Maravi

(WIKILEAKS CABLES) GOK/GOSS AGREE ON TIMETABLE FOR SECOND TANK SHIPMENT

COMMENT - The US is using Kenya and Uganda to send T-72 tanks to the SPLA in Southern Sudan. Just as they are using Uganda and Rwanda to haul Coltan out of the DRC.

SUBJECT: GOK/GOSS AGREE ON TIMETABLE FOR SECOND TANK
7/29/2009 14:42
Subject: gok/goss agree on timetable for second tank shipment
Classified By: CDA Robert Whitehead for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)

¶1. (C) GOSS xxxxxxxxxxxx has admitted that, on the margins of the Washington "Forum for CPA Partners," he pressed Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula on the need to expedite delivery to South Sudan of tanks off-loaded from the MV Faina. Three months had passed since Nairobi initially agreed -- albeit in a staggered fashion and only under cover of darkness -- to ship the SPLA its second order of tanks (REFTEL Khartoum 00378). According to xxxxxxxxxxxx upon xxxxxxxxxxxx instruction he told the Kenyan ForMin that if the tanks did not start moving by Juli's end, the GOSS would be forced to "reevaluate its relationship with Nairobi. Despite such threats, xxxxxxxxxxxx maintained that the meeting was largely positive. "The Kenyans are relieved that we will be routing them through Uganda -- keeping them out of the spotlight."

¶2. (C) Asked whether he was any more confident of actual delivery, given how earlier promises from the Kenyans had vaporized, xxxxxxxxxxxx responded in the affirmative. xxxxxxxxxxxx and newly-appointed xxxxxxxxxxxx had met in Nairobi as xxxxxxxxxxxx returned from Washington to again discuss the transfer with Kenyan Department of Defense counterparts. "We are certain that this time they will move." xxxxxxxxxxxx further confirmed that weapons, armaments, and the spare parts and support packages for the T-72 tanks had already been moved out of Nairobi into Sudan's South, although he would not divulge their location. xxxxxxxxxxxx

¶3. (C) xxxxxxxxxxxx optimism appears to be merited. xxxxxxxxxxxx travelled to Kampala xxxxxxxxxxxx in order to meet with Ugandan counterparts on unspecified business. xxxxxxxxxxxx remains an integral member of the SPLA's tank procurement team, despite the SPLA's May reshuffle which pushed him into the xxxxxxxxxxxx. SPLA Affairs Minister Nhial Deng Nhial admitted to A/CG xxxxxxxxxxxx had been granted extraordinary authorities to handle the totality of the SPLA's outstanding contracts in order to ensure the circle of those involved in the tank procurement remained small "for obvious security reasons." xxxxxxxxxxxx The decision to extend such authorities xxxxxxxxxxxx would appear to indicate the entire "adminstrative chain" of the SPLA has been shielded from the decision. END COMMENT). At a July 23 farewell dinner, xxxxxxxxxxxx confirmed the Kenyans had begun trans-shipment of tanks to Uganda, but could not speak to when they would arrive in the South.

¶4. (C) Per reftel, the SPLA is dependent on Nairobi concurrence to authorize the third and final shipment of Juba's 2006 tanks purchase. xxxxxxxxxxxx maintained in mid-July that Nairobi, facing increasing pressure from Khartoum, continued to resist green-lighting the shipment. Notwithstanding xxxxxxxxxxxx contention that the Juba/Nairobi bilateral relationship was weathering the tank-shipment "stand-off," there is growing vidence to the contrary.

¶5. (C) xxxxxxxxxxxx that she had access to documents pertaining to a pending bank transfer linked to an unspecified SPLA procurement initiative worth $34 million. According to the contractor, past SPLA contracts consistently included routing information for banks to Kenya. This contract did not -- a first in this individual's tenure with the Finance Ministry. (NOTE: The contractor further advised that the contract would drive SPLA finances into the red; unless the SPLA saw a budget increase next fiscal year, the SPLA would be without financing until April 2010 if this contract moved forward. END NOTE.) As of July 24, the contractor did not believe this SPLA contract had gone forward in the Finance Ministry's internal approval process.

Khartoum 00000881 002 of 002

(COMMENT: We are not sure that the contractor would be privy to information regarding this contract's approval, however, and think it possible that, given Finance Minister David Deng Athorbei's failed attempts to purchase attack helicopters for the SPLA out of Ministry of Roads and Transport monies in November 2008, he might be sympathetic to other SPLA procurement requests despite current GOSS budgeting woes. END comment).

¶6. (C) Comment. Despite extensive coverage of the tank purchases and delivery in local and internationl media, the SPLM continues to treat the matter as a secret matter, perhaps as a concession to Kenyan sensitivities. The existence of the tanks, however, is one of the least secret secrets in Khartoum.
Whitehead
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Labels: KENYA, NEOCOLONIALISM, SUDAN, UGANDA, USA

posted by MrK @ 7:20 PM