Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ADDISABABA3059
2007-10-16 14:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:  

SOMALIA: PUNTLAND PRESIDENT ON ELECTIONS, THE TFG,

Tags:  PREL MOPS SO ET 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0724
PP RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDS #3059/01 2891442
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 161442Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8173
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 003059 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/E, AND INR/AA
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2017
TAGS: PREL MOPS SO ET
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: PUNTLAND PRESIDENT ON ELECTIONS, THE TFG,
AND SOMALILAND


Classified By: Political/Economic Chief Michael C. Gonzales for Reason
1.4 (b)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 003059

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/E, AND INR/AA
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2017
TAGS: PREL MOPS SO ET
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: PUNTLAND PRESIDENT ON ELECTIONS, THE TFG,
AND SOMALILAND


Classified By: Political/Economic Chief Michael C. Gonzales for Reason
1.4 (b)


1. (C) SUMMARY. On October 4 Ambassador, PolCouns, and
PolOff met with Puntland President Mohamed Muse Hersi Adde
and Ministry of Fisheries, Ports, Transport and Marine
Resources Said Mohamed Rage to discuss events in Somalia.
Adde was accompanied by his son Mohamed and First Secretary
Mahad Farah Gas. The President noted that his government had
considerable work to do to prepare for Puntland's upcoming
elections, but that the work would get done. Adde expressed
his emphatic support for the Transitional Federal Government
(TFG) and the process laid out by the Charter, but admitted
that Prime Minister Ghedi should be replaced. He argued that
the coming elections in Somaliland were exacerbating tensions
between Somaliland and Puntland as both ruling and opposition
parties were trying to gain support by showing a strong hand
against Puntland. His own support for the TFG further
contributes to these tensions. Adde expressed faith that the
Ethiopians, particularly Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum,
would take action to ensure the conflict between Puntland and
Somaliland did not get out of control.


2. (C) SUMMARY CONTINUED. The President stressed that his
government's support for the TFG was also making Puntland a
target of Eritrean-supported extremists and he accused
individuals within both Somaliland and Djibouti of helping
the extremists move and operate. Adde encouraged Washington
to support Puntland and Somaliland as a way to eventually
bring stability to the south. The President affirmed he
would continue to work with Washington and he hoped
Washington would increase development aid to Puntland. At
Post's request, Adde agreed to press the Ethiopian Government
to re-open commercial trade routes between Puntland and
Ethiopia's Somali region to provide much needed food and
supplies to the Ogaden. END SUMMARY.

--------------
WORK NEEDED TO PREPARE FOR ELECTIONS
--------------



3. (C) Adde opened the meeting by explaining that his
government had much work to do to prepare for the upcoming
elections. He noted his government needed to disarm violent
elements, conduct a census, work on the multi-party system,
hold a referendum on the constitution, and elect an electoral
commission. When queried on the likelihood of his
re-election, he responded that he did not know, but, "if I
lose, I will retire to the countryside."

--------------
WE SUPPORT THE TFG, BUT GHEDI SHOULD GO
--------------


4. (C) Adde said that Puntland supported the TFG,
highlighting the fact that more than 300 delegates from
Puntland attended the National Reconciliation Conference
(NRC) in Mogadishu. The President underscored that Puntland
was part of Somalia and one-day would be part of a federal
Somali system of government. He added that the biggest
problem between Puntland and the TFG was a dispute over the
sharing of natural resources. He noted that the TFG wanted
to divide Puntland's oil with 20 percent of revenues going to
Puntland and 80 percent to the federal government, but
asserted his government should receive the greater share.


5. (C) The President explained that he had attempted to
heal the growing animosity between TFG President Yusuf and
Prime Minister Ghedi during the NRC and that he would attempt
to meet with both in the coming weeks. When asked for his
opinion of the Prime Minister, Adde responded that Ghedi was
disruptive to the success of the TFG and should be replaced.
He stressed that the continued tensions between the PM and
President was unsustainable and Ghedi must go. Adde
suggested that Ghedi be offered the deputy prime ministership
or another ministry. Alternatively, he opined that Ghedi
could be offered the Presidency in a few years when the TFG
was more stable.

--------------
PROBLEMS WITH SOMALILAND PERSIST

ADDIS ABAB 00003059 002 OF 003


--------------


6. (C) Adde emphasized that his government's support for
the TFG was exacerbating the problems between Puntland and
Somaliland. He said the political atmosphere in Somaliland
leading up to the Somaliland elections was further fueling
the upsurge in tensions. The ruling and opposition parties
in Somaliland were attempting to demonstrate their
independence from the rest of Somalia and had been demonizing
Adde and his parliament in order to gain support at home.
The ruling party also wants to show it is capable of
defending Somaliland. Adde expected that after the
Somaliland elections the tensions and clashes between the two
governments would relax.


7. (C) On the recent fighting between Puntland and
Somaliland, Adde stressed he was in regular contact with
Somaliland officials to keep the situation under control. He
argued that members of the business community in Somaliland
were allying themselves with outside extremists to
destabilize the region. He stressed that the tensions would
not grow out of control and underscored that Ethiopia "would
do something" to resolve the crisis. The President revealed
that Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum would travel to
Somalia when he returned from New York.

--------------
EXTREMISTS TARGETING PUNTLAND
--------------


8. (C) The President stressed his government's support for
the TFG had made Puntland a target for Islamic extremists.
According to Adde, these extremists with the backing of
Eritrea were now threatening nine years of peace and
stability in northeastern Somalia. He also emphasized that
because many former Islamic Courts officials and affiliated
extremists are from Somaliland and have ties to politically
powerful Somalilanders, the Somaliland government was
unwilling and unable to prevent disruptive elements from
moving in and out of Somaliland territory. The President
repeatedly accused Eritrea of supporting these extremists and
he claimed to have a list of extremists operating in Northern
Somalia that matched Ethiopia's list of Asmara-based
extremists. Adde accused Djibouti President Guelleh of
helping the extremists move through Somaliland and into
Puntland, although Adde underscored that relations with
Djibouti were "good."

--------------
LOOK NORTH TO STABILIZE SOMALIA
--------------


9. (C) Adde observed that the international community had
devoted significant resources to stabilize Mogadishu and the
TFG, but that to date it had produced little progress. Adde
asserted the international community should consider shifting
its support from southern Somalia to the more stable Puntland
and Somaliland. Bolstering these two democracies--in
particular the security forces, efforts at multi-party
democracy, and development--could spread stability to the
south rather than hope that the TFG spreads security
northward. He underscored the current situation was not
working.

--------------
COMMITTED TO WORK WITH WASHINGTON
--------------


10. (C) The President affirmed he would continue to work
with Washington, but noted his support had caused him many
problems and made enemies. Adde hoped for greater
intelligence sharing, construction of training facilities,
and a significant increase in development aid. He said
without these tools, Puntland would be hard pressed to
develop and help stabilize the rest of Somalia. He added
Puntland was looking to develop the port of Bossaso and that
Italian and Greek companies were assessing the port including
the possibility of dredging the harbor. When the Ambassador
asked what the Ethiopians were doing to help develop
Puntland, Adde responded that the Ethiopians were struggling
with how to deal with Puntland without offending the TFG.

ADDIS ABAB 00003059 003 OF 003



--------------
COMMENT
--------------


11. (C) Adde had just returned from a month in Germany
where he received a kidney transplant (right side) and walked
feebly with a cane obviously still recovering from the
surgery. He was waiting in Addis Ababa to talk to Foreign
Minister Seyoum before returning to Puntland. President Adde
downplayed the severity of the crisis between Puntland and
Somaliland and avoided discussing the specifics of the
fighting, although he repeatedly commented that he needed to
return to Puntland and deal with the problems. He made every
attempt to stick to his message that Puntland deserves
support from the United States and the international
community because Puntland is an active partner helping to
fight Islamic extremists in the region and could help
stabilize Somalia. END COMMENT.
MALAC