A/S FRAZER AND EU CONFER ON RANGE OF AFRICAN ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 002324 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID EUN XA SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER AND EU CONFER ON RANGE OF AFRICAN ISSUES Classified By: Unit Chief V. Carver for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The U.S. and EU were in general agreement about a broad range of African issues, with the important exceptions of Eritrea and Zimbabwe, when they met June 24 for four hours of troika consultations on African affairs. On Eritrea, the EU favored continued engagement of President Isaias, while A/S Frazer said the U.S. is leaning toward isolation and harsher measures. On Zimbabwe, the EU indicated it intends to invite President Mugabe to Lisbon for the EU-Africa Summit in December, a decision the U.S. does not support. On Sudan and Somalia, the EU and U.S. agreed that continued political engagement and pressure are necessary to bring an end to the two currently most intractable conflicts in Africa. On DRC and in West Africa, both sides agreed that great progress has been made in recent years, but that continued security sector reform and democratic institution building is needed. End summary. Sudan and Chad -------------- ¶2. (C) The EU recently gave 40 million euros to support AMIS through the African Union (AU),and another 50 million is in the approval process, said Dorothee Janetzke-Wenzel, Director for African Affairs for the German MFA. EU Member States have also made their own contributions, including approximately 75 million euros from the UK, 40 million from the Netherlands, and 25 million from Germany. Koen Vervaeke, head of the Africa Unit for the Council Secretariat, said AMIS is funded through July, but will need an estimated additional 180 million euros through the end of the year. Jean-Christophe Belliard, an advisor in the Council Secretariat's Africa Unit, noted his concern that, although SIPDIS the EU has funded AMIS, peacekeepers had not been paid in approximately four months. A/S Frazer expressed her support for the French proposal to deploy French and other EU peacekeepers to eastern Chad to provide refugee camp security and rebuild villages. ¶3. (C) In response to EU statements about working with President Bashir and offering carrots rather than sticks, A/S Frazer recounted the U.S.' discouraging August 2006 experience with incentives, which it offered on the advice of the Chinese. Frazer said the U.S. told the government of Sudan it would upgrade U.S. representation in Khartoum from a 
charge to an ambassador, arrange a meeting between Presidents Bashir and Bush at the UN General Assembly, roll back economic sanctions, and remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terror if Sudan, in return, would accept UN forces in Darfur and not launch military offensives there. Shortly thereafter, the government of Sudan launched a military offensive, held a high-profile meeting with Venezuelan President Chavez, and publicly criticized the U.S. Despite that, Frazer said, the U.S. still remains ready to negotiate with Bashir and accept the previously-offered deal. Both the U.S. and EU said their goal is to keep Sudan unified as a country (without secession of the South) and that neither is seeking regime change in Khartoum at the moment. Belliard said he expects war if southern Sudan votes to secede by referendum in 2011, as it is allowed to under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, because Khartoum will not let the South and its oil reserves go peacefully. Somalia -------------- ¶4. (C) Janetzke-Wenzel said improved humanitarian access and political inclusiveness are the EU's priorities for Somalia and its upcoming National Reconciliation Conference. The EU has given 50 million euros for an AU headquarters in Mogadishu, and plans to commit an additional 36 million euros for reconstruction. A/S Frazer noted the U.S. is hampered in its efforts to work in Somalia because of the dangerous environment there. She said the internal U.S. assessment is that Prime Minister Gedi should step down. EU officials concurred. Frazer said all the neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa have been helpful in resolving strife in Somalia except Eritrea. Eritrea -------------- BRUSSELS 00002324 002 OF 003 ¶5. (C) A/S Frazer told the EU that Eritrea has sponsored and supported terrorism, and that U.S. patience with the regime is nearly exhausted. She said the USG is considering adding Eritrea to the state sponsors of terrorism list and downgrading the U.S. diplomatic presence in Asmara. EU officials were clearly surprised by that statement, and said they continue to believe that dialogue with Eritrea can lead to positive results. "In the Horn, there are not a bunch of angels," said Roger Moore, Director for the Horn of Africa at the European Commission's Directorate General for Development. "Either you talk to war criminals and bad guys or throw out the whole lot. If we isolate and demonize them, it will make matters worse." Frazer said that engaging Eritrea does not seem to have moderated its behavior and may, in fact, legitimize it. Vervaeke suggested that the U.S. share its terrorism information with the EU in the interests of reaching a mutual understanding about how to proceed regarding Eritrea. Zimbabwe -------------- ¶6. (C) Representatives from the outgoing German and incoming Portuguese EU presidencies noted the EU's intention to invite President Mugabe to the EU-Africa Summit in December. Janetzke-Wenzel said, "We realize that Africa as a whole suffers if Zimbabwe is isolated." Frazer said the U.S. does not think Mugabe should be invited to the summit in Lisbon, and that isolation and sanctions are the most effective strategies. Both sides said regime change may come from within the ruling ZANU party rather than the opposition. Moore noted that Mugabe is immensely popular throughout Africa, but Frazer said she believes it is shallow, emotionally-based support that could readily turn against him. Congo -------------- ¶7. (C) Vervaeke said that, despite fighting during March in Kinshasa, the transition to a democratically-elected government in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been a major success over the past year. The Parliament and Senate are functioning well, and the EU Mission in Kinshasa, rather than the EU member state missions, has become the focal point for EU-DRC diplomatic relations, he said. Remaining challenges include reforming the armed forces and disarming North Kivu rebel leader Gen. Laurent Nkunda. A/S Frazer said the U.S. would like to work with the DRC to oust the LRA from northern DRC. Belliard said EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana is concerned that instability in the Horn of Africa could spill over to the Great Lakes Region and undermine all the efforts to bring peace there in recent years. He praised the U.S.'s efforts in organizing the Tripartite Plus negotiations which have helped the Great Lakes countries resolve lingering differences. West Africa -------------- ¶8. (C) Manuel Lopez Blanco, European Commission Director for West and Central Africa, said the EU has given 600 million euros to promote regional integration and capacity building in the Mano River area. The EU is devoting particular attention to security sector reform in Guinea Bissau, which has become a hub for drug trafficking and other criminal activity, he said. On Togo, Janetzke-Wenzel said the new government has actively engaged with the EU. Frazer said the President of Togo canceled a meeting it requested with Secretary Rice, and there has been little high-level contact SIPDIS since then. Both sides noted that Burkinabe President Compaore has been helpful in the region recently, particularly in helping to broker a peace agreement in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire. Turning to Nigeria, the U.S. and EU noted that, although the recent presidential elections were fraught with fraud, they are optimistic because the new president appears to be capable and professional. Cross-cutting issues -------------- ¶9. (C) The EU briefed the U.S. on its Joint EU-Africa Strategy, which will be negotiated between the EU and AU during a series of working sessions between now and the BRUSSELS 00002324 003 OF 003 December EU-Africa Summit. Main priority areas for the strategy are peace and security, government, trade, and development. RSA Director Jerry Lanier gave a brief overview of plans for AFRICOM, and EU officials said they look forward to hearing more details as they develop, especially the decision about where to locate the headquarters. The EU also briefed the U.S. about its June 15 troika consultations with China on Africa, which EU officials characterized as frank, open, and successful. On the issue of pressuring Sudanese President Bashir to resolve Darfur, EU officials said the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister told them that China knows how to pressure Sudan if necessary. Janetzke-Wenzel said the EU suspects China may have been influential in getting Bashir to agree to deployment of the UN/AU hybrid force. Comment -------------- ¶10. (C) The U.S. and EU were in general agreement on most issues discussed, with the exceptions of Eritrea and Zimbabwe. The EU clearly intends to invite President Mugabe to its EU-Africa Summit in December, despite strong objections from the U.S. (and some EU member states). A/S Frazer's statements about the U.S. policy measures under consideration toward Eritrea surprised and concerned EU officials, who, in general, almost always favor more conciliatory approaches to foreign governments. End comment. ¶11. (U) Assistant Secretary Frazer did not have the opportunity to clear this message. GRAY .