BULGARIAN REACTION TO ETHIOPIAN POST-ELECTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 001031

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015
TAGS: KDEM PREL PGOV PHUM ET BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN REACTION TO ETHIOPIAN POST-ELECTION
PERIOD

REF: STATE 99185

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES PARDEW, FOR REASONS
1.4 (A) AND (D).


1. (C) The GOB has not adopted any special decisions on the
Ethiopian elections and will follow the EU's position on the
issue, according to a nonpaper delivered to us on June 6 from
the MFA Africa Directorate. The MFA did not address directly
the questions in reftel, but has pledged itself to support
whatever initiatives Brussels undertakes.


2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF OFFICIAL GOB VIEW ON ETHIOPIAN
ELECTION: The Government of the Republic of Bulgaria has not
adopted a special decision or definitive position with regard
to the election, or the period after the conducting of
parliamentary elections, in the Federal Democratic Republic
of Ethiopia.

The position of the Bulgarian Government is to encourage by
every possible means the process of democratization in the
countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and the strengthening of
democratic institutions and norms of behavior, including the
conducting of democratic, honest, and fair and transparent
elections in these countries. This process undoubtedly needs
time.

Bulgaria also strongly supports every possible measure by the
international community as well as the countries from the
region for a peaceful solution in overcoming regional armed
military conflicts, for the building of an effective early
warning system to prevent conflicts, and for the peaceful
development of the countries in the region without domestic
upheavals stresses and cataclysms.

We express our understanding of the concerns of the
representatives in the EU Observer Mission to the elections.
As a result of their activities, the international society
has been informed already about the ongoing tensions within
the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in connection
with the mutual claims of irregularities in the election
process, mainly from the opposition, the long delay in the
ballot counting and the late announcements of results, etc.
As a result, the prospect of an election audit is already
being discussed, in line with the corresponding relevant
mechanisms.

As a country which has signed an EU accession treaty, the
Republic of Bulgaria coordinates its positions on
international matters with the EU, and in this way supports
the documents or measures of the EU Presidency, when this is
in line with Bulgaria's own policies.

We express our satisfaction and hope about the results from
the meetings between the high EU representatives (Xavier
Solana and Commissioner Mishel) with the Ethiopian Prime
Minister Meles and with opposition leaders on 26 May 2005 in
Addis Ababa. We support the position of the EU
representatives about the need for the Prime Minister to make
an effort to preserve the authenticity of the electoral
process and to settle the controversies through the relevant
corresponding mechanism for the settling of disputes via
elections; we support the opinion that the Prime Minister
should engage in a dialogue with the opposition and avoid any
moves which could arouse controversy: in this way he can
preserve the respect of the international community towards
the Ethiopian elections, as well as the respect and
recognition of the international community towards Ethiopia
and its Prime Minister. We endorse the position that the EU
remains ready to support Ethiopia and every effort in the
country aimed at dialogue.

We perceive as appropriate the EU position that at this stage
there is a need for calm and restraint from all sides,
including the opposition, and that the it is necessary for
the Government and the opposition to discuss how to solve the
situation.

We should mention that Prime Minister Meles in his concluding
remarks has confirmed that he is ready for dialogue with the
opposition and for the participation of the international
community, including the EU, in a mechanism of audits (of the
election results, into the complaints of the National Board
of Elections, etc.). He has expressed confidence in the
results and has guaranteed that the country would not pass
the critical line. This position of Prime Minister Meles has
been shared with the higher EU representatives and with the
opposition leaders at their meeting, with the reassurance of
a readiness from their side for political dialogue.

The Republic of Bulgaria is following closely and will
continue to follow developments in the situation in the
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and is prepared to
discuss each eventual future project for a declaration or
measures on the part of the EU Presidency as well as from the
international community. END TEXT. (Unofficial translation).