Sudan/CPA: AEC receives briefing on SPLM/NCP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KHARTOUM 001469 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV EAID PREL SU SUBJECT: Sudan/CPA: AEC receives briefing on SPLM/NCP Meeting REF: Khartoum 1308 ¶1. (SBU) Paragraph 3 contains the final Joint Communique from the recently held NCP/SPLM senior level meetings (reftel). At the Assessment and Evaluation Committee meeting on June 20, both sides were invited to brief the results of the meeting. For the NCP, Sayed el-Khatib, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies, read the document, adding little commentary, except to say the meeting was a success. SPLM Ann Itto, Minister of State for Agriculture, made the following comments: -- The meeting was important. It went on for 3 days. It should have gone on for five. There was a lot to discuss. -- There was too much focus on form; not enough on substance. More committees were set up. No timelines were established. Tough divisive issues were discussed at length, but none was resolved. -- Abyei remains a key issue. Absent its resolution, the security situation could deteriorate. The four options agreed upon (see section on Abyei below) have been sent to the Presidency for decision. ¶2. (SBU) Itto's intervention was a strong, coherent, and rare intervention on the part of the SPLM with regard to its frustration over the pace of CPA implementation. NCP Khatib listened but did not respond. Vraalsen urged the parties to tackle these issues quickly and substantively. He also announced that he would be traveling to Abyei in the next 2 weeks, hopefully to pave the way for an AEC visit. ¶3. Begin text: The 1st Joint Meeting between the NCP's Leading Office and the SPLM's Politbureau The Final Communique and Recommendations 27-29 May 2006 The meeting held closed sessions in which it discussed joint working and partisan papers on the following issues: ¶1. CPA implementation. ¶2. The security situation. ¶3. Partnership: concept and machineries. ¶4. Relations with the other political forces. ¶5. Darfur. ¶6. Eastern Sudan. ¶7. Regional and international relations. ¶8. Media. The two partners decided to strengthen the principles, programs and institutions of their partnership and affirmed that this partnership does neither aim at isolation nor marginalization of the other political forces. Rather it is partnership for consolidation of peace and stability as well as boosting democratic transformation. The two partners welcome the DPA and appealed to the other sides that fail to undersign to join. They welcome the launching of the Eritrean initiative for achieving peace in eastern Sudan. After thorough evaluation of the achievements since the CPA signature, the joint meeting formed five committees that reached the following recommendations: In the political and executive field: The two sides agreed on: ¶01. The necessity of existence of coordination machineries for guaranteeing the CPA implementation and treatment of partnership questions. ¶02. Approval of Catching-up Program for implementation of the CPA delayed provision and resort to arbitration in the questions that prove difficult to resolve through direct consultations. ¶03. Approval of coordinated media method between the two partners. ¶04. Development of comprehensive media policy in accordance with the representation weight. ¶05. Multiplication of the efforts of the two partners for propagation and generalization of the CPA and the INC. ¶06. Upgrading the reconciliation process and boost KHARTOUM 00001469 002 OF 004 understanding among the Sudanese people. ¶07. Confidence building between the two partner parties at all political levels and structures. ¶08. Improve and extend dialogue in the process of democratic transformation and basic freedoms embodied in the CPA and INC. ¶09. Strive to involve the other political forces in the CPA implementation. ¶10. Paying respect for institutionalism and boosting cooperation. ¶11. Establishment and construction of institutions of governments at all levels for boosting the rational rule. ¶12. Affirm the two partners' commitment to the tenets of foreign policy embodied in the CPA and the INC and normalization of relations with the neighbouring states. ¶13. Speed-up the implementation of the DPA. ¶14. Speed-up the process of peace talks in eastern Sudan. In the economic field First, the JNTT The two parties call the Presidency of the Republic to review the mandate granted to the JNTT in conformity with the CPA. Second: the MDTF The meeting calls for: a. The GoNU shall urge the MDTF to speed-up implementation of the JAM programs in conformity and in accordance with the priorities of this program and the CPA. b. The GoNU shall encourage the donors to speed-up provision and pumping of necessary resources for reconstruction and development. c. The GoNU strives to confirm the effective participation of the communities especially the war- affected and less-developed ones in the programs and projects that are implemented through the MDTF. Third: The National Fund for Development and Reconstruction: The meeting apeals to the Presidency to speed-up the formation of the National Fund for Development and Reconstruction for assuming its role in reconstruction and development of the war-affected and less-developed areas outside the southern Sudan. Fourth: The National Petroleum Commission: The two sides call the NCP and SPLM leaders in their capacities as alternating chairpersons of the NPC to speed-up the effectuation of the NPC works through the technical committees for undertaking the following: ¶1. Revision of the petroleum act to conform with the provisions of the CPA. ¶2. Formulation of the policies and directives of the petroleum sector. ¶3. Look into the report of the SPLM committee on the valid petroleum contract. ¶4. Assessment of the material, ecological, and social impact of petroleum investment. Fifth: Petroleum development: The two parties call all the levels of government in Sudan to protect the production and development of petroleum in their areas in conformity with the CPA provisions. uiQ\Q1/ilding. Seventh: Issuing the new currency: The meeting calls the Bank of Sudan to speed-up issuing the new currency. Eighth: The National Lands Commission: The meeting calls the Presidency to speed-up composition of the NLC. Nineth: Non-oil revenues: The two sides call the Ministry of Finance and National Economy to speed-up laying down the system of non-oil revenues in the southern Sudan as the two sides call the GOSS and the concerned state governments to assist in the establishment of such system in conformity with the CPA provisions. Tenth: Public and private companies and corporations: KHARTOUM 00001469 003 OF 004 a. The two sides call all the levels of government in the south to facilitate the activities of the public and private companies and corporations in accordance with the criteria of competence, law, CPA provisions, and the best international practice. b. The two sides call all levels of government in the Sudan to encourage the development of the Sudanese private sector in appropriate competitive atmosphere. In the security field First: Recommendations in the Field of Security Arrangements: a. The Security Committee: mindful that the conclusion of the protocol of security arrangements has constituted the major breakthrough for reaching the CPA b. As it is highly praising the strict commitment to ceasefire as no single confrontation between SAF and SPLA was recorded since Year 2002 c. As it takes cognizance of the machineries formed in accordance with the CPA such as: ¶1. The Joint Defense Council. ¶2. The joint forces. ¶3. Ceasefire observing committees. ¶4. Cooperation committee for treatment of the situations of the other armed groups. ¶5. DDR National Commission and North and South two commissions. ¶6. The National Organ for Mines Combat. d. As it takes cognizance of the steps and procedures adopted by the two sides for carrying out the operation of redeployment north and south of 1956 line. e. Inspired by the above-mentionedand based on the achieved appreciated successes, it recommends the following: "Giving the required political momentun for the organs and machineries mentioned in Para. (c) by composition of the branch security committee within the machineries of partnership at high representation level for: ¶1. political supervision of these organs and machineries and strive to solve the problems that inhibit performance of their missions for guarantee of their efficiency. ¶2. Treatment of the situations of the armed factions in accordance to the provisions of the CPA in a time range to be approved by the two sides. ¶3. Support the redeployment process to be completed in the specified and agreed-on calendars and dates as well as verification of the information of the two sides in this repsect. ¶4. Supervision and support the process of completion of the composition of the joint forces and guarantee their performance of their duties. Second: In the field of Security Situations: The Committee reviewed the security reports presented by the two sides in the joint meeting as it took cognizance of the constructive step which was undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Police and Security in the southern Sudan of undersigning a joint memo of understanding. In this field, the Committee recommends the following: a. Extol the provisions of that understanding memo and call for speeding-up implementation of these provisions in order to boost the spirit of joint action and the mutual support for of the various levels of govt to each other and urge the other govt organs to follow suit. b. Endorsement of the formation of high coordiantion machinery from the specialized bodies at the various levels of govt for undertaking the coordination of police and security activities in general and shall be vested the following mandate: ¶1. Boost the coordination and contacts among the various police levels in the north and south. ¶2. Supervision of the process of treatment of the situation of police in the south, southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. ¶3. Treatment of the questions related to the control of the systems of passports, immigration, customs works, and civil aviation in accordance with the INC and law. ¶4. Approval of the GOSS initiative for solving the problem of LRA in accordance with the options presented by the GOSS. The two sides shall coordinate their efforts to execute it. ¶5. Exchange of information and recommend necessary treatment by the specialized authorities. ¶6. Affirm that the phenomenon of widespread of the small arms is highly-complicated. Social, economic and cultural variables are jointly responsible for this problem a matter that requires deep surveying studies KHARTOUM 00001469 004 OF 004 that radically treat the reasons behind this phenomenon and build plans and strategies for controlling them. ¶7. Lay down the smooth treatments to the process of disarming the individuals who are not affiliated to armed factions. ¶8. Lay down treatments for avoiding skirmishes between transit pastoralists and farmers and lay down the arrangements that guarantee the safety of move and travel for the citizens in the touch points. In the Abyei Question Firstly: There is no difference between the NCP and SPLM over the special administrative position of the Abyei area and the formation of the institutions provided for in the CPA. Secondly: The two sides agreed to form the administration of the Abyei area from all the resident citizens in accordance with the CPA. Thirdly: The two sides differed on the ABC Report. While the SPLM recommends implementation of that Report as final and binding, the NCP objects it on the ground that it bypassed the mandate granted to the experts. Fourthly: We present the following options to the Presidency to solve the problem: a. Reach solution based on political grounds. b. Invite the experts to come and defend their report. c. Refer the question for solution via the legal means i.e. to the constitutional court. d. Refer the question to arbitration through a third party approved by the two sides. In the field of political partnership The two sides agreed on the following: The Joint Annual Meeting *Composed of the NCP Leading Office and the SPLM Political and Interim Office (60-60) *Meets annually. The Leading Coordination Committee *Shall be headed by the NCP and SPLM leaders. *Includes the two deputy leaders,two sec-gen., and others. Total membership: Leader+5 members from each side. *Hold a regular meeting once every three months and may hold emergency meetings. The Political Committee for Follow-up: *Shall be headed by the two sec.-gen. and includes 5 members from each party beside the Sec.-Gen. *The NCP and SPLM shall be represented in this Committee on high-level by leaders in the executive, legislative, and political bodies. *It may form branch committees and specialized work teams. *Hold a regular meeting once per month and may hold emergency meetings. Finally: The two partners, for realizing national consensus, decided to initiate holding a meeting with the leaders of the Sudanese political forces as soon as their joint meeting concludes for running consultations with them on the constructive cooperation in the light of the CPA and the INC. HUME