CONCILIATORY AL-BASHIR ALL SWEETNESS AND LIGHT AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 001822 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF/SPG, SE NATSIOS, NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI UN AU SU SUBJECT: CONCILIATORY AL-BASHIR ALL SWEETNESS AND LIGHT AT PART CONGRESS REF: A. KHARTOUM 1808 ¶B. KHARTOUM 1796 Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Less than five days after a warmongering speech to militia forces (reftel b),a more statesman-like President Al-Bashir called for peace, national unity and democracy in an address to party faithful at the National Congress Party (NCP) Annual General Assembly on November 21. A full house of party cadres, senior officials, church and Sufi leaders, and opposition political party reps heard multiple cries of "God is great!" and other Islamic slogans, but the NCP was in an ecumenical mood with a few calls in Arabic of "Jesus Give Me Strength! Hallelujah!" (including at least once by smirking party hardliner Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie). ¶2. (SBU) In addition to the diplomatic corps, foreign solidarity was on display with like-minded representatives from the Syrian Arab Ba'ath Party (Abdullah al-Ahmar),the Chinese Communist Party, and Islamist leaders from Pakistan,Iran, Somalia and Malaysia. Making a dramatic final moment entry before the President's remarks was a high level team from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM),the NCP's partner, rival and current opponent in the cabinet crisis which erupted on October 11. SPLM Deputy SGs Malik Agar, Yassir Arman (a Northern Arab Muslim, distant relative of the President, former communist and one of the SPLM leaders most disliked by Al-Bashir),and former Minister Kuol Manyang had just arrived from Juba and took prominent seats in the audience facing the President. ¶3. (U) Under a banner of "peace, unity and renewal," and repeatedly referring to "our partners in the SPLM" the President outlined a democratic and populist vision of Sudan's future. Al-Bashir said that the NCP is working to abolish regionalism and sectarianism and is the "melting pot" of all of Sudan's tribes. He is committed to sparing the Sudanese people's blood and "our primary goal is to never go back to war ever again." He called on the SPLM to exercise "responsible and active political partnership," adding that only way towards real peace and security is through political participation. That is why the NCP has chosen dialogue as its methodology and been able to achieve three major peace agreements (the CPA, the Darfur Peace Agreement, and the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement),agreements that are being implemented. Al-Bashir added that the NCP is very keen, more than any other party, to hold fair and transparent elections and that the biggest challenge in Sudan is achieving social peace and balanced development in the country, especially in rural areas. ¶4. (U) Al-Bashir also called for a greater role for Sudan's women and expanding women's access to education. He said that Sudan's foreign policy is committed to international peace and security and good relationships with all, especially neighboring countries. He added that Sudan fully supports the UN/AU efforts, coupled eith that of neighboring and friendly countries, to bring peace to Darfur through political negotiations. He noted that "peace is our choice, the NCP wants peace and stability so that we can develop our country." ¶5. (C) Comment: Less than a week from his ill-considered "jihad" speech to the notorious Popular Defense Forces (PDF), a speech even Al-Jazeera considered provocative (reftel b) and following Salva Kiir's moderate and upbeat speech yesterday in Juba (reftel a),Al-Bashir decided to take the high road. There was nothing of great substance in the remarks except for a hopeful emphasis on peace and on maintaining and improving the Government of National Unity partnership with the SPLM. Not much to go on, but compared to the escalating rhetoric and war talk of the past few days, a welcome respite as both sides evaluate their next moves in the high-stake political chess game which is Sudanese power politics. End comment. FERNANDEZ