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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Sep 22 2010 - 17:43:53 EDT
Clinton Tells Sudanese Official U.S. Expectations for Referenda
As southern Sudan and Abyei prepare for January 2011 referenda, there is
much work needed to ensure a peaceful, credible and timely vote.
By Stephen Kaufman Staff Writer
22 September 2010
Washington — In her meetings with Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha,
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton conveyed what the United States
expects of Sudan in preparation for the January 2011 referenda in Southern
Sudan and Abyei and reaffirmed the Obama administration’s commitment to the
full implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley told
reporters in New York September 21 that Clinton had specifically discussed
the need to support the Electoral Commission, which is in charge of the two
referenda that will determine whether the two Sudanese regions will gain
their independence. There is a need to ensure that ballots are available and
voter registration is moving forward, and that other “key ingredients to
have a credible referendum” are in place, Crowley said.
Clinton also “affirmed the U.S. commitment to full implementation of the CPA
and reiterated that we need to see decisive action to ensure … peaceful,
on-time referenda … in support of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,” he
said.
According to Crowley, Taha reiterated the Sudanese government’s commitment
to the CPA, and “there was an agreement that there’s no time to waste;
there’s a lot to be done.”
Crowley said the Obama administration expects Sudanese from both the
northern and southern regions to “take very specific steps [and] cooperate”
in the remaining days before the January 9, 2011, vote.
The secretary “made clear” to Taha that “the door to improved relations”
between Sudan and the United States “will open depending on Khartoum’s
cooperation and full implementation of the CPA.”
U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott
<http://www.america.gov/st/democracyhr-english/2010/September/20100916104201
dmslahrellek0.6548883.html> Gration recently visited both the southern city
of Juba and Khartoum and outlined potential incentives to the Sudanese
government in return for its full implementation of the CPA, as well as a
pathway that could lead to the normalization of relations between the United
States and Sudan.
Crowley noted that “Sudan is among the most heavily sanctioned countries in
the world already.”
“I think that our focus right now is to demonstrate to Khartoum if you do
what is expected of you under the CPA, and then depending on the choices
made by the people of Abyei and the people of South Sudan, if you work
constructively in the post-referendum period, then there are clear
opportunities available to you,” he said.
“By the same token, if they do not do what we expect them to do — and we’re
setting an appropriately high bar in terms of what Khartoum and Juba need to
do — then there will be consequences, and those include a mix of carrots and
sticks,” Crowley said.
He also said Clinton and Taha discussed the situation in Darfur “and what
needs to be done to resolve the conflict there.”
According to a <http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/09/147479.htm>
September 21 statement issued by Clinton, U.K. Foreign Secretary William
Hague and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, letters were sent on
September 17 to both Taha and his southern Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir,
that welcomed “recent progress” on the vote preparations but urged “swift
action to ensure that peaceful referenda take place on time, in a manner
consistent with the will of the people of Southern Sudan and Abyei.”
With much remaining to be done before the referenda, work “must be
accelerated to make up for lost time,” the three foreign ministers said.
“We have highlighted to the parties that it is their responsibility to
ensure that the [Electoral] Commission moves quickly to take critical
decisions on further preparations, including most immediately: finalizing an
operational plan and budget; agreeing on voter registration criteria and
procedures; and hiring and training of registration workers, among other
things,” the three said in the statement.
On September 24, President Obama will take part in a meeting on Sudan at the
United Nations and will “send a very forceful message at a critical,
make-or-break time” for the country in his remarks, according to Samantha
Power, who is director of multilateral relations at the National Security
Council.
Power
<http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/September/20100921121848su
0.5465814.html&distid=ucs> told reporters September 20 that Obama will be
delivering “his own personal message to the parties” to the CPA, “and these
will be quite substantial remarks on his vision for how to go forward” in
Sudan.
Southern Sudan pro-independence advocates marching in Juba (AP Images)
As southern Sudan and Abyei prepare for January 2011 referenda, there is
much work needed to ensure a peaceful, credible and timely vote.
By Stephen Kaufman
Staff Writer
Washington — In her meetings with Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha,
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton conveyed what the United States
expects of Sudan in preparation for the January 2011 referenda in Southern
Sudan and Abyei and reaffirmed the Obama administration’s commitment to the
full implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley told
reporters in New York September 21 that Clinton had specifically discussed
the need to support the Electoral Commission, which is in charge of the two
referenda that will determine whether the two Sudanese regions will gain
their independence. There is a need to ensure that ballots are available and
voter registration is moving forward, and that other “key ingredients to
have a credible referendum” are in place, Crowley said.
Clinton also “affirmed the U.S. commitment to full implementation of the CPA
and reiterated that we need to see decisive action to ensure … peaceful,
on-time referenda … in support of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,” he
said.
According to Crowley, Taha reiterated the Sudanese government’s commitment
to the CPA, and “there was an agreement that there’s no time to waste;
there’s a lot to be done.”
Crowley said the Obama administration expects Sudanese from both the
northern and southern regions to “take very specific steps [and] cooperate”
in the remaining days before the January 9, 2011, vote.
The secretary “made clear” to Taha that “the door to improved relations”
between Sudan and the United States “will open depending on Khartoum’s
cooperation and full implementation of the CPA.”
U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott
<http://www.america.gov/st/democracyhr-english/2010/September/20100916104201
dmslahrellek0.6548883.html> Gration recently visited both the southern city
of Juba and Khartoum and outlined potential incentives to the Sudanese
government in return for its full implementation of the CPA, as well as a
pathway that could lead to the normalization of relations between the United
States and Sudan.
Crowley noted that “Sudan is among the most heavily sanctioned countries in
the world already.”
“I think that our focus right now is to demonstrate to Khartoum if you do
what is expected of you under the CPA, and then depending on the choices
made by the people of Abyei and the people of South Sudan, if you work
constructively in the post-referendum period, then there are clear
opportunities available to you,” he said.
“By the same token, if they do not do what we expect them to do — and we’re
setting an appropriately high bar in terms of what Khartoum and Juba need to
do — then there will be consequences, and those include a mix of carrots and
sticks,” Crowley said.
He also said Clinton and Taha discussed the situation in Darfur “and what
needs to be done to resolve the conflict there.”
According to a <http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/09/147479.htm>
September 21 statement issued by Clinton, U.K. Foreign Secretary William
Hague and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, letters were sent on
September 17 to both Taha and his southern Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir,
that welcomed “recent progress” on the vote preparations but urged “swift
action to ensure that peaceful referenda take place on time, in a manner
consistent with the will of the people of Southern Sudan and Abyei.”
With much remaining to be done before the referenda, work “must be
accelerated to make up for lost time,” the three foreign ministers said.
“We have highlighted to the parties that it is their responsibility to
ensure that the [Electoral] Commission moves quickly to take critical
decisions on further preparations, including most immediately: finalizing an
operational plan and budget; agreeing on voter registration criteria and
procedures; and hiring and training of registration workers, among other
things,” the three said in the statement.
On September 24, President Obama will take part in a meeting on Sudan at the
United Nations and will “send a very forceful message at a critical,
make-or-break time” for the country in his remarks, according to Samantha
Power, who is director of multilateral relations at the National Security
Council.
Power
<http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/September/20100921121848su
0.5465814.html&distid=ucs> told reporters September 20 that Obama will be
delivering “his own personal message to the parties” to the CPA, “and these
will be quite substantial remarks on his vision for how to go forward” in
Sudan.
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