ETHIOPIA: ARAB LEAGUE AMBASSADORS SAY ETHIOPIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 001056 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, AND NEA/RA LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2018 TAGS: PREL PTER ET SO XF SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: ARAB LEAGUE AMBASSADORS SAY ETHIOPIA MUST LEAVE SOMALIA NOW REF: ADDIS ABABA 598 ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. On April 8, Ambassador Yamamoto and PolOffs attended a lunch hosted by the Yemeni Ambassador to Ethiopia to further dialogue concerning policy in the Horn of Africa between the Embassy and the resident ambassadors to Ethiopia from Arab League countries. Attendees included the ambassadors from Yemen, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Sudan, and the Arab League representative to the African Union. The Arab ambassadors emphasized that the Somali reconciliation process must be all inclusive and they were critical of Washington's decision to place Al-Shabaab on the terrorist list. The Arab Ambassadors also emphasized that the Ethiopian military must leave Somalia without delay. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- "SOMALIA RECONCILIATION MUST BE INCLUSIVE, AND..." -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) The Arab League ambassadors, led by Egypt and Yemen, conveyed that the Somali reconciliation process should be as open and inclusive as possible. The Yemeni Ambassador suggested that a new conference be held, outside of Somalia, whereby all the parties to the Somali conflict could come together and work out their differences. The ambassadors were supportive of the efforts of Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein "Adde" to meet with the various Somali factions. Several of the Arab ambassadors repeated their earlier comments (reftel) that Washington should consult with the Arab League more and that the Arab League should have a role in Somalia. Ambassador Yamamoto queried whether naming Al-Shabaab as a terrorist organization was a help or hindrance to the reconciliation process. The Yemeni ambassador replied that, "we could spend all day discussing American mistakes," and he emphasized that the Al-Shabaab must be part of the process. -------------- "...ETHIOPIA MUST LEAVE NOW" -------------- ¶3. (C) The ambassadors were insistent, however, that the first step in Somali reconciliation should be the immediate departure of Ethiopian troops. They were of the view that the presence of the Ethiopian military was the real impediment to reconciliation and the ambassadors dismissed the idea that there were severe barriers to the political process outside of Ethiopian involvement. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) The lunch was arranged by the Yemeni Ambassador to reciprocate for Ambassador Yamamoto's inaugural meeting with the ambassadors to Ethiopia from Arab League countries in February. The Arab ambassadors had no real constructive ideas to offer on the way forward in Somalia, but, not surprisingly, they were in universal agreement that both the United States and Ethiopia should stay out of Somali affairs. The visceral reaction of several ambassadors, including the Egyptian ambassador, to the deployment of Ethiopian troops in Somalia may have showed a glimpse of their vehement dislike of the Ethiopian government. Other than Yemen, which has a more direct interest in Somalia because of its close geographic proximity, the assembled ambassadors did not display any real concern for developing stability in what is, at least on paper, a member of their organization. Nevertheless, the Embassy will continue its outreach to the Arab diplomatic community in Ethiopia. YAMAMOTO