KHARTOUM CDA FERNANDEZ' AUGUST 14 MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002603

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF FOR SPG; SE NATSIOS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SU
SUBJECT: KHARTOUM CDA FERNANDEZ' AUGUST 14 MEETING WITH
ARAB LEAGUE'S HISHAM YOUSEF


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary and introduction. Visiting Khartoum Charge
d'Affairs Alberto Fernandez met with Hisham Yousef, Chief of
Staff to Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa, on August
14 in Cairo. Yousef expressed optimism that Darfur is "on
the right track" and has a better chance of successful
resolution than other regional issues (e.g. Lebanon, Iraq,
Somalia, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict). Yousef said
he would like to see greater focus on long-term political and
economic development, as opposed to security alone. In
addition, he said more attention should be paid to the
North-South conflict now that the Darfur situation appears to
be stabilizing. CDA Fernandez said that there is a window of
opportunity for real progress, but it may close quickly. End
summary.


2. (C) Yousef told CDA Fernandez that the Addis Ababa
conference of November 2006 had put things on "the right
track." He was concerned, however, that continued focus on
security issues would be at the detriment of other critical
tracks, i.e. political and economic. In addition, the focus
should be shifted from Darfur to the north-south divide.
Yousef said that the Arab League had provided $20 million in
economic assistance, despite criticism from some member
states that the Arab League was merely "financing failure."


3. (C) CDA Fernandez took these points, and added that as the
focus shifts from security to economic development, donor
states (such as the USG, which is currently providing $1
billion in food assistance) need to shift to long term
development projects and away from subsistence programs. He
added that the Sudanese Government needs to do a better job
of facilitating movement of aid - there are currently 1000
United Nations shipping containers sitting in Port Sudan.
This delay can partially be attributed to bureaucratics, but
there is more the GOS can do.


4. (C) Yousef said a priority for the Arab League is
supporting Sudanese unity. There must be a way to keep unity
the most attractive option, especially for the south. The
Arab world alone cannot do this, and the USG and
international community are critical in this regard. It
ultimately is the decision of the Sudanese people, Yousef
said, but the Arab League preference is for unity. He did
not believe that the south could be a viable state. CDA
Fernandez agreed that unity is preferable for a number of
reasons, but noted that the budget of the south is larger
than that of Uganda, and that most of Sudan's oil reserves
are in the south. The real danger of southern secession is
that it could destabilize the eastern region and north Darfur.


5. (C) Yousef said that the Arab League is focused on how to
best support Sudanese economic development, and that member
states were discussing options to support business
initiatives for both Darfur and southern Sudan. He wondered
whether these initiatives should be combined or separate; CDA
Fernandez opined that separate would probably be better.


6. (C) Both agreed that the Darfur situation had severely
diminished the credibility of the Bashir regime. The key now
is to build trust, including Bashir's confidence that the USG
and international community is not simply out to get him.
Yousef said that the Arab League has had problems "behind
closed doors" with Bashir for a long time, but that with a
more careful approach, Arab states have been able to achieve
some progress recently, such as the May 2007 reconciliation
agreement between Chad and Sudan brokered by Suadi Arabian
King Abdullah.


7. (C) CDA Fernandez said there is a window of opportunity
now, but that it may close quickly. The USG does not - as
some in the Arab world might believe - view Sudan as a "case
for regime change." In fact, we view Sudan along the lines
of the Balkans following the break-up of Yugoslavia: a
humanitarian disaster stemming from internal political
strife. we expect all key actors - including Bashir - to
fulfill their responsibilities in order to resolve the crisis.
RICCIARDONE