ERITREAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON BILATERAL RELATIONS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000920

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER ER ET
SUBJECT: ERITREAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON BILATERAL RELATIONS,
REGIONAL DYNAMICS

Classified By: Ambassador Ron McMullen for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: "Dialogue is an option, but demarcation is
an obligation," said Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh
Mohammed during a November 30 meeting with the Ambassador and
DCM. He said that Eritrea "is not supporting al)Shabaab,"
adding a warning about (purported) Ethiopian misinformation.
The Ambassador outlined American counter-terrorism concerns
and consequences for those who support terrorism. The
Foreign Minister ended the hour-long discussion by suggesting
that perhaps the United States and Eritrea could make
progress on resolving "smaller problems" while working toward
common ground on the larger issues dividing us. End Summary.


2. (U) An Airport Invitation/Summons
--------------

The Eritrean protocol director, on greeting the Ambassador on
his arrival at Asmara's airport November 28, said the Foreign
Minister would like to meet with him the morning of November

30. The meeting at the MFA on November 30 began with a
briefing by the protocol director, who said the Ambassador
would be "officially accredited" to Eritrea upon presentation
of a copy of his letter of credence to the Foreign Minister.
He also provided detailed instructions on the presentation of
credentials to President Isaias, which he said would take
place "at a convenient time."


3. (C) FM Osman Saleh on Eritrea's Strategic Perspective
-------------- --------------

After initial courtesies and the presentation of the copy of
the Ambassador's letter of credence to Foreign Minister Osman
Saleh, conversation flagged. The Ambassador then shared his
perspective on the United States' priorities in the Horn of
Africa, with strong emphasis on counter-terrorism, including
the possible designation of al-Shabaab as a foreign terrorist
organization and the potential consequences for Eritrea if it
were to be found supporting terrorists in Somalia or
elsewhere. The FM listened without interruption, then
outlined Eritrea's perspective and priorities. Osman Saleh,
speaking fairly good English in a quiet voice, contended that:

-- Eritrea does not want war with Ethiopia; war is
destructive and the Eritrean people have suffered for many
years.

-- The United States should approach the border issue with
"justice" and support international law.

-- "Dialogue is an option, but demarcation is an obligation."
No conditions can be set on demarcation; normalization might
occur, but demarcation must be undertaken first.

-- The government of Ethiopia is a destabilizing force both
inside Ethiopia and in the region.

-- Eritrea is against terrorism and was fighting terrorists
before the United States was; Ethiopia harbors the Eritrean
Islamic Jihad group in Addis Ababa.

-- Eritrea "is not supporting al-Shabaab;" the United States
and the United Nations should be wary of Ethiopian
misinformation.

-- Many of the region's problems are interrelated and cannot
be solved in isolation.


4. (SBU) "Smaller Problems"
--------------

The Ambassador raised the issues of Eritrean interference
with diplomatic pouches, lack of visas for TDYers, and
in-country travel restrictions. Osman Saleh allowed that the
Vienna Convention was important but opined that it could be
implemented somewhat differently from place to place, citing
Israel as an example (but when pressed, could provide no
specifics). The Foreign Minister concluded the hour-long
exchange by saying that if some of these "smaller problems"

ASMARA 00000920 002 OF 002


could be resolved, perhaps we could work toward finding
common ground on the larger issues facing our two countries.


5. (C) Comment
--------------

As the GSE has ignored British and other Western ambassadors'
requests for appointments with the Foreign Minister for the
past six months, some observers read the Foreign Minister's
prompt meeting with the Ambassador as a favorable sign.
Osman Saleh broke no new ground (and the Ambassador was
simultaneously being denounced as a spy at a mass political
rally elsewhere in Asmara),but the straightforward exchange
of views and the Foreign Minister's suggestion that working
to resolve small problems could lead to improved cooperation
on bigger issues was probably what passes for a cordial GSE
welcome in the context of this strained bilateral
relationship. End Comment.
MCMULLEN