APPROACH TO DJIBOUTI'S FOREIGN MINISTER FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000683 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA AND AF LONDON/PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2015 TAGS: PREL KPAO PTER SCUL IZ DJ SUBJECT: APPROACH TO DJIBOUTI'S FOREIGN MINISTER FOR STATEMENT ON IRAQ REF: STATE 121757 (NOTAL) Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (U) Using points provided reftel (notal),Ambassador approached Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Ali Yousuf on July 19 to request that Djibouti make a strong public statement of condemnation and of support to the Iraqi people in the wake of insurgent targeting of civilians in Iraq. She noted specifically the recent killing of 25 Iraqi children. ¶2. (C) Yousuf told the Ambassador that Djibouti has "no problem at all" with the U.S. request and would do so. It would also take advantage of the very public visit on July 26 of Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the U.N. Millennium Project and Special Advisor to the UNSYG on Millennium Development Goals, to reinforce its condemnation of these terrorist acts. Sachs will be in country for launch of Djibouti's Millennium Development Program. Djibouti will also use the July 19 visit of FIFA President, Joseph Blatter, who will be hosted by the Minister of Youth and Sports, to condemn the acts in Iraq and more broadly. Yousuf noted that Djibouti had publicly denounced the terrorist attacks that took place in London last week and that he, personally, had sent a message of condolence to UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in their aftermath. ¶3. (U) Comment: Post notes that President Guelleh sent to Queen Elizabeth II and to PM Tony Blair messages condemning the London terrorist attacks of July 7. In that message he wrote: "This tragedy for Great Britain and the entire human race once more shows that the world must remain united to confront terrorism and extremism whatever their forms." We will share with Department subsequent Djibouti declarations regarding the violence in Iraq or other terrorism-related acts. End comment. RAGSDALE