Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASMARA307
2007-03-16 09:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:  

EXPANDING QATARI INTERESTS IN ERITRA; COMMERCIAL,

Tags:  PREL SU ER QA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7296
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHAE #0307/01 0750907
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 160907Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8780
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1313
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1490
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 1771
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY 0073
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000307 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2017
TAGS: PREL SU ER QA
SUBJECT: EXPANDING QATARI INTERESTS IN ERITRA; COMMERCIAL,
POLITICAL OR BOTH?

REF: A. USDAO ASMARA IIR 6 908 0222 07 - DTG 090818Z MAR
07

B. KHARTOUM 00406

Classified By: AMB. SCOTT H. DELISI FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000307

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2017
TAGS: PREL SU ER QA
SUBJECT: EXPANDING QATARI INTERESTS IN ERITRA; COMMERCIAL,
POLITICAL OR BOTH?

REF: A. USDAO ASMARA IIR 6 908 0222 07 - DTG 090818Z MAR
07

B. KHARTOUM 00406

Classified By: AMB. SCOTT H. DELISI FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)


1. (C) In a March 14 meeting with DCM, the Sudanese DCM in
Eritrea Hussein Mohammed Hussein expanded on recent press
reports on March 7-8 discussions between Eritrean President
Isaias, Sudanese President Bashir, and Sheikh Hamed Al-Thani,
Emir of Qatar in Doha. The topics they focused on included
commercial development projects and development assistance to
Sudan and Eritrea; Darfur; and Somalia. Hussein also
provided details on upcoming Qatari investment and
development projects in Eritrea and the Eritrean/Eastern
Sudanese border area.


2. (C) Sudanese DCM Hussein said that Qatar had finalized
several commercial projects with Eritrea during President's
Isaias' meetings last week with the Emir. These projects
include: development assistance to Eritrea and Sudan for
their border area, to include funding the construction of a
road from Kassala to Port Sudan -- an interesting development
in light of recent reports (Ref A) of an agreement between
Sudan and Eritrea to give the GSE as much as 50 percent of
the transit of overland cargo to Khartoum in return for the
GSE's support to the NCP. Qatar has also reportedly agree to
the refurbishment of two hotels (the Gurgeson and Hamasien)
in the port city of Massawa; and development of the Dahlak
Islands. (Note: There are many islands in the Dahlak group
located in the Red Sea off of the port of Massawa. Hussein
did not elaborate further on which islands and what type of
"development" was envisioned. End Note.) Hussein added that
the planning for these projects had been in train for several
months between the Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE)
and the Qatari company, Diyar, and had included two prior
visits, the last visit occurring in February in which the
Eritreans had taken Diyar company personnel by helicopter to
the Dahlak islands. He added that a Diyar representative
would be in Eritrea on a third visit at the end of this week
to open a headquarters office in Asmara and work out the

transfer of funds from Qatar to the Eritrean banks. Hussein
added that the Qataris further had agreed in last week's
meetings to build a school and hospital at "Marsa Farma"
(phonetic spelling - possibly Mersa Fatuma/Maersa Fatma, a
former Italian air base located on the coast between Massawa
and Assab) as development assistance to the GSE.


3. (C) When asked about the Qatari interest in Darfur,
Hussein noted that the Qatari Emir had in the past, played a
significant role in mediating issues between Eritrea and
Sudan. While Hussein was not absolutely certain of what was
discussed vis-a-vis Darfur, he believed that the meeting had
included a proposal for Qatar to serve as the conduit to the
international community to reconcile the proposals for an
Eritrean-Libyan-led Darfur initiative with the UN/AU
initiative. On Somalia, Hussein was even vaguer about the
actual issues under discussion, commenting only that the
three Presidents had issued a statement supporting an
inclusive political dialogue.


4. (C) Comment: This meeting was requested by the Sudanese
and we presumed it would be a continuation of Sudanese
efforts here to urge U.S. support for an Eritrean-led
mediation on Darfur (the Darfur mediation was, in fact,
raised by Hussein, to be reported septel). However, Hussein
opened the meeting by volunteering this detailed information
on Qatar's expanding engagement with Eritrea and Sudan. Post
has noticed an increase of interaction between Eritrea and
Qatar in recent months, which is in keeping with the GSE's
apparent regional strategy of finding a new group of less
critical friends than the U.S. and western democracies --
efforts which have included diplomatic overtures to Iran.
Post notes with interest as well Ref B from Embassy Khartoum
suggesting that Sudan is also turning to Iran and Qatar as a
response to its growing isolation from the west. The GSE,
desperate for financial resources and keen to enhance its
regional standing in order to pressure Ethiopia and influence
events in the Horn, has been more than willing to serve as a

ASMARA 00000307 002 OF 002


channel for Arab supporters of the CIC to provide assistance
to the CIC without being directly seen as doing so. The GSE
welcomes the notoriety its support for the CIC is giving it,
delights in being the regional voice attacking the USG for
its "invasion" of Somalia using our Ethiopian (and now,
Ugandan) "proxies." It seems clear that the GSE hopes that
this will also translate into financial and political support
from the Arab world.


5. (C) Comment continued: The commercial agreements with
Qatar are in keeping with the GSE's professed interest to
develop the Massawa and Assab port areas and their
much-touted (but yet developed) plans for a Free Trade Zone
in the ports. And, it may be that Qatar's primary long-term
interest is commercial gain through investing in the ports
and the improved infrastructure between Sudan and Eritrea.
Hussein's statement that Qatar could be considering offering
itself as a moderator between the U.S. and international
community on one side and the Sudanese and Eritreans on the
other on Darfur is interesting, however. Given the Sudanese'
apparent enthusiasm for the Qatari role, we wonder if they
envision Qatar as an ally in trying to undercut the AU-UN
process which neither the Sudanese nor the Eritreans favor.
We are curious as well as to whether Qatar, or the commercial
entities involved in the new development effort, are among
those sympathetic to the CIC. We have little window from
here on Qatari attitudes or inclinations and their Ambassador
is virtually never present in Asmara while their DCM is on an
extended holiday. We would welcome any insights Department
or Embassy Doha can offer. Depending on Qatar's own
attitudes and the current state of our own relationship with
them, we might also want to consider urging Qatar to use its
seemingly growing influence with Eritrea to press them to
cease their destablizing actions in the region. End Comment.
DeLisi