SUDAN: UK SUPPORTS DESIGNATION OF REFTEL

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 001505 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/PSC JEAN CLARK E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2018 TAGS: ETTC PREL EFIN KTFN PTER UNSC SU UK SUBJECT: SUDAN: UK SUPPORTS DESIGNATION OF REFTEL INDIVIDUALS FOR TARGETED SANCTIONS REF: A. SECSTATE 56630 ¶B. LONDON 1382 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Maura Connelly for reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) HMG supports sanctioning all four individuals in reftel A, FCO Sudan Unit Senior Political Officer Rachel Edis said May 30. If other UNSC members oppose the entire list, however, sanctioning Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader Khalil Ibrahim and Doussa Deby would be the preferred outcome. Edis said that sanctioning only Khalil Ibrahim, while "not ideal," would be "satisfactory." ¶2. (C) Edis also said if it looks as if the entire list or any part of it will move forward for sanctioning, the UK requests that the USG inform the Government of Sudan (GoS) before it happens. One of the agreements from the recent bilateral meetings HMG has been holding with Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) was greater transparency on actions in the UN (reftel B). Edis said the GoS is likely to already know about the sanctions and that informing them in advance of implementation will help generate political good will with the elements of the NCP regime that are interested in engaging with the West. Edis said the UK would consider informing the GoS about the sanctions if the USG is unwilling, especially if the UN reaches consensus on sanctioning GoS officials Awad Ibn Auf and Ahmed Haroun. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C/NF) Two of the key elements of the UK's bilateral discussions with the NCP are keeping the Sudanese more informed about the UK's actions in international fora and explaining what the international community wants from Sudan. HMG sees the NCP as highly skeptical of Western action, especially in the UN, and FCO Minister for Africa Lord Malloch-Brown thinks that helping the Sudanese understand the logic behind Western actions and public statements will prevent an escalation of tensions and ultimately produce more Sudanese cooperation on deployment of the hybrid UN-AU force (UNAMID) and in implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. As such, HMG sees informing the Sudanese about the sanctions prior to implementation, even if they already know, as a crucial element of their engagement plan. End comment. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom LeBaron