SECRETARY CLINTON'S RESPONSE TO A LETTER FROM

UNCLAS STATE 051914 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC PGOV PREL QA SU UN SUBJECT: SECRETARY CLINTON'S RESPONSE TO A LETTER FROM QATAR STATE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AHMED BIN ABDULLA AL-MAHMOUD ¶1. (U) Please deliver the following reply from the Secretary to Qatar State Minister for Foreign Affairs Al- Mahmoud. The Department does not plan to release the text of the letter but has no objections if the Government of Qatar wishes to do so. There will be no signed original. ¶2. Begin text: Your Excellency: Thank you for your efforts in seeking a resolution to the conflict in Darfur. The United States appreciates the role Qatar has been playing by hosting the peace talks between the Government of Sudan (GOS) and the Justice and Equality Movement over the past several months. We are also grateful for your efforts, in conjunction with African Union/United Nations Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassole, to engage those parties and others who are crucial actors in the peace process. The United States further commends your efforts to support the Government of Libya's mediation on the Chad-Sudan border conflict that so adversely affects Darfur. We are disappointed that the agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Government of Chad, signed on May 3, was followed immediately by incursions into Chad by the Chadian rebels. The United States believes the international community must continue to press Chad and Sudan to abide by the terms of their agreements. Thank you for your suggestion for a meeting among several members of the international community to coordinate efforts on Darfur. This is also a desire of our Special Envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration. I am pleased with the close coordination you have had with Special Envoy Gration and am confident he will be communicating with you about this issue very soon. The United States continues to support the leadership of Chief Mediator Bassole, with Qatar's important role as facilitator, in bringing the parties together to find a solution to the conflict in Darfur. I invite you to remain in close touch with Special Envoy Gration, who will keep me up to date about the progress on this important issue. Sincerely yours, Hillary Rodham Clinton End text. ¶3. BEGIN BACKGROUND: (U) FM Al-Mahmoud wrote on May 5 to inform the Secretary of his desire to convene a meeting of the special representatives for Sudan of the five permanent representatives of the UN Security Council and the European Union for the purpose of seeking coordination and promoting international unity on finding a resolution to the conflict in Darfur. Although the letter makes no official requests, the Department believes this is a good opportunity to express our thanks for Qatar's positive role in the Darfur peace process and to reiterate our support for both Al-Mahmoud's efforts and those of AU/UN Chief Mediator Bassole. Special Envoy Scott Gration is in close communication with Al-Mahmoud and several of the other special representatives who may attend this meeting. He will work with them to find a suitable time and place for the meeting. END BACKGROUND. CLINTON