GOVERNOR OF KHARTOUM STATE ANNOUNCES INTENT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000857 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF/SE NATSIOS, AF/SPG, DS/IP/AF, DS/DSS/ITA, NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC SU SUBJECT: GOVERNOR OF KHARTOUM STATE ANNOUNCES INTENT TO REOPEN STREET IN FRONT OF EMBASSY Classified By: Roberto Powers, CDA a.i., Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d ) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Governor of Khartoum State has announced in the press that the street in front of the U.S. Embassy will be immediately reopened to vehicular traffic. The Embassy is currently seeking assurances from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) that the street will actually remain closed. Government of Sudan approval of any reopening of the street, or MFA's unwillingness to provide assurances to the contrary, would represent a significant point of departure in the bilateral relationship. It could also be a disturbing signal that the Sudanese are backing away from their responsibilities to protect diplomatic personnel and property as mandated under the Vienna Convention. As a result, the mission would no longer be in a position to conduct business as usual. The Embassy's Emergency Action Committee met to discuss the situation, the proceedings of which will be reported septel. End summary. ¶2. (C) The Governor of Khartoum State has announced in the press that the street in front of the U.S. Embassy, Ali Abdel Latif, will be immediately reopened to vehicular traffic. The street has always remained open to pedestrian traffic. (Note: Ali Abdel Latif is a military hero of the independence movement against the British. The press often observes ironically that the United States, a new colonial power, has its embassy located on a street named for an anti-colonial hero. End note). Currently, two compound access controls (CACs) allow only official U.S. Embassy vehicles, vehicles carrying VIPs from other diplomatic missions, and authorized vehicles of local merchants whose stores front the Embassy. It is important to note that the issue of the street closure surfaces in the press every couple of months, usually revolving around the impact on local businesses and residents. ¶3. (U) Arabic daily Al Wihda reports that the Governor of Khartoum State issued a decree that the street be reopened immediately. According to the paper, it is a reciprocal reaction to the May 29 announcement by the U.S. of additional sanctions against Sudan. The paper goes on to say that the Embassy has been informed that the "barricades" (CACs, one would assume) will be demolished. (Note: The Embassy has received no such notice. End note). The Arabic daily Al Khartoum cited pending lawsuits against the Embassy by local merchants and residents as the proximate cause for the reopening of the street. The papers differ in the effective date of the reopening. ¶4. (C) In June 2003 Khartoum State granted permission to the Embassy for the exclusive use of Ali Abdel Latif for a period of three years. As spelled out in the agreement, the Embassy paid the Government of Khartoum State USD 600,000 for the paving of neighboring streets that would receive additional traffic due to the closure. In October 2006, the Embassy sent a diplomatic note to the MFA availing itself of the option of renewal for an additional three years or until the mission moves into the new embassy, currently scheduled to open in 2009. The Embassy received no response to this note. (Note: The delay in renewing the agreement was due to an oversight stemming from summer turnovers. End note). ¶5. (C) The Embassy is currently seeking assurances from the MFA that the street in front of the Embassy will remain closed to vehicular traffic. MFA officials were caught unawares by the Governor's announcement and only learned of it through the media. The Embassy provided the MFA with a copy of the 2003 agreement with Khartoum State as well as the October 2006 diplomatic note renewing the agreement. ¶6. (C) If the street in front of the Embassy were to be completely reopened to vehicular traffic, the mission would no longer be in a position to conduct business as usual. Immediate steps the Embassy might take include shifting or reducing work hours, reducing or ceasing provision of visa services, which are currently limited to the processing of official diplomatic visas, and relocating certain Embassy functions to other USG facilities in Khartoum. Post is reviewing additional measures to mitigate the risk should the street be reopened. POWERS