QATAR'S MESSAGE TO USG ON DAY TWO OF DARFUR

C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 000109 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM SU QA SUBJECT: QATAR'S MESSAGE TO USG ON DAY TWO OF DARFUR CONFERENCE Classified By: Ambassador Joseph E. LeBaron, for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador and Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Al-Mahmoud discussed today, Wednesday, the state of play in the Darfur mediation effort currently underway in Doha. Ambassador said there would be an important policy meeting in Washington later today on Sudan and asked Al-Mahmoud if there was any message he wanted to convey. ¶2. (C) Al-Mahmoud told Ambassador both the Sudanese Government of National Unity (GNU) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) had given him and UN-African Union Mediator Djibril Bassole "their requirements." He and Bassole have been shuttling between the negotiators for the GNU (led by Nafie Ali Nafie, adviser to President Bashir) and JEM (led by Khalil Ibrahim, who arrived in Doha last night) focusing on "the requirements" of both sides to find common ground to move forward. They include cessation of hostilities, reconstruction, and power-sharing. ¶3. (C) The Minister of State said he expects the talks would continue at least through Wednesday and noted that Qatar has support from the UN, Arab League, and African Union for a second round of talks in the near future. ¶4. (C) Al-Mahmoud told the Ambassador what Qatar most needs from Washington is a statement of support following the conclusion of this first round, assuming the current round produces tangible progress. He said, "U.S. support for the peace process is crucial; the process is moving. We don't want to see more suffering in Darfur." LeBaron