MFA PROTESTS HARSH RECIPROCAL MEASURES AND U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000994

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
DEPT FOR AF/E, CA/VO, CA/EX, AND DS/OFM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR KREC CVIS ER
SUBJECT: MFA PROTESTS HARSH RECIPROCAL MEASURES AND U.S.
"DEFAMATION CAMPAIGN"

REF: A. ASMARA 708 (NOTAL)

B. ASMARA 963 (NOTAL)

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


1. (C) Summary. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General
for the Americas and International Affairs Girma Asmerom
called in the Ambassador on November 24 to lodge two official
protests. The first complaint concerned the recent
notification to the Eritrean Embassy in Washington extending
travel restrictions to all official visitors from the
Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) in addition to its
permanently assigned personnel. Girma also protested the
USG's public "defamation campaign" about Eritrea's actions in
Somalia. In both cases, his message was that Eritrea has
been unfairly singled out by the USG for harsh and
inconsistent treatment. The Ambassador noted that our
actions in Washington merely match exactly what the GSE does
to official Americans in Eritrea and, in regard to Somalia,
the Ambassador let Girma know that so long as Eritrea
continues to send weapons and/or fighters into Somalia, the
USG will continue to speak out. That the GSE felt strongly
enough to lodge protests on these issues suggests that our
actions and messages may be resonating. Interestingly, Girma
did not raise the issue of the Embassy's November 20
notification that NIV operations would be temporarily
suspended on December 4 due to post,s inability to get a
visa for a TDY consular officer to cover the section. The
Ambassador also used the opportunity to ask for a response to
post's request for consular access to a detained
Eritrean-American dual national. End Summary.


2. (U) On November 24, Ambassador met with Director General
Girma Asmerom at the MFA's request. Girma began the meeting
by noting that the GSE wanted to make two formal protests,
"strongly and clearly." First, Girma referenced the November
14 diplomatic note sent to the Eritrean Embassy in Washington
by the Department noting that travel restrictions would apply
not only to permanently assigned Eritrean diplomats but also
to official GSE visitors to their bilateral missions in the
U.S. Girma said that the GSE viewed the U.S. policy as
"harsh and selective" against Eritrea. He commented that the
GSE's travel restrictions in Eritrea were not directed at the
U.S. in particular, but applied to the entire international
community, and had been issued as a result of national
security considerations. The U.S. was too sensitive about
the travel restrictions, he asserted, and they should not be
an issue for reciprocity. Girma noted that Ethiopia and
Pakistan both have policies that require foreign diplomats to
apply in advance for permission to travel from their city of
assignments. Yet, neither have been subject to reciprocal
treatment in the U.S.


3. (C) Girma's second message was to protest the "defamation
campaign" against Eritrea regarding its position on Somalia.
He criticized the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya's November 18
press statement, which categorized Eritrea as a
"destabilizing" element in Somalia. Girma said that such
comments were "outside of Ambassador Ranneberger's mandate"
and unwarranted. Girma also complained about the November 15
statement of Department Spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos which
singled out only Eritrea by name as negatively engaged in
Somalia. Girma reiterated the GSE's public position that the
Eritreans have no agenda in Somalia and that the claims that
Eritrea was using Somalia as a proxy battleground against
Ethiopia were unfounded. He added that Eritrea has 40 years
of ties with Somalia and the GSE's end goal is a democratic
and prosperous Somalia. He asserted that accusations against
the GSE had been generated by Somali elements supported by
Ethiopia. He concluded by noting that the GSE can play a
productive role in Somalia and the U.S. should be able to
engage his government to this end. (Comment: This was clearly
a throw-away remark since the GSE has been pursuing a
steadfast course of isolating itself from engagement with the
U.S. and Western entities. End Comment.)


4. (U) Ambassador said he would convey both messages to the
Department. In response to the charges of unfair reciprocal

ASMARA 00000994 002 OF 002


treatment, the Ambassador noted that the U.S. was aware that
the restrictions applied across the board to all foreigners
) and inappropriately so, as the GSE was in violation of the
Vienna Convention. He continued by noting that the GSE
itself had been inconsistent in its granting of travel
permissions to foreign diplomats in Eritrea. He personally
had been refused permission to travel to Senafe and Assab,
whereas the French and German Ambassadors or their
representatives had been allowed to travel to those
locations. Noting that our response was strictly reciprocal,
the Ambassador left little doubt that it would continue, but
did assure Girma the GSE's concerns would be fully conveyed
to Washington.


5. (C) As to Somalia, the Ambassador noted that the USG and
GSE may not necessarily be in disagreement about the end
goal, i.e. a united, prosperous Somalia. However, Washington
has grave concerns about the addition of troops and weapons
into Somalia which add a destabilizing factor. The
Ambassador noted that he was fully aware of the GSE's
assertions that it had not provided either to the Council of
Islamic Courts. The USG, he said, believes otherwise. So
long as the GSE actions continue, we will also continue to
voice our concerns. The Ambassador said we would welcome an
open policy dialogue but noted that the constant attacks in
the GSE-owned media avowing the "sinister schemes" and "evil
plots" of the USG in the region did not help encourage such
engagement.


6. (SBU) While walking out of the meeting with Girma's Deputy
Abraham Yohannes, the Ambassador inquired about the status of
a diplomatic note sent to the MFA on November 20, requesting
consular access to a U.S.-Eritrean dual national believed to
have been detained earlier in the week in Dekemhare. The
Ambassador requested that the MFA respond to the diplomatic
note and grant the Embassy access to the individual.
Yohannes said he would look into the matter. (Note: Post has
followed several other cases this autumn concerning the
detention of dual nationals. As described in previous
cables, the GSE does not recognize the American citizenship
of dual nationals and has not responded to any of post's
diplomatic notes nor granted access for visitation. Post has
repeatedly and unsuccessfully requested access to visit the
baby of an American father who has been in detention with his
Eritrean mother for over two months. Reftel A. End Note.)


7. (C) Post Comment: It is not unusual for the MFA to summon
the Ambassador when it is particularly exercised over public
comments by USG officials. In that sense, we welcome the GSE
protests as they suggest our reciprocal travel restrictions,
as well as our public comments on Somalia, are at least
resonating within the government. Although we believe the
GSE has a high threshold for diplomatic "pain" and is
unlikely to reconsider its policies, clearly there is pique
that the USG is pushing back and, given our access to the
international media stage, our widely-covered comments on
Eritrea's role in Somalia are particularly irritating. Post
was equally interested, however, in what was not raised by
Girma during the meeting, i.e. the Embassy,s November 20
diplomatic note informing the MFA that NIV operations would
be suspended on December 4 until the GSE issues a visa to
needed U.S. TDY consular help. Since the GSE refused to
issue the visa for a WAE TDYer to provide U.S. coverage of
the consular section in December, post is proceeding with our
plan for temporarily closing NIV operations (Reftel B). Post
hopes this action will prompt the issuance of a visa in Cairo
for our second consular TDYer to provide coverage in January.
However, post is bracing for the greater likelihood that
visas for TDY support personnel and permissions for
in-country travel will become even scarcer while GSE rhetoric
continues to spew anti-American vitriol in the months ahead.
End Comment.
DELISI