INTERIM MEETING WITH GENERALS FATHI AND ZAKARIA ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 001057 SIPDIS DEFENSE FOR ISA AFRICA DEFENSE ALSO PASS DSCA SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA DIRECTOR STATE FOR AF, AF/E, AF/RA, AND PM PARIS/LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2015 TAGS: PREL MASS MARR MOPS MCAP DJ SUBJECT: INTERIM MEETING WITH GENERALS FATHI AND ZAKARIA ON FMF CONCERNS REF: A. DJIBOUTI 1017 ¶B. 04 DJIBOUTI 985 Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Ambassador, accompanied by USLO Chief, met October 17 at Djiboutian Military Headquarters with Chief of Djiboutian Military Forces, General Fathi Ahmed Houssein and his Deputy, General Zakaria Cheick Ibrahim. The meeting was requested by Ambassador to acknowledge receipt of General Zakaria's letter of October 10 (reported reftel A),to further gauge the Djiboutian military leadership's views on FMF as expressed in the October 10 letter and to provide interim assurances of a timely reply. General Fathi and General Zakaria were joined in the meeting by Col. Osman Soubaghleh, Director of International Relations, Djiboutian Armed Forces. ¶2. (C) Ambassador initiated the discussion by acknowledging receipt of Zakaria's letter as well as the concerns Fathi expressed previously about the pace of delivery of FMF to Djibouti (Reftel B). She told Fathi she had passed the letter to Washington and could reassure that Washington was seized of the matter and would have a formal reply just after the 24th of October. The delay, she added, was due to the absence in Europe at a EUCOM conference of many of the appropriate respondents. ¶3. (C) General Fathi thanked the Ambassador for her visit. With considerable animation, he spoke about Djibouti's security needs and the link between FMF and those needs. He reiterated that FMF is important for Djibouti's security and that everything Djibouti is asking of the Americans is for that security. He said he understands the procedural difficulties in moving FMF projects along, yet there are items under the program for which timely delivery to recipient countries is essential. For example, he said, the engineering equipment Djibouti requested could have been received two years later and Djibouti was prepared to wait for it. By contrast patrol boats are extremely necessary for security of Djibouti's coasts and that he and the President of Djibouti counted on these boats as part of the government's package to ensure coastal security of the country. ¶4. (C) There have been other undelivered promises, the General continued. Three years ago the U.S. promised a security project under "Image Nautilus" that would involve cooperation among Djiboutian, French, and U.S. military personnel. The project included construction of a border outpost and hardened access road. After this extended period of time, and four U.S. military delegations later, Djibouti has yet, according to Fathi, to see implementation of this project. He added that Djibouti faced real vulnerabilities linked to Al-Qaida's decision to install itself in Somaliland. He expressed the belief that Al-Qaida would not cease looking for these vulnerabilities. ¶5. (C) Continuing, the General cited the port rehabilitation project at Obock as another example. He insisted that nothing has been done on this project despite promises, and the inactivity had led to a "loss of confidence" on Djibouti's part. He told the Ambassador and USLO Chief that he is reluctant to raise FMF any longer with President Guelleh because in case after case with links to FMF on which he has reported to the president, he (Fathi) has simply been unable to deliver. Fathi added that Djibouti had willingly accepted to be in the coalition fighting the global war on terrorism, yet said he feels deeply that Djibouti's friends are not sensitive to the dangers his country faces. ¶6. (C) Comment: Despite Ambassador's assurances that the U.S. has interests in Djibouti's security and is working hard to process all outstanding FMF requests, General Fathi gave no indication that he believes we will deliver at a more rapid pace. His disenchantment and impatience was unmistakable. It is not clear what pressure upon Fathi is driving the chariot, other than saving face with Guelleh. It may be genuine disquiet about security against terrorist acts from outside. We again reiterate the importance of a timely reply to Reftel A, perhaps with text that could easily be transposed into a letter from Ambassador addressing the issues Fathi has raised. End comment. RAGSDALE