Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DJIBOUTI433
2006-04-07 07:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Djibouti
Cable title:  

DAS YAMAMOTO MEETS WITH PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN

Tags:  PGOV PREL EAID PHUM MARR DJ SO 
pdf how-to read a cable
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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7058
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 3247
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA 2043
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0062
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0563
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RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0807
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA 1479
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0040
C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000433 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF AND AF/E
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
NSC FOR AF DIRECTOR COURVILLE;

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID PHUM MARR DJ SO
SUBJECT: DAS YAMAMOTO MEETS WITH PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN
MINISTER OF DJIBOUTI


Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE.
FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000433

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF AND AF/E
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
NSC FOR AF DIRECTOR COURVILLE;

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID PHUM MARR DJ SO
SUBJECT: DAS YAMAMOTO MEETS WITH PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN
MINISTER OF DJIBOUTI


Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE.
FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. On April 2, AF Deputy Assistant
Secretary Don Yamamoto met separately in Djibouti with

SIPDIS
President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Foreign Minister Mahmoud
Ali Youssouf to discuss the Ethiopian/Eritrean border
conflict, engaging with Somalia, and strengthening the
coalition at Camp Lemonier. DAS Yamamoto sought and
obtained President Guelleh's agreement to approach the Ayr
clan in Somalia with a view toward tamping down the
violence there and facilitating the reconciliation
process. Guelleh cautioned, however, that the Ayr had very
little real influence in Somalia, and derived much of its
authority from its affiliation with the Marehan. Guelleh
described Somalia as both complicated and simple, and the
warlords as "dangerous." He also said the warlords will
never accept a central government. Foreign Minister
Youssouf urged continued U.S. engagement with and support
of the Transition Federal Government (TFG),as well as a
focus on security and financial support of its
institutions. In response to DAS Yamamoto's inquiry about
Djiboutian willingness to support the combined Joint Task
Force-Horn of Africa's efforts at broadening the
counterterrorism coalition, Guelleh affirmed but said it
should be planned. He said Djibouti would wish to be
informed in advance prior to the arrival of such forces.
Guelleh also made a plea for the acceptance of Djibouti as
a staging point for the U.S. regional food aid program.
End Summary.


2. (C) AF Deputy Assistant Secretary Don Yamamoto visited
Djibouti April 2 on a trip to the Horn of Africa that also
included visits to Ethiopia and Eritrea. He met separately
with Djibouti's President, Ismail Omar Guelleh, and Foreign
Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. DAS Yamamoto was

accompanied in both meetings by the Ambassador, Special
Assistant on Ethiopia and Eritrea Bill Schofield, and
POL/ECON Officer (notetaker). Foreign Minister Youssouf
also sat in on the presidential meeting.

--------------
SOMALIA AND USG ENGAGEMENT
--------------


3. (C) DAS Yamamoto initiated his meeting with President
Guelleh by informing him of U.S efforts to bring about a
stable government in Somalia. He said the U.S. has been
engaged with the TFG and met last October with its
President, Abdillahi Yusuf. He reaffirmed U.S. support for
the TFG process and said the U.S. had also urged Yusuf to
become more engaged with the warlords.


4. (C) President Guelleh responded that the situation in
Somalia is complicated in some aspects and simple in
others. It is clear, however, that continuation down the
current path will not solve the chaos, he said. He
recommended slow steps, region by region, to create a
microcosm of peace that could expand more broadly. Guelleh
acknowledged measures in Somalia taken by the United
Nations, and commented that their value may be deemed
either good or not so good. He said perceived economic
inequities between officials in the federal government
institutions and the local population at large are driving
militia activism in Somalia, and he had informed Yusuf of
this.


5. (C) President Guelleh held the view that the potential
exists in Baidoa to lay the foundation for organized
government. He said a militia force exists there numbering
around 7000 and is the only united militia in that region.
Its members form a special ethnic group, speaking the
Somali/Bantu dialect. He expressed the belief that if the
government could be consolidated in Baidoa, and sustenance
given to the militia, the militia could enforce checkpoints

to stop entry into Baidoa of individuals bearing weapons.
This would enable the government to work in peace. He also
noted that 200 police are now in Kenya for training and
that this is a good step. In addition, the Arab League has
set aside USD 26 million in funding to support the TFG. To
discourage possible corruption, Guelleh recommended that
UNDP handle the funds and work with the TFG to create
appropriate structures. Guelleh added that Baidoa already
had considerable infrastructure including courts, prisons,
customs, schools, hospitals, and even traffic signals. In
Mogadishu, both Islamists and warlords must be fought. "All
are dangerous," he said. He also added that warlords, who
derive considerable power from control of the drug trade
and piracy, and who have their own airports, will never
accept a central government while the Islamists only want
an Islamic state.


6. (C) DAS Yamamoto told Guelleh that the principal
question now is how to reconcile the differences that exist
in Somalia. He spoke of Guelleh's closeness to members of
the influential Ayr clan, and asked if the President's
personal approach to this clan might be a starting point in
a reconciliation process. Guelleh responded that in his
view, the Ayr do not have much influence. They originate
from the poorest and most desolate region of Somalia and
derive much of their authority from their affiliation with
the Marehan. When Said Barre's regime collapsed, he
continued, the Ayr were targeted by the Hawiye and kept a
low profile. After Abdiqasim came to power, the Ayr
re-emerged and many became businessmen. Guelleh stated
that some Ayr are Islamists, such as Dahir Aweys, the head
of Al-Ittihad. Yet without the Marehan, the Ayr are
nothing and remain close to them. Still, Guelleh said, he
would be willing "to send some messages to them." As for
Abdillahi Yusuf, the President commented that his health
may not allow him to do very much in the way
reconciliation. The President described Yusuf as "a man of
the past" even though he is now here in the present.


7. (C) During his separate meeting with DAS Yamamoto,
Foreign Minister Youssouf noted his own visit to Jowhar two
months earlier and outlined three areas he described as key
to success in Somalia. First, the TFG process must be
supported. U.S. support, especially is critical, without
it, he said, further progress toward stability is
unlikely. Second, the transitional institutions need
financial and material support. Other partners are
contributing the Minister continued, but the U.S. role is
missing. It would help as well to lift sanctions, although
Youssouf said he understood the ongoing violence in
Mogadishu worked against the lifting of sanctions. Third,
the Minister said security is a necessity and a
peacekeeping force may be a step in the right direction.
Youssouf cautioned that one thousand men cannot restore
peace, yet their presence could be a first step toward
it.

--------------
ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA
--------------


8. (C) DAS Yamamoto told FM Youssouf that avoiding war
and conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea was a USG
priority. Youssouf responded that it was difficult for
Djibouti to be involved in the conflict since it shares a
common border with both countries. He indicated that
Djibouti had turned down many proposals to assist. Yet he
stated that it is good for the U.S. to try to bring about
peace. Also commenting on the conflict, President Guelleh
told DAS Yamamoto that Djibouti would not wish to
complicate the Ethiopia-Eritrea issue in order to be at
ease with both sides.


9. (C) DAS Yamamoto advised President Guelleh of the
interest of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa

(CJTF-HOA) based in Djibouti in expanding national
participation in the global anti-terrorism campaign. He
asked for the President's views on such expansion, Guelleh
responded that he had no problem with such expansion if it
is done with planning. He said Djibouti should be informed
of the arrival of outside forces into Camp Lemonier prior
to their coming. (COMMENT: The same view was expressed by
General Fathi Ahmed Hussein, Commander of Djiboutian Armed
Forces, in DAS Yamamoto's breakfast meeting earlier in the
day with the General. End comment.)

--------------
FOOD AID AND THE DROUGHT
--------------


10. (C) DAS Yamamoto raised the issue of food aid to
Somalia and other Horn of Africa states stricken by drought
and asked for ideas on how to distribute food in view of
frequent pirate attacks on these ships. Food may not be
reaching those who need it most. Foreign Minister Youssouf
said that there is a network of Somali traders on the
ground that could be used for distribution. It is
impossible, he continued, to guarantee 100 percent that the
food aid would be distributed properly, but it is a good
option. Youssouf estimated that over 1.8 million people in
Somalia are starving.


11. (C) President Guelleh focused on an indication from
USAID that it might be interested in using Djibouti as a
storage point for U.S. food aid in the Horn of Africa
region. He told DAS Yamamoto that he would very much like
to see the U.S. use Djibouti in its efforts to ameliorate
drought effects in the Horn of Africa. Guelleh described
such a facility as creating jobs in the country while
benefiting all of the region's states affected by drought.


12. (C) COMMENT: Guelleh is very close or has good
contacts with most of the warlords in Somalia. He can play
a positive role in efforts to stabilize the region and to
encourage certain warlords to play a more positive role in
reconciliation in Somalia. Guelleh echoed the same
sentiment expressed by Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles that
U.S. engagement with the TFG was critical, along with
foreign assistance to help support political institutions
and humanitarian relief. This would send a powerful message
to the warlords that the U.S. supports national
reconciliation and that the TFG can play a major role.
Guelleh stressed his opposition to the hard-core Islamic
groups in backing the TFG. Perhaps Guelleh can help our
efforts to dispel Somali rumors of the U.S. as anti-Islamic
and supporting a war on Islam, as displayed by rumors of
U.S. support for the Alliance, a group of warlords fighting
the Islamic clerics in Mogadishu. End Comment.


13. (U) DAS Yamamoto cleared this cable.
RAGSDALE