SUDAN AGREES TO RELEASE NEC CONTAINERS, PROMISES

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000646

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR D, AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG,
AF/EX, OBO FOR RSHINNICK, NSC FOR BPITTMAN AND CHUDSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2018
TAGS: SU ASEC ABLD AMGT PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SUDAN AGREES TO RELEASE NEC CONTAINERS, PROMISES
FURTHER STEPS

REF: A. STATE 41931


B. KHARTOUM 582

C. KHARTOUM 574

D. KHARTOUM 560

Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Sudan agreed to release long-delayed NEC
containers beginning the morning of April 29 with all in
country released by the end of the week. The Sudanese are
also clearing up any remaining UNAMID shipment backlog in
anticipation of a continuing dialogue with the US, the MFA's
Under-Secretary explained. The Sudanese are pleased with the
tenor and scope of the initial round of talks with the
Americans but less pleased about congressional attacks on
Sudan at a recent hearing. U/S Siddiq showed newfound
willingness to allow the arming of local Embassy guards and
in granting visas to Americans. End summary.

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NEC CONTAINERS RELEASED ON APRIL 29
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2. (C) In the absence of FM Alor, CDA Fernandez met with MFA
Under-Secretary Mutriff Siddiq on April 27 to discuss a range
of bilateral issues including the Rome talks, NEC containers,
visas and embassy security. CDA presented contents of reftel
A to Siddiq and read to him the section on US reciprocal
steps in return for releasing NEC containers (OFAC license
for mortgage for new Sudanese property in Washington and OFM
permission to renovate existing property). Siddiq said that
this was not what was agreed to in Rome and "you can check
with those on the U.S. side who were there." Sudan's main
problem in Washington was not the properties but banking
issues. CDA referred Siddiq to reftel's points on banking and
forcefully suggested that this is the best Sudan could hope
for and stated that he needed an affirmative answer from the
Sudanese before OOB Washington time on April 28.


3. (C) Later in the day, Siddiq called back after checking
with Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie who agreed that the order will be
given as of the morning of April 29 to release containers
held in Khartoum with the rest from Port Sudan to follow
later in the week (April 27-28 are holidays in Sudan). Nafie
said that Sudan was taking this step "in hopes of seeing
reciprocal action by the Americans," and in order "to
facilitate the job of SE Williamson in convincing others in
the US that Sudan is serious about improving relations."


4. (C) Siddiq said that, as a participant, he thought the
talks had gone extremely well and that the American side had
been pleasantly surprised about how ready and flexible the
Sudanese side was to solve problems. Let's be frank, he
added, "the required steps towards improving relations and
getting what you want, will be harder for you to do than for
us." He added that the Sudanese had noted with interest the
violent and aggressive nature of the questioning of Special
Envoy Williamson by the US Senate this week, especially by
the Democrats. "We didn't like everything he said either, but
we realize that he was backed into a corner."

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HOW FAR ARE AMERICANS WILLING TO GO?
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5. (C) Siddiq said that Williamson's seriousness had elicited
reciprocal seriousness by the Sudanese . "Someone must have
explained to him our psychology," he laughed pointing to the
Charge, because "he approached us in Rome in just the right
way." He said that in advance of an agreement, the Sudanese
were moving ahead on some related business of interest to the
Americans. They had attempted to clear up delayed UNAMID
shipments at Port Sudan and discovered from UNAMID
Administrative Chief Muhammad Yunus that there are no
back-logged UNAMID shipments, except for one shipment for the
Rwandans which arrived with absolutely no documentation.
Yunus reportedly admitted that this was the UN's fault and is
preparing the appropriate paperwork.


6. (C) The Under-Secretary said that "even though some of us
wonder how far or how quickly you Americans are willing to
go," the Sudanese were ready to keep talking and trying to
solve issues of concern of the American side. He said Sudan
would have a detailed list of their own specific "asks" for
the USG for the next meeting related to specific sanctions
cases and other matters.


7. (C) CDA handed Siddiq a list of 32 remaining visa requests
from the USG (mostly State Department TDYers plus five
remaining UNAMID MILOBs). He said that approval of visas for

UNAMID personnel is strictly contingent on UNAMID formally
asking for them. He added that "we don't delay visas for
Americans for political reasons" but that the overlapping
responsibility for visas by the MFA Protocol, Americas, Peace
(for Darfur),and Consular Departments does create confusion.
Mutriff added that no embassy in Sudan asks for, and gets, as
many visas and as much attention and cooperation as the
Americans.

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A CHANGE ON ARMING LOCAL GUARDS?
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8. (C) CDA asked again about obtaining MFA permission to arm
a select number of stationary local guards in front of
embassy facilities such as the Chancery and the USAID
compound. Siddiq had previously downplayed the possibility of
granting such a request, which the Embassy has been pressing
for since October 2007 (reftels) in the aftermath of evidence
from an August 2007 terrorist plot. He said that he had
reconsidered this in the light of the Embassy's security
concerns and as a favor because of the CDA's keenness to
improve relations with Sudan. Siddiq would meet with NISS and
MOD officials "but I think this is something we can do." He
promised a response within a week to our request.


9. (C) Comment: All indications from multiple official
sources are that the NEC containers are being released
although we will confirm this as it happens. If indeed the
MFA (consulting closely with MOD and NISS) agrees this week
to allow the arming of some Embassy guards - a repeated
request made both orally and in writing by the Mission going
back six months - this could significantly improve embassy
security at some fixed sites. These steps are being taken by
the Sudanese as confidence building measures in anticipation
of greater American willingness to address Sudanese concerns.
The Sudanese avidly read the US Senate testimony by SE
Williamson and were very irritated by what they saw as
ill-informed and outdated attacks by some senators pandering
to a partisan domestic audience. If the Sudanese regime feels
that the USG is once again taking punitive actions against
their country, they will be perfectly willing to increase
pressure on the US Mission in Sudan, including, but not
limited to, blocking NEC construction as they have repeatedly
done since 2006. End comment.
FERNANDEZ