MGCD01: ERDIMI REQUESTS U.S. MEDIATION WITH DEBY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000273 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, S/E WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, AND AF/C NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV SU CD SUBJECT: MGCD01: ERDIMI REQUESTS U.S. MEDIATION WITH DEBY REF: KHARTOUM 00249 Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) In a February 23 meeting with Poloff in Khartoum, Senior Assistant to the President and Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) leader Minni Minawi reported that he had spoken to Timan Erdimi, president of the Rally of Forces for Change (RFC) and a fellow Zaghawa, on February 22. Erdimi stated that his movement was prepared for negotiations with the Chadian Government "without preconditions" but stipulated that the U.S. must serve as the mediator to give the process credibility. Erdimi asked Minawi to pass this request to the USG and to open discussions with President Deby (his relative) on the proposal. ¶2. (C) Following his conversation with Erdimi, Minawi spoke to Dousa Deby, who, after claiming to have consulted President Idriss Deby, indicated that the Chadian Government welcomed Erdimi's proposal of direct USG engagement and requested that Minawi travel to N'djamena "immediately" for consultations. Given Minawi's impending trip to Washington (scheduled for March 1 to 8),Minawi said that he was not available until the second week of March but raised the possibility of returning to Khartoum via N'djamena. Poloff said that he would pass the information on Minawi's exchanges with Erdimi