MEETING WITH YASSIR ARMAN ON EASTERN SUDAN,

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 001403

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR D, AF/FO, AF/SPG, AND AF/RSA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR US ER SU
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH YASSIR ARMAN ON EASTERN SUDAN,
DARFUR, AND RELATIONS WITH ERITREA

Classified By: CDA Cameron Hume, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Charge Hume met with SPLM parliamentary leader Yassir
Arman on June 13. Arman was hurrying to the airport to fly
to Asmara for the opening of the Eritrean-sponsored talks on
eastern Sudan. He expected the opening round to last for
perhaps a week. The Sudanese delegation included former FM
Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Investment Malik Agar, U/S
Mutriff Saddiq from the MFA, and Arman. As worked out with
the Eritreans, the opening meetings would aim to let the
government state what it could do and the opposition leaders
state their demands. The government wanted to operate within
the framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, but it
was open to suggestions. For example, President Bashir had
already approved offering a significant number of positions
in the armed forces to the rebels, who unlike Darfurians were
under-represented in the military.


2. (C) Arman said that the Eritrean hosts were not asking for
outside support for the talks. They would host the rebels,
and the government would pay for its own delegation. The
idea was to keep the talks simple and straightforward,
without large numbers of international observers. In
response to Arman,s question, Hume said that Ambassador
Yates would represent the USG. Arman said that the Sudanese
delegation would like to stay in close contact with Yates.


3. (C) Hume asked how Arman judged the efforts to secure the
support of the SLM,s Abdel Wahid and JEM,s Khalil Ibrahim
for the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). He related how he had
been in touch with Abdel Wahid to arrange a meeting for him
with Salva Kiir. Twenty times Abdel Wahid agreed to a date
and venue; twenty times he canceled. Abdel Wahid was both
difficult and unreliable. Hume concurred, but cautioned that
without Abdel Wahid, there was no easy way to secure Fur
support for the DPA in the short term. Arman said that no
changes should be made to the text of the DPA, but the
government could address Abdel Wahid,s concerns in other
ways, if he became a more reliable interlocutor. Arman saw
less merit in seeking support of Khalil Ibrahim.


4. (C) In contrast, Arman said that Salva Kiir had a good
meeting with Minni Minawi. Kiir urged Minawi to come soon to
Khartoum to set up a base of operations; together the SPLM
and SLM could work to moderate the policies of the NCP in the
government.


5. (C) Regarding Sudanese relations with Eritrea, the visit
this week of President Isaias to Khartoum had gone well. The
situation in Hamesh Koreib was quiet after the withdrawal of
SPLA troops, no doubt because Isaias wanted calm there.
However, Isaias remained cautious in his approach to the
relationship. Kiir urged him to cooperate on both Darfur and
eastern Sudan, so that peace agreements would restrain the
NCP majority in the government.
HUME