Cablegate: Minawi Nominated Senior Assistant to the President

VZCZCXRO6820
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1649 1931521
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121521Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3673
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001649

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AND S/CRS
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SU
SUBJECT: MINAWI NOMINATED SENIOR ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT

REF: KHARTOUM 1635

1. (U) A SLM/A-Minawi delegation led by Dr. Al Rayeh Mahmoud
presented the nomination of SLM/A leader Minni Minawi for the
DPA-established post of Senior Assistant to the President on July
11. The post is the fourth in the chain of command from the
presidency. Mahmoud and the SLM/A-Minawi delegation had hoped to
present the nomination to the Presidency, but had to settle for
Presidential Advisor and the head of the GNU delegation to the Abuja
talks Dr. Magzoub Al Khalifa.

2. (U) As Senior Assistant to the President, Minawi would be a
member of the National Council of Ministers, National Security
Council, and National Council of Planning. He would also chair the
Transitional Darfur Regional Authority, a DPA-stipulated interim
governing authority for Darfur prior to national elections in
2008-9.

3. (SBU) Per a discussion reported through AU DPA Implementation
Lead Ambassador Sam Ibok later that day, Khalifa said that the GNU
expected the position for Senior Assistant to be filled by one of
the signatories of the DPA. As Minawi is the only movement leader
to have signed the DPA, barring any last minute movement from
SLM/A-Abdel Wahid to sign, Minawi was the presumed candidate.

4. (SBU) The SLM/A-Minawi "advance team" that presented Minawi's
nomination included Minawi's deputy, Rayah Mahmud, Secretary General
Mustafa Teyrab, and Military Commander-in-Chief Guma Hagar. The
advance team has been in Khartoum for approximately two weeks trying
to organize politically, develop candidate lists for the numerous
positions and commissions established under the DPA, and prepare for
Minawi's arrival. However, yesterday's nomination was limited only
to the position of Senior Assistant, and it is unclear when the
nominations for other positions will follow. Meanwhile, Minawi
appears unlikely to arrive in Khartoum before he departs for his
visit to Washington. (NOTE: The advance team itself is housed in
difficult conditions at a trailer park-style hotel and has little
choice but to wait for the DPA Implementation Office to open or for
donors to provide furnishings and equipment to a recently acquired
headquarters building before it can mobilize more efficiently. END
NOTE).

HUME

© Scoop Media