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