U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2009)

U.S. Department of State

Background Briefing on Sudan (10/19/2009)

Senior Administration Officials
Washington, DC
October 19, 2009

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QUESTION: So what about the interlocutors? Who are you going to be dealing with then in Sudan?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, just to make one point. Currently, General Gration's involved with presidential advisor Dr. Ghazi Salahuddin, and he is the current interlocutor for General Gration. He's also meeting, however, with Vice President Taha or other members of the NCP administration, as necessary. But similarly, he is working with President Kiir, obviously, in the South and full members of the SPLM administration. We're trying also to engage the government together within the confines of the government of national unity. And so we're working with many players in the government and many international players, obviously. There's chief mediator Jibril Basoli, who is in charge of bringing peace to Darfur, as mandated by the African Union and the United Nations. We're meeting with, obviously, President Deby, who is very important in the peace process to lower tensions between Chad and Sudan. We're also meeting with Libya, Egypt, Ethiopia, and other members of IGAD as well. In fact, there's not many people we're not meeting with. The special envoy has traveled to China. He's been to Beijing. He's been to Moscow recently. Frequent trips to Doha, where the peace process is.

So it's a very inclusive process. It's a very intensive process of meeting officials in Sudan, in the region, and internationally.

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QUESTION: Several things. Over the last five, six years, there have been various NGOs such as, say, Darfur Coalition, Africa Action, and numerous people here in Washington as well as, I would assume, in England and elsewhere, that have actually gone to Sudan. One is Jerry Fowler, another has worked both at the White House and I suppose over here, Gayle Smith, John Prendergast and others, such as celebrities as Mia Farrow and, of course, George Clooney. (Laughter.)

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Is there a question there?

QUESTION: The question is -- they've highlighted this. It's been in the news. Now, you mentioned elections in the next six months. Do you want to see the same rubber stamping of elements that the present government brought into a new government? Are there such entities that you wouldn't want to see? And also, the Russians and Chinese, they've been shipping arms. Do you want to see an end to those arms shipments?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL ONE: It's up to the people of Sudan to select their leaders, both in the North and the South. What we do want to see is an election process that is open, transparent, free, and fair, in which people have a right to vote and vote for their individual leaders. So we're not in the business of selecting leaders.

With respect to the arms embargo, there is an arms embargo against the Khartoum government, and we would like to see that arms embargo continued and fully implemented by everyone who signed on to it.

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