ETHIOPIA/ERITREA: STATE MINISTER'S CONCERNS ON

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 000770

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2017
TAGS: PREL PBTS KPKO MOPS ET ER
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA/ERITREA: STATE MINISTER'S CONCERNS ON
US/UN DISCUSSIONS

REF: STATE 14111 (NOTAL)

Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO. REASON: 1.4 (B),(D).


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tekeda
Alemu raised two concerns with Ambassador on U.S. discussions
at the U.N. on March 6 on a new approach on the
Eritrea-Ethiopia border conflict. First, Tekeda said the
U.S. should not seek other countries which are friendly to
Eritrea, in the hopes of resolving the border conflict with
Eritrea. This would overlook Eritrea,s violation of UNSCR
1640 (restriction on UN operations) and its activities
supporting extremist elements in Somalia and undercutting
peace efforts in Darfur, in direct opposition to the AU and
international community. Tekeda cautioned against giving in
to Eritrean blackmail, especially in replacing UNMEE SRSG
Ambassador Ennifar because Eritrea opposes Ennifar. Second,
the U.S. had raised last summer the consequences of divided
towns and villages during demarcation and the need for
&dialogue8 to address these issues to ensure a peaceful
demarcation. Finally, Tekeda noted that Ethiopia believes
that peaceful resolution of the border ultimately lies with
the parties themselves, and that such a resolution cannot be
realized until the fundamental differences between the
parties are resolved first. The border conflict is only
symptomatic of the differences between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Tekeda concluded that President Isaias is not ready to engage
Ethiopia in a comprehensive peace discussion, let alone a
peaceful resolution of the border conflict. END SUMMARY.

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CONCERNS WITH THE NEW U.S. APPROACH
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2. (S/NF) State Minister Tekeda called the Ambassador into
the Foreign Ministry March 12 to raise two concerns by
Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin and other senior Ethiopian
officials over reports from their Mission to the U.N. on the
March 6 briefings for the UNSC, EU and AU members, as well as
EEBC Witnesses, on a new U.S. approach to resolution of the
Eritrea-Ethiopia border conflict. First, the Minister stated
that participants told the Ethiopian side that the U.S. was
seeking assistance from states who were acceptable to the
Eritreans or who could talk to the Eritreans, like Norway,
Holland, Japan and other countries. Tekeda said engagement
with Eritrea is important and must be encouraged, but
cautioned that we not &appease8 or &reward8 or
&overlook8 Eritrea,s indiscretions. Tekeda noted that if
countries acceptable to Eritrea take the lead in the border
conflict, this could undermine the process by attracting
parties which are not neutral.


3. (S/NF) Tekeda noted that it was Eritrea which is in
violation of UNSCR 1640. The purpose of UNSCR 1640 was to
protest Eritrea,s limiting UNMEE operations, which sets a
bad precedence for other UN operations and potentially puts
at risk all participants in all UN operations. (NOTE: The
Ethiopians cite the case of Eritrea refusing to allow a
helicopter to save the life of an Indian soldier who suffered
a heart attack, forcing UNMEE to drive the soldier for hours
to an area for medivac. END NOTE.) Further, it is Eritrea,
Tekeda stressed, that supported extremists in Somalia and
attempted to undercut the Abuja Accords on Darfur by
supporting elements opposed to Minni Minawi and other
supporters of the Abuja Accords. In addition, Tekeda warned
that the international community should not dismiss Special
Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG) for
Ethiopian and Eritrea Ambassador Azouz Ennifar just because
President Isaias does not like him. Selecting only UN
officials acceptable to Isaias will be counterproductive,
Tekeda said.


4. (S/NF) Tekeda,s second concern was the issue of divided
towns and villages during demarcation: to ensure a peaceful
resolution of the border, there needs to be a dialogue to
resolve these issues. Ethiopia agreed with the U.S. on the
concerns of divided towns and villages creating new refugee
flows and potentially preventing a peaceful resolution of the
border conflict. Tekeda noted that the EEBC commissioners
also considered this a challenge and tried to address it.

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ETHIOPIA: THE BORDER IS ONLY ONE PROBLEM
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5. (S/NF) Tekeda stated that resolution of the border depends
on a comprehensive dialogue between both countries.
Ultimately, a peaceful demarcation of the border lies in both
parties resolving their problems. The border is only
symptomatic of the deeper problems which divide both
countries. Until President Isaias is ready to come to the
peace table, there will be no peace, Tekeda stated. He
reasserted that Ethiopia is ready to end the border conflict.
The Ambassador noted to Tekeda that the U.S. was looking to
other countries to take the lead (reftel),and that no one
was departing from the fundamental precepts of the Algiers
Accords.


6. (S/NF) COMMENT: Tekeda and other senior Ethiopian
leadership are deeply concerned that countries other than the
U.S. could take a biased view or be moved to be more flexible
to Eritrea, while ignoring Eritrea,s bad behavior and its
destabilizing activities in Somalia and Darfur. Tekeda
reflects the firm belief that the U.S. and only the U.S. can
help bring both parties together to resolve the fundamental
problems which divide Ethiopia and Eritrea. For now, Somalia
is Ethiopia,s primary focus, and the border issue will only
distract the Ethiopians from the more important priority for
them and the international community of stabilizing Somalia.
END COMMENT.
YAMAMOTO