Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ADDISABABA1641
2006-06-15 13:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:  

ETHIOPIA: UNMEE SAYS ETHIOPIA IN COMPLIANCE WITH

Tags:  PREL PBTS MOPS KPKO ET ER 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0254
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #1641 1661357
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 151357Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1133
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 001641 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF DAS YAMAMOTO AND AF/E
USUN NY FOR T.OHLSON
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PBTS MOPS KPKO ET ER
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: UNMEE SAYS ETHIOPIA IN COMPLIANCE WITH
UNSCR 1640

REF: IIR 6 830 0162 06

Classified By: CHARGE VICKI HUDDLESTON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 001641

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF DAS YAMAMOTO AND AF/E
USUN NY FOR T.OHLSON
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PBTS MOPS KPKO ET ER
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: UNMEE SAYS ETHIOPIA IN COMPLIANCE WITH
UNSCR 1640

REF: IIR 6 830 0162 06

Classified By: CHARGE VICKI HUDDLESTON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: According to the United Nations Mission in
Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE),Ethiopia remains in compliance
with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1640. UNMEE is
more concerned about Eritrean activities than continued
Ethiopian troop movements and training. A Defense Attache
contact provided an update on Ethiopia/Eritrea border dispute
issues from the UNMEE perspective. The contact told DATT
that the force commander still considers Ethiopia to be in
compliance with UNSCR 1640. In fact, the contact stated the
International Crisis Group said Ethiopia had exceeded
compliance by withdrawing one additional division in December
2005 than it was required. (Note: According to DATT,
Ethiopia pulled back seven divisions. End Note.) The
contact said according to the UNMEE G2, compliance did not
mean moving troops a fixed distance back, but rather that the
location of Ethiopian forces in the border area returned to
the situation of December 2004. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Note: This cable is derived from a DATT IIR
(reftel).


3. (C) The contact added that even with the shift of the
Ethiopian National Defense Force's (ENDF) 29th Motorized
Infantry Division in May 2006 back to Adi Nebrid, Ethiopia
remained in compliance. He commented the situation in
Ethiopia remains calm and stable along the border. The UNMEE
Force Commander reportedly met twice in May with MG Yohannes
Gebremeskel, Head of Intelligence, Main Department of the
ENDF and Ethiopian Commissioner for the Military Cooperation
Committee (MCC) and did not lodge any complaints.


4. (C) DATT contact stated ironically on May 31 that MG
Yohannes contacted UNMEE requesting if UNMEE had any
information about Eritrean activity in the TSZ. The contact
said UNMEE remains concerned about Eritrean Defense Force
(EDF) activity, as the Force Commander believes increased
Eritrean government restrictions on the movement of
diplomatic personnel in Eritrea may signal Eritrean
deployments.


5. (C) The contact said a Russian officer assigned to UNMEE
reported the EDF has a S-200 (SA-5) unit, presumably a
battery between Asmara and Zela Ambessa. According to the
Russian officer, the "200" refers to the range of the
missile. The officer was surprised Russia would sell such a
weapon system to Eritrea. The contact said this system is
problematic in mountainous terrain, as the warhead has no
radar, and the missile relies on constant radar illumination
of the target by ground radar. It is easy for aircraft to
break illumination by moving lower to the ground. The
contact commented this would make the aircraft susceptible to
attack by other air defense systems, primarily anti-aircraft
guns.


6. (C) Discussion returned to Ethiopian military activity.
The contact said the artillery regiment from the 21st
Division had reinforced the 11th Division around Zela
Ambessa. Other artillery regiments from second-echelon
divisions in northern and central regions had also moved
forward. The contact commented UNMEE believes the intent of
these movements is to put pressure on Eritrea concerning to
conform with directives of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary
Commission (EEBC) and to deter Eritrean offensive action
before the rainy season.
HUDDLESTON