Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ADDISABABA1607
2006-06-13 11:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:
ETHIOPIA: GOE OPPOSES ACCOMMODATION WITH SOMALIA
how-toVZCZCXRO6941 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHDS #1607 1641136 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 131136Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1070 INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 001607
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF FOR A/S FRAZER AND ADAS REDDICK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER ASEC PGOV ET SO ER
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: GOE OPPOSES ACCOMMODATION WITH SOMALIA
ISLAMIC COURTS
REF: ADDIS ABABA 1600
Classified By: CHARGE Vicki Huddleston for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 001607
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF FOR A/S FRAZER AND ADAS REDDICK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER ASEC PGOV ET SO ER
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: GOE OPPOSES ACCOMMODATION WITH SOMALIA
ISLAMIC COURTS
REF: ADDIS ABABA 1600
Classified By: CHARGE Vicki Huddleston for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Deputy Foreign Minister Tekeda Alemu told
Charge June 12 the GOE was concerned that USG "feelers" to
the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Mogadishu could affect that
attitudes of other players, including the Transitional
Federal Government (TFG). Tekeda bemoaned the fact that many
actors seemed to be adjusting to what they considered the
"fait accompli" of ICU control of southern Somalia, while the
GOE remained convinced that "these people are going to be
divided" by clan loyalties and other conflicts. He read a
series of damning media quotes from ICU leader Sherif Sheik
Mohammed and urged that senior USG officials to look closely
at this issue. The Deputy FM said the GOE didn't know if TFG
President Abdullai Yusuf remained allied with Ethiopia any
longer. He also cautioned the USG against further
cooperation with warlord Mohammed Qanyare. Tekeda expressed
strong interest in and concern about the membership of the
international Contact Group that planned to meet June 15 in
New York. End Summary.
2. (C) In a June 12 meeting focused primarily on the
Ethiopia-Eritrea border issue (see reftel),Deputy Foreign
Minister Tekeda and Charge also discussed the situation in
Somalia. Tekeda was accompanied by North America Director
Ayalew Mamo, while Pol/Econ Counselor joined Charge.
--------------
Why Do People Think We've Been Consulting?
--------------
3. (C) Tekeda complained to Charge that Somalia experts on
Al-Jazeera and elsewhere in the media were claiming that the
GOE had led the USG astray with deceptive intelligence. "If
they did their homework, they would know that you haven't
been consulting with us," the Deputy FM noted with some irony.
4. (C) Charge discussed the series of meetings that were
scheduled to engage the USG and international community on
the Somalia issue, and the possible travel of USG officials
to the region in the coming days. Tekeda asked about which
countries would participate in the Contact Group that planned
to meet in New York June 15. Egypt, he noted, was a
particular concern since the GOE did not know which part of
the Egyptian bureaucracy would be calling the shots on
Somalia. Charge promised to get Tekeda a list of Contact
Group participants, and noted that Ethiopia would likely not
be included because it was too involved in the situation.
--------------
TEKEDA: THESE PEOPLE WILL BE DIVIDED
--------------
5. (C) Tekeda bemoaned the fact that "everyone is trying to
make adjustments to what they think is a fait accompli. Even
Abdullai Yusuf!" The Deputy FM confessed that the GOE was no
longer sure whether the TFG president remained allied with
Ethiopia. At the same time, Tekeda assured the Charge that
"these people (the ICU) are going to be divided."
Conflicting clan loyalties and other disagreements would pull
the ICU leadership apart, he said. Tekeda emphasized that
what the U.S. did -- or promised to do -- in its "feelers" to
Mogadishu would have an impact on how other actors, including
both the TFG and other regional players, positioned
themselves in the current situation. He added that the USG
would make no headway by working with warlord Mohammed
Qanyare, with whom the GOE had collaborated very
unsuccessfully in the past.
6. (C) Tekeda also read the Charge a number of quotes that a
senior ICU official, Sherif Sheik Mohammed, recent gave in a
BBC interview. In the interview, Sheik Mohammed reportedly
expressed his belief in theories blaming either "the Jews" or
"the Americans themselves" for the 9/11 attacks, refused to
condemn suicide bombers who attack the U.S and declared that
it was not his job to arrest terrorist suspects on behalf of
the United States. Tekeda concluded that "your (USG) people
are not on top of this issue."
HUDDLESTON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF FOR A/S FRAZER AND ADAS REDDICK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER ASEC PGOV ET SO ER
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: GOE OPPOSES ACCOMMODATION WITH SOMALIA
ISLAMIC COURTS
REF: ADDIS ABABA 1600
Classified By: CHARGE Vicki Huddleston for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Deputy Foreign Minister Tekeda Alemu told
Charge June 12 the GOE was concerned that USG "feelers" to
the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Mogadishu could affect that
attitudes of other players, including the Transitional
Federal Government (TFG). Tekeda bemoaned the fact that many
actors seemed to be adjusting to what they considered the
"fait accompli" of ICU control of southern Somalia, while the
GOE remained convinced that "these people are going to be
divided" by clan loyalties and other conflicts. He read a
series of damning media quotes from ICU leader Sherif Sheik
Mohammed and urged that senior USG officials to look closely
at this issue. The Deputy FM said the GOE didn't know if TFG
President Abdullai Yusuf remained allied with Ethiopia any
longer. He also cautioned the USG against further
cooperation with warlord Mohammed Qanyare. Tekeda expressed
strong interest in and concern about the membership of the
international Contact Group that planned to meet June 15 in
New York. End Summary.
2. (C) In a June 12 meeting focused primarily on the
Ethiopia-Eritrea border issue (see reftel),Deputy Foreign
Minister Tekeda and Charge also discussed the situation in
Somalia. Tekeda was accompanied by North America Director
Ayalew Mamo, while Pol/Econ Counselor joined Charge.
--------------
Why Do People Think We've Been Consulting?
--------------
3. (C) Tekeda complained to Charge that Somalia experts on
Al-Jazeera and elsewhere in the media were claiming that the
GOE had led the USG astray with deceptive intelligence. "If
they did their homework, they would know that you haven't
been consulting with us," the Deputy FM noted with some irony.
4. (C) Charge discussed the series of meetings that were
scheduled to engage the USG and international community on
the Somalia issue, and the possible travel of USG officials
to the region in the coming days. Tekeda asked about which
countries would participate in the Contact Group that planned
to meet in New York June 15. Egypt, he noted, was a
particular concern since the GOE did not know which part of
the Egyptian bureaucracy would be calling the shots on
Somalia. Charge promised to get Tekeda a list of Contact
Group participants, and noted that Ethiopia would likely not
be included because it was too involved in the situation.
--------------
TEKEDA: THESE PEOPLE WILL BE DIVIDED
--------------
5. (C) Tekeda bemoaned the fact that "everyone is trying to
make adjustments to what they think is a fait accompli. Even
Abdullai Yusuf!" The Deputy FM confessed that the GOE was no
longer sure whether the TFG president remained allied with
Ethiopia. At the same time, Tekeda assured the Charge that
"these people (the ICU) are going to be divided."
Conflicting clan loyalties and other disagreements would pull
the ICU leadership apart, he said. Tekeda emphasized that
what the U.S. did -- or promised to do -- in its "feelers" to
Mogadishu would have an impact on how other actors, including
both the TFG and other regional players, positioned
themselves in the current situation. He added that the USG
would make no headway by working with warlord Mohammed
Qanyare, with whom the GOE had collaborated very
unsuccessfully in the past.
6. (C) Tekeda also read the Charge a number of quotes that a
senior ICU official, Sherif Sheik Mohammed, recent gave in a
BBC interview. In the interview, Sheik Mohammed reportedly
expressed his belief in theories blaming either "the Jews" or
"the Americans themselves" for the 9/11 attacks, refused to
condemn suicide bombers who attack the U.S and declared that
it was not his job to arrest terrorist suspects on behalf of
the United States. Tekeda concluded that "your (USG) people
are not on top of this issue."
HUDDLESTON