ETHIOPIA SEEKS INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000853 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF AND AF/E LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER ET ER AU SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA SEEKS INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OF ERITREA FOR HOSTAGE-TAKING REF: ASMARA 300 (NOTAL) Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO. REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Ethiopian State Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeda Alemu called in P-5, EU, and other Ambassadors to seek support for Ethiopia's call of condemnation of Eritrea for orchestrating the hostage-taking of five British Embassy staff as well as thirteen Ethiopians. Takeda, referring to the assassination plot against Egyptian President Mubarak in 1996 in Addis Ababa, said Ethiopia would raise at the AU and UN the hostage issue and Eritrea,s role. In addition, by making public Eritrea,s responsibility in the hostage-taking, Ethiopia hopes to keep the eight remaining Ethiopian hostages alive and eventually released. For now, with Ethiopian troops committed to Somalia, Ethiopia will rely on diplomatic pressure on Eritrea to resolve the hostage crisis. END SUMMARY. -------------- ERITREA BEHIND THE HOSTAGE-TAKING -------------- ¶2. (C) State Minister Takeda called in the P-5 member Ambassadors as well as Ambassadors from the EU and other countries on March 19 to seek international support for eight remaining hostages, all Ethiopians, and to condemn Eritrea as the culprit behind the hostage-taking of five British Embassy staff and thirteen Ethiopians. Takeda said the group was taken in Ethiopia and brought to Eritrea. He said that Eritrean intelligence orchestrated the hostage-taking. To thank Eritrean President Isaias for gaining the release of the five Europeans was unacceptable, Takeda remarked. He reminded the Ambassadors that eight Ethiopians remain as hostages in Eritrea. The hostage crisis is not over, and Takeda pleaded for international support for Ethiopia. ¶3. (C) Takeda referred to the assassination attempt on Egyptian President Mubarak in Addis Ababa in 1996. At that time, Ethiopia raised with the OAU and the UN condemnation of Sudan for its role in the plot. Takeda said in this current hostage situation, Ethiopia was publicly seeking international support to condemn Eritrea for taking hostages from Ethiopian territory and bringing them to Eritrea. Eritrea,s record in Somalia and Sudan clearly made Eritrea a "state sponsor of terrorism," he said. Takeda hinted that Ethiopia would raise this issue at the AU and UN. Takeda also noted that going public with Ethiopia's charges would hopefully help prevent the killing of the eight remaining Ethiopian hostages in Eritrea. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: Takeda said that Ethiopia would seek diplomatic means to pressure Eritrea into releasing the remaining Ethiopian hostages. Takeda hinted that Ethiopia has evidence, and that they would look to the debriefing of the former British and one French hostages for evidence in support of Ethiopia's assertion of Eritrea,s direct involvement in the hostage-taking. With Ethiopian troops committed to Somalia operations, Prime Minister Meles has been clear in our private discussions that he wants to avoid another war front with Eritrea. For now, diplomatic pressure on Eritrea to keep the hostages alive or released will be Ethiopia's strategy. END COMMENT. ¶5. (U) DCM's March 16 meeting with British Ambassador, following the release of the five British Embassy staff, will be reported septel. YAMAMOTO