INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 005123
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID UNSC PHUM EG SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN: EGYPT RELUCTANT TO PRESS BASHIR ON UN FORCE
REF: A. STATE 133250 (NOTAL)
B. KHARTOUM 1935 (NOTAL)
C. USUN 1538 (NOTAL)
D. CAIRO 4829 (NOTAL)
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 005123
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID UNSC PHUM EG SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN: EGYPT RELUCTANT TO PRESS BASHIR ON UN FORCE
REF: A. STATE 133250 (NOTAL)
B. KHARTOUM 1935 (NOTAL)
C. USUN 1538 (NOTAL)
D. CAIRO 4829 (NOTAL)
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) The Ambassador spoke August 15 with Egyptian Foreign
Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and August 16 with Presidential
Spokesman and Senior Advisor Soliman Awad to request that
Egyptian President Mubarak press Sudanese President Bashir to
accept a transition to a UN force in Darfur. Drawing from
ref A background and talking points, the Ambassador explained
USG positions on the vetted UNMIS expansion and clarified
what compromises had already been reached to soften draft
UNSC resolution language under discussion in New York. Aboul
Gheit shared little enthusiasm for the request and suggested
that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan should be the one to
contact Bashir in this regard. Aboul Gheit said he would
share the U.S. message within the GOE, but sought additional
working-level consultations between his staff and the Embassy
on the status of talks in New York over a draft UNSC Darfur
resolution.
2. (C) Presidential Spokesman and Senior Advisor Soliman
Awad also responded hesitantly to the Ambassador's request
that President Mubarak call Sudanese President Bashir to
press for acceptance of a UN force for Darfur. Awad replied
that "it would help" if the UN Secretary General Kofi Anan
were to phone Mubarak directly on this topic. The Ambassador
noted that the USG was considering sending a senior U.S.
envoy to Khartoum to raise the issue with the GOS directly
(refs B and C). Awad strongly endorsed the idea of a visit
to Bashir by a UN Security Council delegation, suggesting
that such a move would offer Bashir good political cover as
it would show that the UN was willing to listen to his
concerns.
3. (C) Comment: Post strongly endorses refs B/C proposals
to send a senior envoy to the region. Should that happen, it
would make sense for the envoy to stop in Cairo to brief
Mubarak afterwards on the conversation with Bashir, and to
seek his assistance in pressing the case for the UN Darfur
transition. End comment.
RICCIARDONE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID UNSC PHUM EG SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN: EGYPT RELUCTANT TO PRESS BASHIR ON UN FORCE
REF: A. STATE 133250 (NOTAL)
B. KHARTOUM 1935 (NOTAL)
C. USUN 1538 (NOTAL)
D. CAIRO 4829 (NOTAL)
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) The Ambassador spoke August 15 with Egyptian Foreign
Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and August 16 with Presidential
Spokesman and Senior Advisor Soliman Awad to request that
Egyptian President Mubarak press Sudanese President Bashir to
accept a transition to a UN force in Darfur. Drawing from
ref A background and talking points, the Ambassador explained
USG positions on the vetted UNMIS expansion and clarified
what compromises had already been reached to soften draft
UNSC resolution language under discussion in New York. Aboul
Gheit shared little enthusiasm for the request and suggested
that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan should be the one to
contact Bashir in this regard. Aboul Gheit said he would
share the U.S. message within the GOE, but sought additional
working-level consultations between his staff and the Embassy
on the status of talks in New York over a draft UNSC Darfur
resolution.
2. (C) Presidential Spokesman and Senior Advisor Soliman
Awad also responded hesitantly to the Ambassador's request
that President Mubarak call Sudanese President Bashir to
press for acceptance of a UN force for Darfur. Awad replied
that "it would help" if the UN Secretary General Kofi Anan
were to phone Mubarak directly on this topic. The Ambassador
noted that the USG was considering sending a senior U.S.
envoy to Khartoum to raise the issue with the GOS directly
(refs B and C). Awad strongly endorsed the idea of a visit
to Bashir by a UN Security Council delegation, suggesting
that such a move would offer Bashir good political cover as
it would show that the UN was willing to listen to his
concerns.
3. (C) Comment: Post strongly endorses refs B/C proposals
to send a senior envoy to the region. Should that happen, it
would make sense for the envoy to stop in Cairo to brief
Mubarak afterwards on the conversation with Bashir, and to
seek his assistance in pressing the case for the UN Darfur
transition. End comment.
RICCIARDONE