CDA MEETS WITH FORMER DEFENSE MINISTER FADLALLA BURMA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001917 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, AF SE NATSIOS ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ECON PGOV PREL AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: CDA MEETS WITH FORMER DEFENSE MINISTER FADLALLA BURMA NASIR REFERENCE: (A) KHARTOUM 1873 (B) KHARTOUM 1796 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Former Defense Minister and Umma party adherent Fadlalla Burma Nasir told CDA Fernandez on December 4 that the NCP-Umma party dialogue initiated on November 27 might be beneficial to both sides "if the dialogue is genuine." He said the NCP recognized that Sudan's international reputation has suffered due to Darfur. Nasir expressed optimism that the NCP-SPLM impasse could be resolved, and proposed that to solve the Abyei issue the Messiriya and Dinka tribes should be permitted to work out the Abyei demarcation issue themselves. End summary. NCP-UMMA COOPERATION: BOTH CAN BENEFIT -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Asked about the December 3 follow up meeting between President Bashir and Umma party Chief Sidiq Al-Mahdi (Ref A),Nasir said, "It's good to have a dialogue, if it is sincere." Nasir expressed cautious optimism about the outcome. "They have crossed us before, but this time, if it is genuine, both parties can benefit." Nasir said that both parties had nominated five representatives and agreed to promote a national dialogue. "This is not just a party-to-party effort, but a national one." He said the Umma party's Al-Mahdi told Bashir that they would go to each meeting "with our own strategies for the nation." Nasir said the Umma party is cautious in its dealings with the NCP. We are aware of their tactics of engaging in meetings and getting agreements, but not always fulfilling their promises, he said. ¶3. (SBU) Nasir repeated the often heard Umma call to open up national politics to others, beyond the NCP and SPLM. "If the NCP is serious about national politics, they will need to consider others and not just our two parties," said Nasir. For example, the government recently released Mubarak Al-Fadel, but what about the others who were arrested with him, asked Nasir to make a point. "The National Congress Party (NCP) needs to address human rights and release all political prisoners." Nasir said that the Umma party urged Bashir's NCP to "work together to solve national problems that afflict us both, and not focus exclusively on party problems," and with a nod to CDA Fernandez, added that Sudan needs to ask how to better relate internationally as well. OUR INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION IS BAD BECAUSE OF DARFUR -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Nasir said that Presidental advisor Mustafa Othman Ismail had noted at the December 3 meeting that "Our international reputation is bad," because of issues like Darfur and the "teddy bear incident". The NCP has a big problem dealing with the Darfur issue because if there is no Sudanese cooperation on Darfur, it would be hard for the international community to trust Bashir's Sudanese government, said Nasir. Nasir, a professional soldier, opined that the offered troops, such as those from the Thailand and the Gurkhas from Nepal, are professional soldiers, and the GoS should accept them. As for the problem of the internally Displaced Persons (IDPs),Nasir commented that the present government needs to somehow reassure the IDPS (who don't trust the government) to get them to return to their homes. Asked about Chinese peacekeepers, Nasir said that westerners have a reputation, such as when they rent houses, to leave the situation better than they found it. Not so the Chinese, hg said.( "Tu Chi~g3e ave mnly thinKinw Of#i,, whileQ wgs|d2jrs@|iyd+8n oth%rn"\oQ}iu%