DARFUR: BASHIR WANTS DIALOGUE ON PEACEKEEPING

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 001565 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR D, AF A/S FRAZER, AND A/SPG NSC FOR COURVILLE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KPKO SU US AU UN SUBJECT: DARFUR: BASHIR WANTS DIALOGUE ON PEACEKEEPING WITH U.S. REF: KHARTOUM 1562 Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CAMERON HUME; REASON: 1.4(B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir wants to open a dialogue with the United States about peacekeeping in Darfur, Presidential Advisor Magzoub al-Khalifa told CDA Hume on July ¶5. In a previously unscheduled meeting -- which Magzoub had urgently requested only hours before -- Magzoub said he had spoken to President Bashir about his July 3 meeting with Hume (reftel). Sudan already had a dialogue with the UN on peacekeeping in Darfur, and Bashir had spoken personally to SYG Annan after the AU summit in Banjul. The Government's objective is to realize peace and protect human rights in Darfur in an effective, transparent manner, Magzoub emphasized. ¶2. (C) The Government was preparing a comprehensive plan to deal with "these issues," including Sudan's relations with Chad. The President believed it was now time to open a dialogue with the United States, Magzoub said, in hopes of also developing the bilateral relationship. ¶3. (C) Hume thanked Magzoub, and promised that he would report to Washington. Because he was leaving soon for Juba, Hume said that he would try to respond by Saturday, July 8. In the meantime, he noted that there would be two opportunities for high level dialogue in coming weeks. A/S Frazer would represent the United States at the Donor's Conference in Brussels on July 18, and First Vice President Kiir would visit the White House on July 20. Though Kiir was also President of the Government of Southern Sudan and Chairman of the SPLA, he had to be a part of these discussions, Hume advised. ¶4. (C) Hume emphasized that the United States' position on peacekeeping was very clear. The AU did not have the capacity to continue its mission in Darfur, and the UN should be deployed. At the same time, he recognized that Sudan's opposition to UN forces in Darfur was equally clear. But based on their last meeting (reftel),Hume thought Sudan also understood that the AU's problems were not merely logistical or financial. Magzoub agreed, but underscored that a UN Security Council decision on peacekeeping should not be rushed. Instead, there must be negotiations with the common goal of achieving peace and stability in Darfur. "We have the same goal," Magzoub said. "We are ready -- the President is ready -- to receive your message." HUME