SUDAN - RESPONSE TO NORWEGIAN/US OIL INITIATIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 095000

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2018
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PHUM PREF PREL SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN - RESPONSE TO NORWEGIAN/US OIL INITIATIVE

REF: A. (A) KHARTOUM 1275

B. (B) KHARTOUM 1212

Classified By: PCarter for reasons (a) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para. 5.


2. (C) The Department is interested to learn more about
Norway,s thoughts on a potential joint Norwegian/United
States initiative in Sudan aimed at developing an Abyei and
post-2011 oil revenue sharing agreement. We agree that such
an initiative should be done in parallel to the ongoing
proceedings on Abyei at the Permanent Court of Arbitration
(PCA) in The Hague.


3. (C) The issue of resource and wealth sharing between
the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) pre-
and post-2011 is crucial to the maintenance of peace in Sudan
over the long run. We agree that it might be difficult to
get the Sudan People,s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the
South to focus on pursuing a parallel negotiation track now
that the issue of Abyei and its oil-rich borders has been
sent to the PCA per the June 8 Abyei Road Map. However, at
present there are no viable options in play for the parties
to deal with Sudan,s oil wealth in the event of a Southern
secession vote in the 2011 referendum or, for that matter,
for continued oil-revenue sharing after 2011 in the event
that the South votes for unity. Pursuing a dialogue that
attempts to address the political equities at stake in the
PCA proceedings, while moving towards a way to address a
potentially divided country, is worthwhile.


4. (C) We agree with Post,s assessment that UK efforts on
the issue of wealth sharing, including its ideas on debt
relief, are not helpful at this time. Department therefore
concurs with the ref (A) suggestion to approach any potential
wealth sharing initiative with only the Norwegians.


5. (C) ACTION KHARTOUM: Post is requested to engage
directly with Norwegian Petroleum Advisor Anders Hannevik on
the content of a potential initiative, the level of
involvement and resources necessary, and the associated time
line and benchmarks of the project as soon as is practical.


6. (U) For additional questions Post should contact AF/SPG
Pamela Fierst at fierstpd@state.sgov.gov.


7. (U) Department thanks Post in advance for its work on
this initiative.
RICE