ETHIOPIA: EU MEMBERS NEGATIVE ON GOE ACTIONS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 001350

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF FOR DAS SWAN, A/S FRAZER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID ASEC SO ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: EU MEMBERS NEGATIVE ON GOE ACTIONS IN
SOMALIA, DOMESTIC POLITICS


Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Kevin Sullivan for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Ambassadors from EU member states emerged
angry and pessimistic from a 3-hour meeting with PM Meles
April 18. They were reacting to the Prime Minister's
comments on defeating the insurgency in Somalia as well as
his remarks concerning upcoming local elections in Ethiopia,
which they see as signaling an unmitigated hard line coming
from the GOE. Meles told Amb. Yamamoto separately that he is
still upset that the EU has not officially distanced itself
from leaks of EU staff emails denouncing gross violations of
human rights by ENDF soldiers and TFG militia in Somalia.
COMMENT: Tensions between the EU and the GOE are nothing
new, but their ties had seemed to be improving in recent
months. Furthermore, the GOE can ill-afford to have the EU
working against it in Somalia at this critical time. Both
here in Addis and in capitals, the USG will need to continue
dialogue with EU counterparts to balance their often
one-sided view of matters pertaining to Ethiopia. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) At a diplomatic gathering in late April, local EU
representative Tim Clarke and a number of key Member State
ambassadors complained in bitter tones to Pol/Econ Counselor
about a three-hour EU Heads of Mission meeting with Prime
Minister Meles. Their general impression was the Prime
Minister was confident that he could impose his will
militarily both in Somalia and with respect to Ethiopia's
domestic political situation.

EU: GOE APPROACH TO SOMALIA PURELY MILITARY ...
-------------- --


3. (C) On Somalia, Meles reportedly told EU ambassadors that
the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and Transitional
Federal Government (TFG) militia would crush the budding
insurgency in Mogadishu. EU representatives came away from
the meeting with the impression that the GOE thought it could
prevail in Somalia by military means alone, dictating
political outcomes and rewarding its allies, including TFG
President Yusuf. They expressed deep skepticism about the
sincerity of GOE statements in favor of a genuine political
reconciliation in Somalia.

...AND DEMOCRATIZATION HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION?
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Concerning domestic Ethiopian politics, the EU
ambassadors reported that Meles had warned them that the GOE
had no intention of "letting things get out of control" in
local elections later this year as they had following
national elections in 2005. Furthermore, Meles had told the
EU that a number of seemingly moderate opposition leaders,
including both Merera Gudina and Beyene Petros of the United
Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) had actually been
operating outside the law, associating with illegal groups
like the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Given these
statements, EU ambassadors had concluded that the
democratization process in Ethiopia was now headed in the
wrong direction. (Septel reports on the Ambassador's recent
conversation with Merera and Beyene on this issue.)


5. (C) In a separate conversation in mid-April, PM Meles told
Amb. Yamamoto that he was still upset that the EU had not
formally distanced itself a leaked email from an EU staff
member working on Somalia that highlighted alleged human
rights abuses by ENDF personnel in Somalia.

EU NEEDS MORE BALANCED PICTURE OF GOE
--------------


6. (C) Tensions between the EU and the GOE are nothing new,
but their ties had seemed to be improving in recent months as
robust aid programs have been renewed. The GOE can
ill-afford to have the EU working against its efforts in
Somalia at this critical time. Amb. Yamamoto has been
reaching out to a number of his colleagues to underscore that
the GOE wants out of Somalia as soon as it feels it can
leave, and also understands the need for more effective
political reconciliation initiatives from the TFG. We have
also told EU reps that there are some encouraging signs on
the domestic front, including recent modifications to the

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draft media law as well as ongoing talks concerning detained
opposition leaders from the Coalition for Unity and Democracy
(CUD). Both here in Addis and in capitals, the USG will need
to continue dialogue with EU counterparts to balance their
often one-sided view of matters pertaining to Ethiopia.
YAMAMOTO