FOREIGN MINISTRY WELCOMES NATSIOS, BUT SAYS

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002480 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SPECIAL ENVOY NATSIOS, AF A/S FRAZER, AF/SPG, AND AF/PD NSC FOR COURVILLE AND SHORTLEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV OPRC KPAO SU US SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTRY WELCOMES NATSIOS, BUT SAYS DEMOCRATS MAY TRY TO "SABOTAGE" VISIT ¶1. Summary: Sudan welcomes the visit of Special Envoy Natsios, but believes "Democrats within the US State Department" are trying to sabotage his mission before it takes off, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an October 5 press release. Natsios will be granted a visa, provided both his mission and its program are "constructive," according to the statement. He should support the Darfur Peace Agreement, recognize the basic role of the African Union, address development and rehabilitation issues in Darfur, correct the negative impact of past UN resolutions, and improve bilateral relations by lifting sanctions. However, the Ministry also warned that Democrats continue to influence US policy towards Sudan, and were already trying to pre-empt Natsios's visit with stories that Sudan had denied his visa. The statement cited an October 2 Washington Post editorial by Susan Rice, Anthony Lake, and Donald Payne, and accused the Democrats of trying to continue the "failed hostile policy" against Sudan they launched during the Clinton Administration. End Summary. ¶2. The full text of the release reads as follows: With reference to the statement made by the spokesperson of the U.S. State Department on 29 September 2006 that the Sudanese Authorities did not grant a visa to the US Envoy to Darfur Mr. Andrew Natsios, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan wishes to clarify the following: -- At the time the above captioned statement was made no request for a visa to enter the Sudan had ever been submitted by the said U.S. Envoy, who according to one of his assistants, was not yet issued a passport as an Envoy. Accordingly, no visa was denied. The Ministry views such a statement as an attempt from within the U.S. State Department to pre-empt and sabotage the mission of the U.S. Envoy to the Sudan before taking off. The article published by the Washington Post on Monday, October 2, 2006, by Susan Rice, Anthony Lake, and Donald M. Payne is a very clear manifestation of the influence of the Democrats over the U.S. State Department policy under Condoleezza Rice towards the Sudan and the situation in Darfur in particular. -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan reminds all that the failed U.S. hostile policy against the Sudan was not started by the current U.S. Republican Administration, but by those very Democrats who were the architects of this hostile policy against the Sudan when they were in office a few years ago. The Ministry regrets that such a statement would only complicate the issue and can only contribute to more suffering of our citizens in Darfur. It also reflects the influential interference of the Democrats as well as the disharmony within the U.S. State Department in handling the situation in Darfur. The Ministry calls for rectification of this situation. -- The Ministry welcomes the mission of the U.S. Envoy provided it is a constructive mission based on a constructive program. The mission should aim at supporting the Darfur Peace Agreement, recognize the basic role of the African Union, address the urgent issues of development and rehabilitation in Darfur, revise and correct the negative impact of past UN resolutions, and remedy the situation of bilateral relations between the United States of American and the Republic of the Sudan through the lifting of U.S. sanctions. The Ministry looks forward to a constructive dialogue that would yield positive results that would foster the peace process in Darfur. The U.S. Envoy would be granted a visa to the Sudan, and his mission would be facilitated in accordance with the recognized diplomatic customs and practices. -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan also welcomes the recent support package made by the United Nations to the African Union Mission in Sudan, and calls upon the United Nations and the International Community to continue extending their support to AMIS in full recognition of the Darfur Peace Agreement and until all the tasks, duties, and obligations therein are fulfilled. -- Issued in Khartoum, the Sudan, on 5 October 2006. End text ¶3. The statement was attached to a diplomatic note sent to the Embassy on 7 October. Reaction to the statement in the local press will be reported septel. HUME