SUDAN'S PRESIDENT BASHIR WILL NOT CONTEND AU

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000120 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS AND AF/SPG NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV AU UN SU US SUBJECT: SUDAN'S PRESIDENT BASHIR WILL NOT CONTEND AU CHAIRMANSHIP REF: KHARTOUM 00105 Classified By: CDA Cameron Hume, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On January 27, Presidential Adviser Mustafa Osman Ismail told CDA Hume that President Bashir had decided not to contend the African Union (AU) chairmanship. Ismail said he would fly with Bashir later in the day to Addis Ababa for the AU summit. On behalf of President Bashir, he would engage in consultations with other AU members aiming at selection of another member of the East African regional group to assume the chairmanship. Ismail said it was important for the USG to maintain its neutral public line that the selection of the AU chairman was a matter for AU members to decide and recalled the request he had made two days earlier that the USG desist from lobbying on this issue (reftel). Hume said he would report this welcome news and Ismail's request immediately. ¶2. (C) Comment: The withdrawal of Bashir's candidacy for the AU chairmanship removes a source of contention with the international community. Bashir opted not to participate in last week's North African summit in Libya, perhaps because of Libya's financial support for Darfur rebels who reject peace talks. Next week Bashir will be pressed to respond to the plan for the UN/AU heavy support package for Darfur and to host Chinese President Hu Jintao February 2-3. End Comment. HUME