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

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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).

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BILATERAL RELATIONS MUCH IMPROVED, ROOM FOR GROWTH
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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.

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TALKS TO RESUME, CHANCE FOR UEDF AND OFDM TO REJOIN
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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

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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.

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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.

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COMMENT: TRAJECTORY OF RELATIONSHIP GOOD, STILL WORK TO BE
DONE
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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

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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