DOHA DARFUR TALKS SITREP FOUR (RUSSIA)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000356

SENSITIVE

FOR AF/SPG AND NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL INRB SU RS CH
SUBJECT: DOHA DARFUR TALKS SITREP FOUR (RUSSIA)

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(SBU) KEY POINTS
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-- Russian Envoy Margelov told SE Gration May 27 that Russia was an
"honest broker" on Sudan and sees the issue as a positive pilot area
for U.S.-Russia collaboration.

-- He believed Sudan would continue efforts to divide the
international community and underscored the importance of passing
major messages to Bashir directly.

-- The Envoy lamented most Europeans' ignorance of ground truth in
Sudan and described his plans to host a September 2009 academic
meeting in Moscow to expose creative ideas on Sudan.

End Key Points.

Russia as an Honest Broker on Sudan
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1. (SBU) During a May 27 meeting with SE Gration, Russian
Parliamentarian and Envoy on Sudan Mikhail Margelov noted Russia
decided to join P5 discussions on Sudan because the issues were
causing a headache for Russia at the UN. He emphasized that Russia
is not linked to Bashir or the South, does not have major
investments in Sudan (unlike the Chinese with USD 14 billion tied up
in the country),has no post-colonial feelings, and therefore there
is nothing to prevent Russia from being an honest broker. Margelov
noted he has other responsibilities so can't be totally focused on
Sudan but Russia has an excellent Ambassador in Khartoum who has
been instructed to support P-5 efforts and the other Envoys.


2. (SBU) SE Gration lauded Russia's role and noted there are a lot
of potential areas for U.S.-Russia collaboration on Sudan. He
invited Russia's efforts to join the U.S. in pressuring Sudanese
Presidential Advisor Ghazi on the NGO/humanitarian situation in
Darfur. SE Gration invited Russia's participation in the June 23
forum on Darfur in Washington, casting the event as an opportunity
to think more innovatively on monitoring and other issues.

Sudan as Positive Issue for U.S.-Russia Collaboration
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3. (SBU) Margelov responded that the U.S. and Russia have
overlapping interests on Sudan and no one wants "another Somalia."
Russia sees the whole Sahel region as problematic, and Sudan is one
large part of that. Margelov voiced his pleasure at having a
pragmatic counterpart with SE Gration. In the new climate of a
"reset" in bilateral relations, Margelov said the two countries need
to deliver positive pilot projects that are not in each other's
backyard (e.g., not Venezuela and not Ukraine). SE Gration agreed
that Sudan is a wonderful area for cooperation as there is not a lot
of baggage for the two countries.


4. (SBU) In response to Margelov's comment about an NGO in Alaska
working on a study of south Sudan wealth-sharing, SE Gration noted
many U.S. NGOs are forming such studies and these efforts will help
support the peace process.

Sudanese Tactics to Divide International Pressure
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5. (SBU) Margelov noted the Sudanese are always trying to separate
the main countries involved in Sudan peace issues and will invent
incentives to "pick them off" and prevent collective pressure. He
noted, only half-jokingly, that he was glad Russia is in tough
economic times so the oligarchs won't be investing in Sudan and
therefore are not a complicating factor in Russia's relations with
the country. In this regard, Margelov sees China as critically
important due to its investments, people working in Sudan, and
dependence on oil from the country. At the same time, he sees
Chinese Envoy Liu Guijin as having made great progress on China's
policy in the last few months.

Major Messages Need to go to Bashir Directly
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6. (SBU) Margelov reported he had met with Bashir before the ICC
indictment and expects to receive pressure to meet with Bashir again
in the future. He believes Bashir is clearly pulling the strings in
Khartoum and the decision-maker for the regime. Because of this,
Margelov believes the Envoys will at least have to interact with
Bashir indirectly. However, he also worries that the Envoys' words
will be modified as they make their way to Bashir so if there are
serious messages which require decision, it will be important to
meet directly with him.

Inaccurate European Perceptions of Darfur
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7. (SBU) Margelov lamented the lack of awareness and understanding
of Sudan issues among European politicians. In particular, he
derided a 2008 Council of Europe debate in Strasbourg on Sudan. He
noted that out of several hundred parliamentarians, he was the only
one to have physically visited Darfur. Terming the debate a
"disaster," Margelov said it was based entirely on media
distortions. By contrast, he was surprised by three things during a
February 2007 visit, and these nuances are usually lost in debates
on Darfur:
-- There were no guns for sale in the markets, suggesting a certain
kind of order.
-- There is no open slavery.
-- When he flew over Darfur, he saw neither burnt villages nor
battlefield traces, leading him to believe the conflict is not a
massive "World War Two style war."

September 2009 Academic Meeting in Russia on Sudan
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8. (SBU) Margelov noted Russia would be hosting a late September
meeting in Moscow to allow intellectuals to debate various creative
ideas for peace-building in Darfur. In particular, he hopes the
meeting will illuminate ideas which may not be politically correct
for Envoys to say but can be helpful to get out in the open.

Background on Russian Envoy
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9. (SBU) Margelov speaks fluent English and Arabic. He reported
that PM Medvedev asked him to take the job of Sudan Envoy but he can
only be partially devoted to the efforts due to his main job as an
elected member of Russia's Parliament. He has one staff member
devoted full-time to Sudan.


10. (U) Following is the text of an official bio provided by
Margelov's staff:

In December 2000, Mikhail Margelov was elected to represent the
Pskov Region in the Council of Federation (the Upper House of
Russian Parliament),where he joined the Committee for Foreign
Affairs. In November 2001, he was elected Chairman of this
Committee.

From its creation in October 1999 until autumn 2000 Mikhail Margelov
was a director of the Russia Information Center (Rosinformcentr).
The Center was established as a governmental agency to cover events
in the Northern Caucasus, as well as general coverage of the
internal political events. From May 1998 to September 1999 he held
a managerial position at RIA-Novosti Information Agency.

Mr. Margelov was born in 1964 in Moscow. He graduated from the
Institute of Countries of Asia and Africa, affiliated with Moscow
State University. He has worked as an interpreter in the
International Department of the Central Committee, Communist Party
of the Soviet Union, taught Arabic at the Higher School of the USSR
State Security Committee, and was Senior Editor of the Arab section
in the TASS News Agency.

Mikhail Margelov is married and has a son Dmitiri.

End Text of Bio.


11. (U) SE Gration's delegation has cleared this cable.

LEBARON