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Cablegate: U/S Mutriff Siddiq: Gos Receptive to C-17; Wants

VZCZCXRO0669
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV
RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1619 2891405
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161405Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8851
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001619

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AS A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO MARR AU UN SU
SUBJECT: U/S MUTRIFF SIDDIQ: GOS RECEPTIVE TO C-17; WANTS
AMIS TO MAKE PARALLEL REQUEST

REF: KHARTOUM 1599

1. (SBU) On October 16, CDA Powers and DLO representative met
Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Mutriff Siddiq to inquire
about GoS flight clearances for USAF C-17s that the U.S.
proposed to airlift the scheduled deployment of Rwanda troops
to Darfur. CDA Powers noted that since CDA Fernandez had
raised the issue with the MFA on October 9 (reftel), U.S.
planning had advanced with the first flight notionally
scheduled to start on October 18. As is routine for
requested flight clearances, CDA gave Siddiq four diplomatic
notes requesting flight clearances for the intial proposed
USAF flights.

2. (SBU) Siddiq said that since the October 9 meeting, the
GoS had discussed the proposal and was "receptive to the
idea." He added that the U.S. proposal should be supported
by a formal African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) request for
flight clearances via diplomatic note. Siddiq said that GoS
would be able to reply to the proposal following formal
diplomatic note requests from the U.S and the AMIS. Noting
the urgency of the matter, Siddiq said that while the AMIS
notes are being prepared, he would &prepare a reply.8

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3. (SBU) Siddiq said that it normally takes 72 hours to
provide flight clearances. He emphasized that "we have told
all of the Diplomatic Missions about this requirement." He
added that notwithstanding the failure to comply with this
requirement, "We will try to meet the target dates."

4. (SBU) Emboffs shared copies of the notes fiven to the MFA
with AMIS, and requested them to send a parallel diplomatic
note endorsing U.S. efforts to deploy AU-UN troops and asking
the MFA for the necessary flight clearances. We informed
them of urgency of the situation given the timetable for
deployment.
POWERS

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