Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ADDISABABA598
2008-03-04 06:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:
ETHIOPIA: ARAB LEAGUE AMBASSADORS RECOMMEND
how-toVZCZCXYZ0166 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHDS #0598/01 0640645 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 040645Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9804 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEPGBA/USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000598
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, NEA/RA
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2018
TAGS: PREL ET SO XF
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: ARAB LEAGUE AMBASSADORS RECOMMEND
CONSULTATION BEFORE ACTION
Classified By: Amb. Donald Yamamoto. Reason: 1.4 (B).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000598
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, NEA/RA
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2018
TAGS: PREL ET SO XF
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: ARAB LEAGUE AMBASSADORS RECOMMEND
CONSULTATION BEFORE ACTION
Classified By: Amb. Donald Yamamoto. Reason: 1.4 (B).
1. (C) SUMMARY. On February 12, Ambassador Yamamoto held a
lunch for the resident ambassadors to Ethiopia from Arab
League countries. In attendance were the ambassadors from
Yemen, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
Palestine, Sudan, and the Arab League representative to the
African Union. The Arab ambassadors underscored that
Washington should consult more with regional partners to
obtain better policy results. They emphasized that there was
a role for the Arab League on Somalia. The Arab ambassadors
questioned the role of AFRICOM and said they did not
understand its function. Lastly, they encouraged Washington
to help Ethiopia transform its telecommunication and banking
sectors. This is the first time this mission has reached out
to the Arab League and this will be a point of regular
meetings. END SUMMARY.
--------------
"CONSULT WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS FIRST"
--------------
2. (C) The Arab ambassadors presented a strong message that
Washington should consult more before taking action. The
Egyptian ambassador said that the United States "should not
go it alone" and that the U.S. should consult with regional
partners who may have influence on a particular issue. The
Sudanese ambassador said that dialogue would gain a better
output. He added that September 11 changed U.S. policy for
the worse and put the entire international arena at risk.
All the Arab ambassadors agreed that Washington was too
focused on terrorism and that this focus was damaging U.S.
relations with the Arab world.
--------------
"SOMALIA IS AN ARAB LEAGUE MEMBER"
--------------
3. (C) The Yemeni ambassador emphasized that more
consultation, particularly on the issue of Somalia, would be
more productive. Another ambassador noted that Somalia was a
member of the Arab League, and the Egyptian ambassador
suggested that the Arab League was being deliberately
excluded from the Somalia reconciliation process by
Washington. The Arab ambassadors were in general agreement
that Ethiopia should withdraw from Somalia and that some type
of Arab/UN peacekeeping force should be deployed. Ambassador
Yamamoto replied that the Arab League had a critical part to
play in Somalia, particularly through Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
--------------
"WHY DO YOU NEED AFRICOM?"
--------------
4. (C) The Arab ambassadors all agreed that they did not
understand the need for AFRICOM and said that they did not
understand its purpose. The Tunisian Ambassador complained
that his government had recently been briefed by AFRICOM
officials and that the briefing had left his government even
more confused about the new command's objectives than before.
Another ambassador, referencing AFRICOM's role in
humanitarian assistance and development, asked, "why use the
military when you have USAID?" In response, Ambassador
Yamamoto noted that AFRICOM would streamline the U.S.
military's engagement in Africa and offered to hold a formal
briefing exclusively for them the next time a senior AFRICOM
official visited Addis Ababa.
--------------
MELES, MENGISTU, AND CELL PHONES
--------------
5. (C) Lastly on a lighter note, the Arab ambassadors
complained that the banking and telecommunications
infrastructure in Ethiopia was woefully inadequate and
suggested Washington might help transform these sectors. The
Yemeni ambassador noted he could not send a fax to Sanaa and
several other ambassadors noted the terrible cell phone
service in Ethiopia. Ambassador Yamamoto responded that he
was doing all he could but that the Marxist tendencies of the
government was making progress difficult. Closing out the
meeting, the Arab League representative repeated the well
known joke that when the Tigrean People's Liberation Front
(TPLF) captured towns from Mengistu's forces during the
revolution they would take down the pictures of Marx, Engels
and Lenin, and replace them with even larger ones.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
6. (C) This is the Embassy's first initiative to reach out
to the Arab League ambassadors and this will be part of
regular meetings given their interest in Somalia.
Furthermore, this follows our continued series of meetings
with various Muslim clerics to gain their views on the U.S.
role in Ethiopia. END COMMENT.
YAMAMOTO
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, NEA/RA
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2018
TAGS: PREL ET SO XF
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: ARAB LEAGUE AMBASSADORS RECOMMEND
CONSULTATION BEFORE ACTION
Classified By: Amb. Donald Yamamoto. Reason: 1.4 (B).
1. (C) SUMMARY. On February 12, Ambassador Yamamoto held a
lunch for the resident ambassadors to Ethiopia from Arab
League countries. In attendance were the ambassadors from
Yemen, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
Palestine, Sudan, and the Arab League representative to the
African Union. The Arab ambassadors underscored that
Washington should consult more with regional partners to
obtain better policy results. They emphasized that there was
a role for the Arab League on Somalia. The Arab ambassadors
questioned the role of AFRICOM and said they did not
understand its function. Lastly, they encouraged Washington
to help Ethiopia transform its telecommunication and banking
sectors. This is the first time this mission has reached out
to the Arab League and this will be a point of regular
meetings. END SUMMARY.
--------------
"CONSULT WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS FIRST"
--------------
2. (C) The Arab ambassadors presented a strong message that
Washington should consult more before taking action. The
Egyptian ambassador said that the United States "should not
go it alone" and that the U.S. should consult with regional
partners who may have influence on a particular issue. The
Sudanese ambassador said that dialogue would gain a better
output. He added that September 11 changed U.S. policy for
the worse and put the entire international arena at risk.
All the Arab ambassadors agreed that Washington was too
focused on terrorism and that this focus was damaging U.S.
relations with the Arab world.
--------------
"SOMALIA IS AN ARAB LEAGUE MEMBER"
--------------
3. (C) The Yemeni ambassador emphasized that more
consultation, particularly on the issue of Somalia, would be
more productive. Another ambassador noted that Somalia was a
member of the Arab League, and the Egyptian ambassador
suggested that the Arab League was being deliberately
excluded from the Somalia reconciliation process by
Washington. The Arab ambassadors were in general agreement
that Ethiopia should withdraw from Somalia and that some type
of Arab/UN peacekeeping force should be deployed. Ambassador
Yamamoto replied that the Arab League had a critical part to
play in Somalia, particularly through Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
--------------
"WHY DO YOU NEED AFRICOM?"
--------------
4. (C) The Arab ambassadors all agreed that they did not
understand the need for AFRICOM and said that they did not
understand its purpose. The Tunisian Ambassador complained
that his government had recently been briefed by AFRICOM
officials and that the briefing had left his government even
more confused about the new command's objectives than before.
Another ambassador, referencing AFRICOM's role in
humanitarian assistance and development, asked, "why use the
military when you have USAID?" In response, Ambassador
Yamamoto noted that AFRICOM would streamline the U.S.
military's engagement in Africa and offered to hold a formal
briefing exclusively for them the next time a senior AFRICOM
official visited Addis Ababa.
--------------
MELES, MENGISTU, AND CELL PHONES
--------------
5. (C) Lastly on a lighter note, the Arab ambassadors
complained that the banking and telecommunications
infrastructure in Ethiopia was woefully inadequate and
suggested Washington might help transform these sectors. The
Yemeni ambassador noted he could not send a fax to Sanaa and
several other ambassadors noted the terrible cell phone
service in Ethiopia. Ambassador Yamamoto responded that he
was doing all he could but that the Marxist tendencies of the
government was making progress difficult. Closing out the
meeting, the Arab League representative repeated the well
known joke that when the Tigrean People's Liberation Front
(TPLF) captured towns from Mengistu's forces during the
revolution they would take down the pictures of Marx, Engels
and Lenin, and replace them with even larger ones.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
6. (C) This is the Embassy's first initiative to reach out
to the Arab League ambassadors and this will be part of
regular meetings given their interest in Somalia.
Furthermore, this follows our continued series of meetings
with various Muslim clerics to gain their views on the U.S.
role in Ethiopia. END COMMENT.
YAMAMOTO