Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ASMARA866
2006-10-18 14:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:  

ISAIAS: WE COULD WAIT NO LONGER; ERITREA,S TROOPS

Tags:  PGOV KPKO MOPS PINR UNSC ER 
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DE RUEHAE #0866 2911419
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P 181419Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8501
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 6006
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0170
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 2888
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1239
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1414
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0571
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000866 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV KPKO MOPS PINR UNSC ER
SUBJECT: ISAIAS: WE COULD WAIT NO LONGER; ERITREA,S TROOPS
LIKELY TO REMAIN IN TSZ

REF: ASMARA 861

Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000866

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV KPKO MOPS PINR UNSC ER
SUBJECT: ISAIAS: WE COULD WAIT NO LONGER; ERITREA,S TROOPS
LIKELY TO REMAIN IN TSZ

REF: ASMARA 861

Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1) (U) As of 15:00 (8:00 EDT) on October 18, the situation on
the ground in the Western Sector of the TSZ has not changed.
1000 troops and estimated 10 tanks remain near Om Hajer and
an estimated 500 troops and 4 tanks remain outside of
Shambiko. Earlier reports of up to 50 tanks and 5000 troops
have not been corroborated by UN or other sources. At most
it appears that two more tanks may have entered the TSZ. At
the same time, at least some of the restrictions on movement
of UNMEE in the western sector appear to have eased.

2) (C) The clearest statement so far of the intentions that
led the GSE to move into the TSZ came from President Isaias
in an October 17 meeting with UN Special Envoy for
Humanitarian Affairs for the Horn of Africa, Kjell Magne
Bondevik. Isaias forcefully informed Bondevik that Eritrea
has waited four and a half years for action by the
international community in implementing the Algiers Accord
and that they are tired of waiting. Isaias declared that
Eritrea is disappointed with the UN and international
partners for not enforcing the binding decision of the EEBC
and would, in essence, reassert its sovereignty over the TSZ
(which is, and has always been recognized as, Eritrean
territory.)


3. (C) The Netherlands Ambassador, Nelleke Linssen(protect),
told Ambassador the evening of October 17 that she had heard
much the same argument from Yemane Ghebremeskel of the Office
of the President. Yemane, asserting Eritrean sovereignty
over the TSZ, emphasized that it needed to be fully developed
and that it represents some of the nation,s most rich and
fertile land. He stated specifically that the Eritrean goal
was to bring about the end of the TSZ. Ghebremeskel told the
Ambassador much the same in a separate conversation much the
same but stopped short of affirming that the GSE wanted to
collapse the TSZ ) despite being asked specifically several
times. Ghebremeskel equally was unwilling to offer his views
on whether Eritrea was, in essence, telling UNMEE to leave
Eritrea ) though he appeared unfazed when Ambassador and
others suggested that this might be one of the possible
outcomes if the GSE was no longer prepared to recognize or
respect the TSZ.


4. (C) The comments by Isaias and Ghebremeskel expand upon
statements made in the press by other GSE officials (reftel)
and conversations with Col. Zacharias Ogbagaber, the GSE
Commissioner to UNMEE. Col. Zacharias told Poloff that the
soldiers were there to help with the harvest and that armies
always move with their equipment. He further explained that
they needed the tanks for protection because there were tanks
on the other side of the border. At a meeting with UNMEE
SRSG Azouz Ennifar, Col. Zacharias reiterated this statement
claiming the military was charged with the management of all
development projects and that the land needs to be developed.
UNMEE staff also told Poloff that President Isaias
reportedly had forwarded a letter to UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan, however, the text of the letter was unknown.


5. (C) Comment: We anticipate a growing assertion of GSE
control over the TSZ, especially in the fertile west and
central sectors. The implications of the GSE,s action
remain uncertain, however, especially in regard to the
Cessation of Hostilities agreement, the Algiers Accord and
even the EEBC decision. Although the military implications
of this action appear, for now, benign the political and
diplomatic fallout in terns of the further efforts to resolve
the border standoff could be considerable. End comment.
DELISI