SOMALILAND FOREIGN MINISTER REVIEWS COOPERATION

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 001397

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/E, AND S/CT:B.PHIPPS
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017
TAGS: PREL PBTS PTER EAID KDEM ET SO DJ
SUBJECT: SOMALILAND FOREIGN MINISTER REVIEWS COOPERATION
WITH ETHIOPIA AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

REF: A. ADDIS ABABA 1308

B. ADDIS ABABA 420

C. ADDIS ABABA 68

D. ADDIS ABABA 60

Classified By: ERIC WONG, DEPUTY POL-ECON COUNSELOR. REASON: 1.4 (D).


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY. On May 4, Somaliland Foreign Minister
Abdillahi M. Duale updated Ambassador and poloff on his
recent visit to Europe to promote Somaliland's external
relations with potential donors, and ongoing consultations
with Ethiopia on cross-border counter-terrorism cooperation.
FM Duale asserted that Sweden would relate to Somaliland as
"a self-governing state" for foreign assistance activities,
and appealed for the USG and other donors to help Somaliland
sustain its democratization and economic development.
Somaliland sought support for a visit by an AU political
mission, and objected to a recent EU report on Somalia.
Duale requested USG assistance in having international fora
affirm that the "de facto status" of Somaliland should be
addressed by dialogue; and that the peace, security, and
tranquillity of Somaliland should be preserved. On bilateral
issues with the U.S., Duale said President Kahin would comply
with a USG request to release a prisoner recently convicted
of terrorism (ref C),and appealed for USG technical
assistance to help Somaliland's Ministry of Religious Affairs
to register mosques. Noting that "the security of Ethiopia
is our security," Duale highlighted counter-terrorism
cooperation with Ethiopia at the ministerial and local
levels, and condemned the April 24 Ogaden National Liberation
Front (ONLF) attack on a Chinese oil facility near Ethiopia's
border with Somaliland (ref A). He concluded by observing
that relations with Djibouti remained strained, and by
questioning the political legitimacy of Puntland. END
SUMMARY.

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LOBBYING EUROPE FOR RECOGNITION
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2. (SBU) Reporting on recent consultations in Europe, Duale
said he had met with authorities in Denmark, Germany, and the
UK, and that Sweden had now decided it would relate to
Somaliland as "a self-governing state," at least in terms of
development and democratization activities. Duale appealed
for the USG and other donors to help Somaliland sustain its
democratization and economic development. An "infant
democracy" whose parliament was controlled by the opposition
by a nine-vote margin, Somaliland could be an effective
partner in promoting security, development, and transparency
for the region, Duale said. In June, a German firm would
begin operations to produce cement, gypsum, and coal, which
was expected to boost job creation. Somaliland was a
constitutional state devoted to secularism; Duale said BBC
Somali Service had misquoted him saying Somaliland was led by
an "infidel" administration, a mistake corrected in
subsequent broadcasts on Hargeisa television.


3. (C) Of concern to Somaliland, however, was the last
European Union report on Somalia, which insinuated that
Somaliland destabilized Djibouti, Duale said. Duale said he
had protested to the EU about the characterization of
Somaliland being synonymous with the Issak clan.


4. (C) Noting that the USG was chairing the UN Security
Council in May, Duale appealed for USG support to have
international fora (including the AU, EU, IGAD, UN, and the
International Contact Group on Somalia) affirm that:
-- the peace, security, and tranquillity of Somaliland should
be preserved; and that
-- the "de facto status" of Somaliland should be addressed by
dialogue.
According to Duale, Ethiopian State Minister of Foreign
Affairs Tekeda supported both points, and bilateral
consultations between Duale and Tekeda would continue through
the following week.

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SOMALILAND WILL RELEASE DETAINEE TO USG

ADDIS ABAB 00001397 002 OF 003


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5. (S/NF) Regarding a detained Somalilander whom Somaliland
President Kahin had pledged to release at the request of the
USG (ref C),FM Duale reiterated Somaliland's commitment to
releasing him, saying "a promise is a promise." Somaliland
would comply with the USG's request, despite the detainee's
recent conviction "among other terrorists," and some
parliamentarians' opposition to his release. President
Kahin had pushed the case "to the limit," Duale said, having
convened Supreme Court justices to hear the case in Berbera
(as the jail in the capital, Hargeisa, was under renovation),
in order to render the judicial process complete. Having
convicted him, Somaliland could now exfiltrate him without
public attention. The prisoner's release, at the request of
the USG, was "a foregone conclusion;" only the "technical
issue of removing him" from Somaliland remained, Duale said.
Ambassador underscored the priority of securing the
individual's release.


6. (C) Citing examples of support for counter-terrorism,
Duale said Somaliland welcomed its ""strategic friendship"
with the USG. Ambassador noted shared concerns about
security and stability, and urged Somaliland authorities to
share information on suspected terrorists that may be
transiting Somaliland. Duale requested USG assistance with
the following:
-- Capacity-building for Somaliland's Ministry of Religious
Affairs was a priority, as the government sought to emulate
Turkey and register mosques, particularly those receiving
foreign support that were "installed without
accountability."
-- USG advocacy could help convince the African Union Peace
and Security Council (PSC) to send a mission to Somaliland.

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COOPERATION WITH ETHIOPIA, BUT NOT PUNTLAND OR DJIBOUTI
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7. (C) Somaliland had recently decided to replace its
ambassador to Ethiopia, due to Ethiopia's strategic
importance, Duale said. Noting that "the security of
Ethiopia is our security," FM Duale underscored
Somaliland-Ethiopia cooperation on border security and
counter-terrorism:
-- Somaliland had previously arrested Ogaden National
Liberation Front (ONLF) insurgents "red-handed" in a safe
house, and had established a bilateral mechanism with
Ethiopia for the exchange of information. Somaliland had
expressed condolences for the "deplorable" April 24 ONLF
attack on a Chinese oil facility in Ethiopia's Somali Region
(ref A).
-- For its own national security as well as that of the
region, Somaliland had established a commission to study the
"exodus" of individuals fleeing through Hargeisa from
(southern) Somalia. Many were "common people" accompanied by
family members, Duale said, noting that the magnitude of the
exodus had driven up the cost of housing, schools, and
commodities in Hargeisa.
-- At the national level, Somaliland and the GOE had
established an interministerial committee to regularly
discuss security issues; links would also be established
between local Hargeisa authorities and local administrators
in Dire Dawa and Ethiopia's Somali Region. Joint
GOE-Somaliland delegations had met with Somali Region
officials to discuss inter-tribal fighting in the Region,
Duale said, where some Somaliland-registered vehicles had
been attacked.


8. (C) In contrast, Somaliland had serious problems with
Djibouti and Puntland, Duale said. Recognition of Puntland
would set a poor precedent for the African Union and
encourage separatist movements by other ethnic groups, Duale
claimed, such as in Rwanda. "Puntland is a gimmick: one
tribe who lives on both sides of the border," Duale said.
Duale claimed that the GOE was aware that Bosasso authorities
(i.e., in Puntland) collected a levy on livestock that
benefited the ONLF. Asserting that Puntland was a creation
of Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) President

ADDIS ABAB 00001397 003 OF 003


Abdullahi Yusuf, Duale said Somaliland would "hold him
accountable" for all these "provocations."


9. (C) Duale noted strained relations with Djibouti's
President Guelleh, perhaps motivated by fear that Berbera
port operations would undercut Djibouti's. Somaliland
believed ports in the region could complement each other, and
had discussed the viability of a "Berbera corridor" with the
EU, Duale said.


10. (C) COMMENT. While FM Duale objects to the EU's
characterization of Somaliland as a majority Issak region, he
highlights the ethnic basis of Puntland's claim to
sovereignty. Somaliland's close cooperation with Ethiopia,
in contrast to its strained relations with Puntland and with
the TFG in the south, highlights Ethiopia's central political
role in the region, as Ethiopia maintains close relations
with all three estranged Somali entities. The recent ONLF
attack on a Chinese facility near Ethiopia's border with
Somaliland (ref A) underscores the strategic importance of
Somaliland's security linkages with Ethiopia and the value of
enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation with Somaliland
authorities. END COMMENT.
YAMAMOTO