ISAIAS URGES SUDAN TO LOOK BEYOND ICC INDICTMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000075

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV SU ER
SUBJECT: ISAIAS URGES SUDAN TO LOOK BEYOND ICC INDICTMENT

REF: A. ASMARA 14

B. ASMARA 2

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: A small SPLM delegation headed by Sudanese
Foreign Minister Deng Alor met with President Isaias Afwerki
February 28, largely to address the president's recent
anti-GOSS remarks. Isaias reportedly told Alor to focus on
the long-term, decide what it wants, and develop a strategy
to get it. Alor's visit was soon followed by a Government of
Sudan (GOS) delegation headed by Sudanese Presidential
Assistant Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie. The purpose of the latter
visit was to secure Eritrean support to fight the pending ICC
indictment. A close source indicates that while Eritrean
media reported unwavering Eritrean support for Sudan,
President Isaias actually chastised both the SPLM and the NCP
as too focused on short-term issues. End Summary.

ALOR CHIDES ISAIAS... AND VICE VERSA
--------------

2. (C) During President Isaias' January 10th interview with
Eritrean media, he accused the Government of Southern Sudan
(GOSS) of "squandering" six billion dollars received as a
result of the Naivasha Agreement. According to the GOSS
mission in Eritrea, the delegation told Isaias "there is no
need to accuse one's neighbors of misdeeds," and subtly
reminded Isaias that Eritrea's oil imports are drilled in
southern Sudan. Alor also raised the issue of the 110 SPLA
troops stranded in Tessenei, near the Sudan border (Ref A).


3. (C) According to a close source, President Isaias assured
Minister Deng Alor that Eritrea would support the GOSS
whether it decided to remain part of Sudan or if it decided
to form its own country. The president emphasized, however,
that the GOSS should have a proactive vision of what it
wants, rather than simply react to the actions of the GOS.
Without a strong vision of the country's future, he
continued, the GOSS is likely to end up no better than the
GOS. He additionally mentioned that the ICC indictment
should not be the focus of the GOSS plan of action. The
focus should instead be on what the GOSS wants to accomplish
in the long term, rather than what is the crisis of the
moment.


BATTLING THE ICC
--------------

4. (C) Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie, GOS presidential assistant, met
with President Isaias March 3 to elicit Eritrean support
against the looming ICC announcement. The GSE official
website quotes President Isaias saying Eritrea does not
accept the indictment and will "stand alongside the Sudanese
people." News coverage of the GOS visit also reported the two
governments agreed to launch programs in development and
economic cooperation, and strengthen bilateral ties.


5. (C) What actually transpired at the meeting was nothing
like the results reported in the press, according to our
source. President Isaias reportedly agreed with the
delegation that the ICC indictment should not dictate Sudan's
future, but did not agree to condemn the indictment.
Additionally, the president advised the delegation that the
GOS should use this opportunity to form a plan of action,
advising the NCP to hold true to its stated goals of working
with other political entities.


6. (C) COMMENT: President Isaias has a history of "tough
love" with the Sudanese government in one on one meetings
(reftel B). At the same time, the Khartoum government is
Eritrea's largest trading partner. As a result, the Eritrean
media will only report on developments that openly promote
the Eritrean-Sudanese relationship.
MCMULLEN