US embassy cable - 01VATICAN5845

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005845 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI); AF, AF/E 
PLEASE PASS TO S/E DANFORTH, AMB. OAKLEY 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 198/01 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/11 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SU, VT 
SUBJECT: SANT'EGIDIO WANTS TO TALK TO S/E DANFORTH ABOUT 
SUDAN OFF-SITE 
 
REFS: A) KAMPALA 3571 
 
      B) NAIROBI 7097 
      C) VATICAN 5566 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR, REASONS E.O. 12958 1.5(B), (D). 
 
1.  (U)  THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST, PLEASE SEE NEXT PARA. 
 
2.  (C) SUMMARY: SANT'EGIDIO COMMUNITY HOPES TO HOST A 
CONFIDENTIAL OFF-SITE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE GOS AND SPLM 
 
SIPDIS 
TO UNBLOCK THE IGAD PROCESS.  SANT'EGIDIO SUDAN EXPERT 
RICCARDI, JUST BACK FROM KHARTOUM, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH 
S/E DANFORTH AND/OR AMB. OAKLEY IN ROME IN DECEMBER. 
ACTION REQUESTED: POST WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE ON 
RESPONDING TO RICCARDI'S OFFER.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C)  FRESH BACK FROM HIS TRIP TO SUDAN, SANT'EGIDIO 
SUDAN SPECIALIST FABIO RICCARDI (TOGETHER WITH MARIO GIRO, 
SANT'EGIDIO'S WEST AFRICA SPECIALIST) WAS EAGER TO TALK 
WITH EMBASSY VATICAN ABOUT HIS MEETINGS IN KHARTOUM.  ON 
11/09 RICCARDI TOLD DCM THAT SANT'EGIDIO HAS GOOD CONTACTS 
WITH BOTH SIDES ON THE CONFLICT, AND THAT IT IS NOT 
INTERESTED IN THE BLAME-GAME PRACTICED BY SOME OF SUDAN'S 
CATHOLIC BISHOPS.  HE SAID SANT'EGIDIO WISHES TO ENCOURAGE 
DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND BELIEVES THE POST 9/11 
ATMOSPHERE OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO.  HE REPLAYED 
SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME POINTS IN REF A, FOCUSING ON THE 
FACT THAT IGAD HAS STALLED, AND SOME CATALYST IS NEED TO 
REINVIGORATE IT.  HE SAID THAT NEITHER PARTY, BUT 
ESPECIALLY THE GOS, TAKES IGAD SERIOUSLY -- MOSTLY THEY USE 
IT TO SCORE PROPAGANDA POINTS ON EACH OTHER.  RICCARDI 
PROPOSES THAT SANT'EGIDIO HOST AT ITS HEADQUARTERS IN ROME 
A SERIES OF CONFIDENTIAL FACE-TO-FACE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN 
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOS AND SPLM, WHICH WOULD PERMIT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  05845  131607Z 
THEM TO "AGREE TO DISAGREE AND MOVE ON" (REF B), THUS 
UNBLOCKING THE EXISTING PROCESS.  (NOTE: THIS IS A FORMULA 
WHICH WORKED TEN YEARS AGO WHEN SANT'EGIDIO MEDIATED THE 
END TO THE MOZAMBIQUE CIVIL WAR). 
 
2.  (C)  RICCARDI TOLD US THAT HE HAD RAISED HIS IDEA OF 
PRIVATE OFF-SITE MEETINGS WITH SENIOR SUDANESE OFFICIALS, 
INCLUDING GHAZZI SALAHADDIN AND THE FM (WHO HE SAID WAS 
"STUPID"),  NONE OF WHOM REJECTED IT.  GARANG WOULD BE AN 
OBSTACLE, HE SAID, INDICATING HE HAD SPOKEN WITH MUSEVENI 
WHILE THE LATTER WAS IN LONDON, WHO GAVE HIM STRONG SIGNALS 
THAT GARANG WOULD NEED PERSUADING.  RICCARDI TOLD US THE 
U.S. WOULD BE KEY, IF THIS PROPOSAL (WE HESITATE TO CALL IT 
AN INITIATIVE) WERE TO GET OFF THE GROUND.  IF GARANG COULD 
BE PERSUADED, RICCARDI AND GIRO BOTH WERE CONFIDENT THEY 
COULD GET MEANINGFUL GOS PARTICIPATION TOO. 
 
3.  (C)  POST UNDERSTANDS THAT SPECIAL ENVOY DANFORTH AND 
AF ARE CONTEMPLATING A VISIT TO EUROPEAN CAPITALS IN 
DECEMBER.  RICCARDI WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN MEETING THE 
U.S. DELEGATION IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN.  WE SUPPORT SUCH A 
MEETING AND REITERATE OUR OFFER (REF C) TO FACILITATE 
MEETINGS BETWEEN THE S/E AND RICCARDI, AS WELL AS WITH ANY 
OTHER INTERESTED VATICAN PARTIES. 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2001VATICA05845 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL