ETHIOPIA: AMBASSADOR AND SENIOR EPRDF OFFICIALS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 001767 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND DRL: SJOSEPH LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2017 TAGS: PHUM KJUS KDEM PGOV ET SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: AMBASSADOR AND SENIOR EPRDF OFFICIALS ON BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP REF: ADDIS ABABA 01511 ADDIS ABAB 00001767 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Acting Pol-Econ Counselor Eric Wong Reason 1.4 (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a June 1 meeting, Minister Bereket Simon, Special Advisor to PM Meles, praised Ambassador for his work in strengthening bilateral ties, emphasizing that the relationship is currently stronger than it had been in years. Bereket said the GoE hoped to use this trajectory to enhance economic and military cooperation. Ambassador reassured Bereket that the USG was working to boost assistance to Ethiopia in both areas -- to help create jobs, as well as make good on past promises of increased military support. Ambassador also took the opportunity to stress the importance of continuing work on democratic reform through the ongoing inter-party dialogue; the need for free and fair local elections, including participation by the National Democratic Institute (NDI); and the importance of the GoE releasing Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) detainees and other opposition leaders detained since November 2005. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On June 1, Ambassador, DCM, PAO and Poloffs met with senior Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) officials Bereket Simon (Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, with the title of Minister),Sekuture Getachew (Head of EPRDF Foreign Relations),Tadesse Kassa (Head of EPRDF Secretariat),and Eshetu Dessie (Head of EPRDF Party Affairs). -------------- -------------- BILATERAL RELATIONS MUCH IMPROVED, ROOM FOR GROWTH -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Minister Bereket hailed the strong bilateral relationship between Ethiopia and the United States. "There are countries that are skilled at tapping their resources and building relationships," Bereket said, "but not (Ethiopia)." Despite Ethiopia's shortcomings, through increased cooperation and close communication "our relations are stronger than they have been in some time," he said. Ambassador stressed that maintaining this relationship was essential. An official state visit by PM Meles and other senior GoE officials to the U.S. (the first since 2002) would highlight the strength of the bilateral relationship, but could only be considered if the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) detainees were released. ¶4. (C) On the matter of military cooperation, Bereket said Ethiopia was "doing the dirtiest job in Africa )- fighting terrorism." "We see how the U.S. supports other countries around the world that do less than us. We do more to cultivate the (bilateral) relationship, but sometimes we feel like Ethiopia is passed over," Bereket opined. The Ambassador assured Bereket that the USG was reviewing promises made in recent years that had not yet been fulfilled. He told Bereket that USG funding for Ethiopia was a top concern and asked that the GoE remain patient and allow the budgeting cycle to demonstrate increased support. ¶5. (SBU) Regarding economic cooperation, Bereket said that the U.S. and Ethiopia had many common agendas, but that "trade relations need work," and that, "the U.S. needs to think in terms of upgrading economic cooperation." AGOA had helped, particularly of late, but that Ethiopia still lacked the capacity to take advantage of it. Told of the Post's target of creating 100,000 jobs in Ethiopia every year through increased bilateral trade, Bereket said that such support was critical in building a stable Ethiopia, which would in turn help to stabilize the entire region. -------------- -------------- TALKS TO RESUME, CHANCE FOR UEDF AND OFDM TO REJOIN -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Bereket confirmed that the EPRDF was ready to welcome both Bulcha Demeksa of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) and Beyene Petros of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) back to the negotiation table in the inter-party dialogue (reftel),but that both convey regret ADDIS ABAB 00001767 002.2 OF 003 for walking out and needed to commit to remain in the process. "We can't do business with unpredictable partners," he said, "otherwise if they threaten to walk out the door, we must leave the daggers behind our back." Asked about the possibility of the Temesgen Zewdie-led Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP) rejoining the talks, Bereket said that while Bulcha was reasonable, "the UEDF and the CUDP have not left their pasts behind them." He repeated the GoE's claim that evidence showed UEDF MPs having housed ten members of the outlawed Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Bereket noted that Beyene was instrumental in the three opposition parties walking out of the negotiations in the first place, saying that he was a "bad influence." ¶7. (SBU) Regardless of whether these three opposition parties rejoined the talks, Bereket said that the talks would move forward on June 5, during which the group would continue to vet candidates for the National Election Board. (NOTE: Poloff was told separately by Ayele Chamisso of the CUDP that the inter-party group has whittled the initial list of submissions from 42 down to 24. END NOTE.) Bereket expressed confidence that the group would soon finish and present candidates to PM Meles and then Parliament before the July summer recess. The group will then move directly into the next agenda item -) media law reform. -------------- -- LOCAL ELECTIONS MAY NOT HAVE FULL PARTICIPATION -------------- -- ¶8. (SBU) In discussing the local elections planned for the end of the year, Bereket said that the EPRDF would begin campaigning three months in advance, and that all political parties would be granted access to media. Nevertheless, he theorized that only opposition parties "committed to peace," the United Ethiopian Democratic Party (UEDP-Medhin) of Lidetu Ayalew and the CUDP of Ayele Chamisso, would participate fully in the elections. Responding to questions on the controversial matter of international observers for these elections, Bereket said that it was not constitutional to guarantee them access. Rather, permission to observe should be at the discretion of the GoE. Local civic organizations must observe elections, since "you can't expel a local observer," he noted, "but international observers can always be PNG-ed." Ambassador informed Bereket that he had been discussing the return of NDI to participate in capacity-building. (NOTE: The GoE expelled NDI and the International Republican Institute prior to the May 2005 elections. END NOTE.) Bereket responded that the GoE would discuss this, but that ultimately it would be up to the NEB to decide. Although there were "serious problems" with NDI the last time they worked in Ethiopia, the bilateral relationship had not been as strong as it was now. During the last elections, the relationship was "tested in fire," he said, and while relations with some countries soured, Ethiopia's relationship with the U.S. became stronger. Looking further to future Federal Parliamentary elections in 2010, Bereket speculated that, since the opposition's advances in the last election were the result of a protest vote, if the EPRDF corrected its mistakes in the meantime, it would win back all the seats it had lost. -------------- -------------- COMMENT: TRAJECTORY OF RELATIONSHIP GOOD, STILL WORK TO BE DONE -------------- -------------- ¶9. (C) The lunch meeting at the Ambassador's residence with senior EPRDF officials, in particular Bereket Simon, PM Meles, right-hand man, was a good opportunity to address a number of key bilateral relationship issues in an informal manner. Post's plan to continue holding such meetings with senior GoE officials is an opportunity to further elevate the bilateral relationship and to address a wide variety of issues in an unofficial setting. In this first of such meetings, Minister Bereket highlighted several areas in which the ruling EPRDF coalition and opposition parties are working together to make progress on political reconciliation, such as reform of the National Election Board, and preparations for long-delayed local elections. However, several significant issues remain unsolved: determining which of the ADDIS ABAB 00001767 003.2 OF 003 two rival CUDP factions will be recognized by the GoE and allowed to participate in local elections, and whether the GoE will allow international election groups back into Ethiopia, as sought by the OFDM and other opposition parties. YAMAMOTO