Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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05DJIBOUTI594 | 2005-06-21 09:01:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Djibouti |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DJIBOUTI 000594 |
1. (C) Summary: During his June 19-20 visit to Djibouti, General John P. Abizaid asked Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh for help in moving forward the process of base lease renewal negotiations for Camp Lemonier and closing a deal. He told Guelleh he would convey to President Bush how valuable the U.S. military presence and operation in Djibouti is to U.S. goals. Guelleh stated that Djibouti had agreed to meet all U.S. requirements in renewal talks to date and that the ball was now in the U.S. court, including expectation of a response from President Bush to the "background" letter Guelleh had sent to him on base talks. He said Djibouti wanted to continue support and service to the U.S., if the same is willed from the United States. Guelleh expressed fear that the confidence and good will that had been built up over a long period, going back to 1993 between the U.S. and Djibouti, may now be threatened by those, in his view, who preferred to "haggle" over small details rather than see the larger picture. End summary. 2. (C) General John P. Abizaid, on a June 19-20 visit to Djibouti, met morning of June 20 with President Ismail Omar Guelleh at Guelleh's offices. Ambassador, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) Commander General Timothy Ghormley, Embassy U.S. Liaison Officer Major Brian Jenkins, and the Director or Djibouti's National Security Services, Hassan Said Khaireh, were in attendance. 3. (C) President Guelleh initiated, with an inquiry on the situation on the ground in Iraq. He asked if General Abizaid saw eventual civil war breaking out between Sunnis and Shias there. Guelleh said only Shias, who comprised the core ranks of the military and police, were being systematically targeted. Sunnis appear unwilling to accept rule by Shia majority and also see Kurds as a threat. General Abizaid acknowledged the difficulties, but reassured Guelleh that despite all the pessimism emanating from the news media, the confidence of commanders on the ground is high. 4. (C) General Abizaid took the opportunity to thank Guelleh for the level and consistency of Djibouti's support of U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. The presence of U.S. forces on the ground, he told Guelleh, is good for security in the region. Abizaid also noted the good work being done by members of Djibouti's security services. At the same time, Abizaid made clear to Guelleh that current uncertainty in negotiations for renewal of the base lease agreement is a cause for concern regarding the longevity of the U.S. base at Camp Lemonier. He asked for President Guelleh's support in moving the process of negotiations forward. Abizaid explained that the longer the period of negotiations draws out, the greater the requirement that he, as commander, consider other options for his forces despite his desire to maintain operations in Djibouti. 5. (C) Guelleh responded that the American presence in Djibouti has been a determining factor for stability and peace in the region. Since the U.S. military set up a base of operations in Djibouti, confidence levels of foreign investors have increased. He expressed pleasure in this and reiterated that, as president, he knew where he wanted to take Djibouti and he knew exactly what he was doing in moving in the directions he had chosen. External threats are out there, yet the U.S. presence is a factor in the confidence investors have in the country in spite of those threats. Guelleh further acknowledged the impact of U.S.-Djibouti cooperation in this state of affairs by noting that Djibouti, the United States military, and the United States intelligence community had been working in tandem since 2001, and even back to 1993, during the Aideed era in Mogadishu. Djibouti, he added, had always supported and serviced U.S. policy in the region. "We have decided to continue that support and service," he said, "if the same is willed from your side." 6. (C) Guelleh went on to say that he feared the confidence and good will that had been built up over such a long period of time was now being threatened by those who wish to engage in petty "Chinese-style" bargaining. He explained that in this style of bargaining, one can haggle for five hours over a price and in the end find that one has only managed to save a negligible sum. "The people from the Pentagon," he said, "are of this spirit (mindset)." Guelleh added that while this "spirit" is not a good one and exists at the Pentagon, the overall friendship of Djibouti with the United States is good. "We are the smallest and the poorest of countries," Guelleh told Abizaid, "but we are the most desiring of good relations." 7. (C) Guelleh told Abizaid that he had written a letter to President Bush "to give him some background" on the negotiations. In addition, he had explained that a delegation had come to Djibouti to conduct negotiations and that Djibouti had accepted all that the delegation said the U.S. needed. According to Guelleh, "the ball was now in the court" of the United States and he asked that General Abizaid convey to President Bush that it was Djibouti's desire to continue to support U.S. requirements here. 8. (C) General Abizaid responded that he would like to see the relationship with Djibouti regularized. He noted excellent support projects already underway in Djibouti, such as the Doraleh port, which the U.S. Navy will use and which he, personally, had visited the day prior. In addition, Abizaid said, the presence of the base and the increase in the number of high-level official visitors traveling through Djibouti had created opportunities to move further. He indicated his willingness to look at other defense needs for Djibouti as the relationship progresses. Abizaid also said both sides should not let small issues cloud the larger vision. 9. (C) Guelleh responded that Djibouti's confidence is high and that his country's willingness to facilitate the U.S. military's work in the region is fulsome. He pledged that his country would make the work of the U.S. in Djibouti smooth. He reiterated that the U.S. needed to think about the larger picture, rather than small details, and urged that U.S. lawmakers be made aware of this. Abizaid pledged to convey to President Bush how valuable the U.S. military presence and operation in Djibouti is to U.S. goals. 10. (C) Guelleh told Abizaid that Djibouti was closely monitoring events in Somalia, in cooperation with other intelligence communities. He said Djibouti wants to "wipe out" all the small terrorist cells and bring about peace and stability there. Some problems remain, Guelleh continued, on the border between Ethiopia and Somalia. In addition, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden remain quite "destabilizing." Abizaid reassured that U.S. naval forces have been working in these areas, specifically against piracy and the flow of narcotics. He said he also recognized that with peace will come stability in Somalia. 11. (C) In closing, Abizaid advised Guelleh that his message back will be "let us close the deal and move forward." President Guelleh replied that Djibouti is waiting for a response from the U.S. side, and specifically, for a reply from President Bush to his letter. He also asked Abizaid to convey to President Bush the need for him to "give appropriate instructions on this matter to his people." 12. (C) Comment: Guelleh consented to a meeting with General Abizaid after the latter agreed to delay his departure from Djibouti by two hours to accommodate the President's schedule. In addition, businessman Abdurahman Boreh, with a considerable economic stake in projects that have grown out of investor confidence in Djibouti as a result of the U.S. presence here, acted as facilitator. Boreh told us that President Guelleh had sought rental payments of USD 50 million annually, as conveyed in the letter to President Bush, because it would be impossible for the President to seek less than what France (with less territory) is paying for its presence (30 million euros annually, or approximately USD 42 million.) The U.S., Boreh said, would have the same benefits as France -- range and airport use, etc.-- but have access to a far larger stretch of land. Boreh did not sit in on the meeting he helped facilitate. End comment. 13. (U) General Abizaid has cleared this message. RAGSDALE |