DJIBOUTI AND REDOUBLING ARTICLE 98 EFFORTS IN

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000927

SIPDIS

STATE FOR PM (BBODINE); L(MCOFFEE) AND T (PMCNERNEY)
STATE ALSO FOR AF/E

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL DJ KICC
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI AND REDOUBLING ARTICLE 98 EFFORTS IN
LIGHT OF NON-RENEWAL OF UNSCR 1487

REF: SECSTATE 145167


1. (U) In a meeting on other matters with Mahmoud Ali
Youssef, Minister of Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Ambassador presented points in reftel. She again
thanked Mahmoud for Djibouti having concluded an Article 98
agreement with the U.S. and said her points were aimed at
emphasizing the continuing high priority for the U.S. of
Article 98 agreements. The decision not to pursue UNSC 1487
renewal was based on a U.S. desire to avoid a prolonged and
divisive debate of the issue.


2. (U) Youssef said he fully understood the reasons the U.S.
had decided not to pursue renewal of UNSCR 1487. He said his
Government had surmised that the political climate was simply
not favorable and the timing was not good to press forward
successfully on renewal. The Government of Djibouti, he told
Ambassador, had not considered the action as reflective of a
change in U.S. policy toward the International Criminal
Court.
RAGSDALE