ETHIOPIA ALLAYS SOUTH SUDANESE ANGST ABOUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002125 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/27/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV SU ET SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA ALLAYS SOUTH SUDANESE ANGST ABOUT PERCEIVED U.S. SHIFT Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Michael C. Gonzales for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Just one week after U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Gration witnessed the signing of a new protocol between North and South Sudan to accelerate implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA),a South Sudanese minister (NFI) expressed angst to Ethiopian Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs that the U.S. may be shifting its orientation away from Juba. In an August 26 courtesy call by the Charge, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Tekeda Alemu reported that he had just concluded a meeting with a delegation from Juba and the delegation was to meet Foreign Minister Seyoum later that afternoon. ¶2. (C) Tekeda assessed that the Government of South Sudan has long depended on very strong U.S. support and now that they see that support becoming "wobbly," they are concerned. Speaking for the Ethiopian Government (GoE),Tekeda stated that "we like what we see" with regard to the recent U.S. stance vis-a-vis North and South Sudan, noting the United States' previous approach was "too off center." Tekeda noted that he had tried to allay South Sudan's concerns by arguing to the visiting minister that a separation between North and South is "inevitable," so it will be useful for the U.S. and National Congress Party (NCP) to have a relationship "so Washington can restrain Khartoum" in the future. Tekeda suggested that this argument helped relieve some of the delegation's fears. ¶3. (C) Tekeda informed the Charge that he had also discussed internal problems within the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM),noting "I told them not to be too surprised if their friends are concerned about intra-south dynamics." Tekeda did note that the SPLM had conducted a large meeting in May 2009 which did see some progress. He also expressed encouragement that the SPLM is posed to embark on disarmament efforts. ¶4. (C) Tekeda closed the conversation by advising that "the problem in Sudan is not only with one side. So, as the United States shifts, you must be careful not to go overboard." MEECE