Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DJIBOUTI830
2006-07-13 07:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Djibouti
Cable title:
A/S FRAZER AND SOMALILAND'S FM TALK IN DJIBOUTI
how-toVZCZCXRO7410 PP RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN DE RUEHDJ #0830 1940712 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 130712Z JUL 06 FM AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7445 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0616 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0858 RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000830
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF AND AF/E
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
NAIROBI FOR SOMALIA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL SO DJ
SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER AND SOMALILAND'S FM TALK IN DJIBOUTI
Classified By: A/S JFRAZER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000830
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF AND AF/E
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
NAIROBI FOR SOMALIA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL SO DJ
SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER AND SOMALILAND'S FM TALK IN DJIBOUTI
Classified By: A/S JFRAZER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) During a dinner hosted by Ambassador Ragsdale on
June 21, the Foreign Minister of Somaliland Edna Ismail
spoke with visiting A/S Jendayi Frazer regarding the
ongoing attempts by Somaliland to win international
recognition as an independent state. Ismail briefed the A/S
on her current tour in the region. "We are on a goodwill
mission," she said, "to inform others about Somaliland."
She reported that she and Somaliland President Kahin were
in the process of visiting countries in Africa,
specifically Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, and
Kenya--which they had not spent time in over the last few
years. She reported that "Somaliland is surviving and
moving forward, even though everyone around Somaliland is
against it."
2. (C) A/S Frazer asked Ismail for her views on Somalia's
Transitional Federal Government (TFG). "Not much has
changed with the TFG in the last decade," she replied, "but
now we and the TFG have a common enemy, and so we are
concerned and interested in the outcome. Somali actors have
a vested interest," she added "in the current state of
affairs in Somalia."
3. (C) A/S Frazer told Ismail that the United States shares
the view that there is a common enemy in the extremists,
and all agree on the need for dialogue and an end to
extremism. But what is not evident is how to contain it,"
she continued. "Even the TFG has varying views on this" she
added. Ismail responded that a solution lies in reason, not
in arms and emphasized that she did not see the Islamic
Courts as part of the solution.
4. (C) In response to A/S Frazer's question on Somaliland's
approach to gaining its independence, FM Ismail said
"Somaliland has never had its day in court, and has never
had a hearing." A/S Frazer asked Ismail where she thought
that "court" should be. Ismail replied that, in her view,
it should be the African Union. A/S Frazer advised Ismail
that if Somaliland focused on a few key states in the
African Union, such as South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and
Kenya, other states would follow suit. Ismail agreed but
also referred to the successes Somaliland has seen in its
efforts to achieve a viable and stable government. "We've
run our country in a relatively peaceful and democratic
manner," Ismail told the A/S. She reaffirmed to A/S Frazer
that Somaliland and its people "will never accept Somalia's
rule over them."
RAGSDALE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF AND AF/E
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
NAIROBI FOR SOMALIA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL SO DJ
SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER AND SOMALILAND'S FM TALK IN DJIBOUTI
Classified By: A/S JFRAZER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) During a dinner hosted by Ambassador Ragsdale on
June 21, the Foreign Minister of Somaliland Edna Ismail
spoke with visiting A/S Jendayi Frazer regarding the
ongoing attempts by Somaliland to win international
recognition as an independent state. Ismail briefed the A/S
on her current tour in the region. "We are on a goodwill
mission," she said, "to inform others about Somaliland."
She reported that she and Somaliland President Kahin were
in the process of visiting countries in Africa,
specifically Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, and
Kenya--which they had not spent time in over the last few
years. She reported that "Somaliland is surviving and
moving forward, even though everyone around Somaliland is
against it."
2. (C) A/S Frazer asked Ismail for her views on Somalia's
Transitional Federal Government (TFG). "Not much has
changed with the TFG in the last decade," she replied, "but
now we and the TFG have a common enemy, and so we are
concerned and interested in the outcome. Somali actors have
a vested interest," she added "in the current state of
affairs in Somalia."
3. (C) A/S Frazer told Ismail that the United States shares
the view that there is a common enemy in the extremists,
and all agree on the need for dialogue and an end to
extremism. But what is not evident is how to contain it,"
she continued. "Even the TFG has varying views on this" she
added. Ismail responded that a solution lies in reason, not
in arms and emphasized that she did not see the Islamic
Courts as part of the solution.
4. (C) In response to A/S Frazer's question on Somaliland's
approach to gaining its independence, FM Ismail said
"Somaliland has never had its day in court, and has never
had a hearing." A/S Frazer asked Ismail where she thought
that "court" should be. Ismail replied that, in her view,
it should be the African Union. A/S Frazer advised Ismail
that if Somaliland focused on a few key states in the
African Union, such as South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and
Kenya, other states would follow suit. Ismail agreed but
also referred to the successes Somaliland has seen in its
efforts to achieve a viable and stable government. "We've
run our country in a relatively peaceful and democratic
manner," Ismail told the A/S. She reaffirmed to A/S Frazer
that Somaliland and its people "will never accept Somalia's
rule over them."
RAGSDALE