ERITREA: A WEAK PARTNER FOR SOUTHERN SUDAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000532 DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF/SPG E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2018 TAGS: PREL SU ER SUBJECT: ERITREA: A WEAK PARTNER FOR SOUTHERN SUDAN Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Despite goodwill on both sides, strong political and economic ties between southern Sudan and Eritrea have been slow to develop, according to the Government of Southern Sudan's liaison mission chief in Asmara, Phillip Natana. Although Darfur is an issue where the GSE could potentially be useful, Darfuri contacts here are decreasing as they find Asmara isolating and lacking in media outlets. Natana tacitly acknowledged the MV Faina tanks belong to the GOSS. End summary. Bilateral Ties - Fits and Starts -------------- ¶2. (C) The GOSS representative in Asmara, Phillip Natana, pointed a finger at both Khartoum and the GSE for the failure in progress. He said generally Eritreans are welcome in southern Sudan and there are about 1,500 registered at their consulate in Juba. The southern Sudanese consider the Eritreans to be unassuming and honest. They run the two best hotels in Juba and do not engage in illegal activities such as counterfeiting money or trafficking in stolen vehicles, as Kenyans and Ugandans have been known to do. ¶3. (C) Natana said efforts by Juba and Asmara to strengthen economic ties have largely failed. Four initiatives undertaken through a 2005 memorandum of understanding have met with limited success. A joint investment in Juba's banking sector did not get off the ground due to financial difficulties in Eritrea. The GSE likewise failed to follow through on a FoFd constructioC Croject. A plan to allow southern Sudan to use the port of Massawa, which is closer to southern Sudan, failed because of political interference from Khartoum, which feared the loss of revenue to Port Sudan. However, a joint investment between Eritrean and GOSS insurance companies has produced what Natana characterized as one of the most successful insurance companies in southern Sudan. Dwindling Darfuris -------------- ¶4. (C) Natana said the GOSS would like to play a role in bringing Darfuri groups together. He meets regularly with the Darfuri community in Asmara, which now consists of JEM (led by Osman Wash),RDFF (Abdul Aziz),and one member of SLA (Kamis Abdullah). He said the Darfuri groups, or at least their senior members, have left Asmara because they feel isolated from their home bases and cannot obtain press coverage. He thought most had gone to Nairobi or Kampala. Natana said existing Eritrea/Sudan cooperation, such as GOS's generous oil offer earlier this year, was based largely on the GOS desire to gain GSE support for its Darfur policies. The GOS thinks, he said, Eritrea could play a constructive role in a Darfur mediation process, like it did in the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement. Tanks? What Tanks? -------------- ¶5. (C) Natana told us he had personally called his office in Juba and was told the 33 T-72 tanks aboard the MV Faina did not belong to the GOSS. Natana noted the Government of Kenya still publicly maintained the tanks were theirs, but then he smiled sheepishly and said, "We are allowed to have an army. And you need to arm an army." He agreed to keep us apprised of any developments in the tank saga. ¶6. (S/NF) Comment. Eritrea wants to be a regional player, as evidenced positively by its hosting of the Chad-Sudan dialogue, and negatively by its involvement in Somalia. But its economic woes, inward-looking policies, shackled media, and highei iriority engagnmnnt with patrons in the Middle East likely prevented it from following through on economic initiatives with southern Sudan. The Darfuri exodus is indicative also Asmara's increasing repressive atmosphere and isolation. End Comment. MCMULLEN