Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BRUSSELS2324
2007-07-18 14:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:  

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

Tags:  PREL PHUM EAID EUN XA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHAG RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181440Z JUL 07
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 002324 

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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).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 002324

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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

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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
--------------


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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

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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
.