Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
90KHARTOUM12303
1990-11-26 12:39:00
SECRET
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE TO GOS REGARDING INTELLIGENCE

Tags:  PREL PINR MOPS MARR SU IZ SA US 
pdf how-to read a cable
O 261239Z NOV 90
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7894
INFO RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE
USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
USCINCCENT PRIORITY
S E C R E T KHARTOUM 12303 


E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL PINR MOPS MARR SU IZ SA US
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO GOS REGARDING INTELLIGENCE
SHARING WITH IRAQ

REF: A) STATE 397758, B) CAIRO 23889, C) KHARTOUM 12254

S E C R E T KHARTOUM 12303


E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL PINR MOPS MARR SU IZ SA US
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO GOS REGARDING INTELLIGENCE
SHARING WITH IRAQ

REF: A) STATE 397758, B) CAIRO 23889, C) KHARTOUM 12254


1. SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT


2. SUMMARY: AMBASSADOR PRESENTED REF A DEMARCHE TO
FOREIGN MINISTER SAHLOUL MORNING NOVEMBER 26. FOREIGN
MINISTER GRAVELY ACKNOWLEDGED SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR
GOS AVOWED POSITION OF NEUTRALITY IN GULF CONFLICT AND
ITS RELATIONS WITH USG AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF ANY
SHARING WITH IRAQ OF INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION OBTAINED
FROM THE SAUDI FIGHTER PILOT DEFECTOR. HE AGREED
PROMPTLY TO CONVEY OUR DEMARCHE TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS
OF THE GOS. END SUMMARY


3. AMBASSADOR ACCOMPANIED BY ECON COUNSELLOR CALLED ON
FOREIGN MINISTER ALI SAHLOUL MORNING NOVEMBER 26 TO
PRESENT DEMARCHE AS INSTRUCTED REF A. ALSO PRESENT ON
GOS SIDE WERE DIRECTOR TWO AMERICAS DEPARTMENT, AMB.
OMAR ABDEL MAGID, AND HIS DEPUTY KAMAL AHMED FADUL
(NOTETAKER).


4. AMBASSADOR BEGAN BY RECALLING HIS AUGUST 28 MEETING
WITH PRESIDENT AL BASHIR DURING WHICH HE HAD WARNED THE
PRESIDENT AGAINST ANY GOS ACTIVE SUPPORT FOR IRAQ AND
VIOLATIONS OF UNSC RESOLUTIONS ON THE GULF CONFLICT.
HE NOTED THAT PRESIDENT HAD ASSURED HIM AT THAT TIME
THAT GOS HAD NOT AND WOULD NOT ACTIVELY SUPPORT IRAQ
AND THAT IT WOULD RESPECT UNSC RESOLUTIONS ON THE
GULF. SINCE THEN THERE HAD BEEN SOME INDICATIONS OF
POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS ON UNSC RESOLUTIONS RELATED TO
ASSISTANCE TO IRAQUI SHIPS IN PORT SUDAN WHICH WE HAD
BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE GOS. GIVEN THIS
BACKGROUND WE WERE NOW SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITY THAT IRAQ COULD GATHER INTELLIGENCE FROM
THE SAUDI FIGHTER PILOT WHO DEFECTED TO SUDAN RECENTLY
AND REMAINED IN GOS CUSTODY. THIS CONCERN HAD
INCREASED IN RECENT DAYS AS A RESULT OF INDICATIONS
THAT THE GOS MIGHT ALLOW THE IRAQUIS TO EXPLOIT THE
SAUDI PILOT FOR INTELLIGENCE PURPOSES.


5. THE AMBASSADOR THEN SLOWLY READ TO THE FOREIGN
MINISTER THE FULL TEXT OF THE TALKING POINTS IN PARA 2
OF REF A AND GAVE HIM A NON-PAPER WHICH CONTAINED
THEM. THE FOREIGN MINISTER GRAVELY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
THIS WAS A MOST SERIOUS MATTER WHICH HE APPRECIATED THE
AMBASSADOR PROMPTLY BRINGING TO HIS ATTENTION. HE
AGREED WITH THE POINT THAT SUCH ACTION BY THE GOS WOULD
DESTROY ITS CLAIM TO NEUTRALITY BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES
IN THE GULF CONFLICT AND UNDERMINE ITS EFFORTS TO BRING
ABOUT A NEGOTIATED SOLUTION WITHIN THE ARAB FAMILY. HE
ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE GRAVE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH ACTION
FOR GOS RELATIONS WITH THE USG AND OTHER ALLIED
GOVERNMENTS. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD CONVEY OUR DEMARCHE
TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE GOS. AMBASSDOR URGED HIM
TO DO SO QUICKLY GIVEN THE GRAVITY OF THE ISSUE AND THE
POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES FOR SUDAN. AS AMBASSADOR OMAR
ABDEL MAGID ESCORTED AMBASSADOR TO HIS CAR HE CONFIDED
THAT THIS WAS THE MOST SERIOUS MEETING HE HAD ATTENDED
DURING HIS TENURE IN THE FOREIGN MINISTRY. AMBASSADOR
AGREED THAT IT WAS INDEED SERIOUS.


6. COMMENT: I DOUBT THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER IS IN THE
LOOP ON GOS HANDLING OF THE DEFECTED SAUDI FIGHTER
PILOT. HE NOW IS AND I BELIEVE HE WILL DO AS HE SAID
AND CONVEY OUR DEMARCHE TO THE PRESIDENT. IT MAY WELL
BE TOO LATE TO DETER THE GOS (REF B). NEVERTHELESS, AS
I NOTED REF C, WE HAVE AT LEAST PUT THE GOS ON NOTICE
AND LAID DOWN A MARKER SHOULD A MORE SEVERE RESPONSE BE
REQUIRED LATER.


7. POSTSCRIPT: AFTER DRAFTING ABOVE, AMBASSADOR OMAR
MAGID TELEPHONED TO INFORM ME THAT FOREIGN MINISTER
SAHLOUL HAD SPOKEN TO THE PRESIDENT ABOUT OUR DEMARCHE
THIS MORNING AND THE FOREIGN MINISTER WISHED TO SEE ME
TOMORROW (NOVEMBER 27) AT 0845.


CHEEK