RICE TELLS GOSS OFFICIALS TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000109 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SU AF SUBJECT: RICE TELLS GOSS OFFICIALS TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT POST-REFERENDUM PLANNING Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: On February 18, Ambassador Rice met with Ezekiel Gatkuoth and David Choate from the Government of Southern Sudan's (GOSS) mission to the United States at their request. Gatkuoth said his purpose in coming to New York was to communicate with the UN and key countries that they must be prepared for the inevitable outcome of the January 2011 referendum -- an independent Southern Sudan. When asked by Ambassador Rice about the extent to which the GOSS has prepared itself for statehood, it became clear that much work remained to be done. Gatkuoth promised to forward a planning document the GOSS developed to govern the process of transition. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Gatkouth said the purpose of his meetings in New York was to urge key states and the UN to prepare for the realistic and unavoidable result of the 2011 referendum -- secession and a new state. Gatkuoth said he had met on February 17 with U/SYG Pascoe and the newly appointed SRSG for the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Haile Menkerios. He also met with Ugandan, Kenyan and Eritrean officials the week of February 16, and would meet the week of February 23 with Egypt, China, Russia, Brazil and Venezuela. He asked for U.S. views on southern Sudan's independence. ¶3. (C) Rice responded that the U.S. is seriously worried that the GOSS is not prepared for independence. She said that the GOSS must develop a framework and concrete plans that would facilitate other states' ability to support it. Gatkuoth said that the GOSS had such a plan, and he briefed Rice on the South Sudan Referendum Task Force established by Salva Kiir. Gatkuoth said that there were three subgroups within this task force: a governance group addressing post-2011 arrangements for self-governing; a post-2011 wealth sharing group, whose focus was how to engage the North regarding division of assets; and a public diplomacy group. Gatkuoth said the GOSS was well-aware of the need to address corruption, security issues and capacity building. ¶4. (C) Rice responded that this plan was too general. She urged Gatkuoth to start thinking with granularity about the functions of statehood and about how the GOSS would provide for its people. Rice also emphasized that the GOSS should be reaching out to the World Bank, to the UN Development Program, and other potential bilateral partners. She urged Gatkuoth to consider tapping into the technical knowledge of the Sudanese diaspora. Rice stated that much time had already been wasted and if the GOSS wanted to avoid being a still-born state, they must begin demonstrating leadership and communicating their strategy. Gatkuoth said that he would share a detailed document with Rice that the Task Force had produced and he asked for her input. RICE