DJIBOUTI FM PROTESTS ALLEGED ERITREAN INTRUSION

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000378

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/E, DS/IP/AF AND DS/IP/ITA
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA-WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2032
TAGS: PREL MOPS ASEC PBTS DJ ER
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI FM PROTESTS ALLEGED ERITREAN INTRUSION
WITHIN DJIBOUTIAN TERRITORY

REF: DJIBOUTI 377

Classified By: ERIC WONG, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, A.I.


1. (S) SUMMARY. Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali
Youssouf informed Charge on April 17 that the GODJ sought USG
and French assistance to protest the alleged establishment of
an Eritrean military outpost on Djiboutian territory,
specifically at Dumeira, along the strategic Bab al Mandab
strait. Citing the alleged presence of 3,000 Eritrean troops
along the border with Djibouti, FM Youssouf said Eritrea
sought to escalate the situation, and that Eritrea had
protested recent U.S. military "maneuvers" with Djibouti.
Initial aerial patrols of the border by the French military
have not/not been able to confirm the presence of any large
troop concentrations near Dumeira, although the Djiboutian
military has been placed on alert and is reportedly
dispatching troops toward the area. Given the small size and
limited capabilities of the Djiboutian military, a
significant confrontation is unlikely without French military
support. Post EAC has reviewed tripwires and believes its
current security posture is adequate. END SUMMARY.


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ERITREAN MILITARY OUTPOST ON DJIBOUTIAN TERRITORY
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2. (S) Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf
contacted Charge on the afternoon of April 17 to protest what
he characterized as an escalation by Eritrea, and to urge
that the USG and France use its good offices to raise concern
with the Eritrean government (GSE). FM Youssouf said he was
informing the USG and France of the following:

-- FM Youssouf said that on April 15, he had summoned
Eritrean Ambassador to Djibouti Mohamed Said Mantay, in order
to protest ER's establishment of an "advanced military post"
at Dumeira. (NOTE: Dumeira is located within Djibouti, near
the northernmost border between Djibouti and Eritrea,
adjacent to the Bab al Mandab strait. END NOTE.) According
to FM Youssouf, some 20-25 Eritrean troops were manning the
post, which he asserted was on Djiboutian territory.

-- FM Youssouf DJ FM said that Eritrean Ambassador Mantay had
subsequently responded to the GODJ that the Eritrean military
outpost was on Eritrean, not Djiboutian, territory.
Furthermore, the Eritrean ambassador had reportedly stated
that the GSE was "upset with U.S. military maneuvers with
Djibouti", and that the USG was seeking to destabilize
Eritrea. (NOTE: USMC's 22nd MEU, or Marine Expeditionary
Unit, conducted routine live-fire and amphibious landing
exercises at Djibouti's Godoria Range several weeks ago.
Godoria Range is approximately 35 miles from the border with
Eritrea. END NOTE.) The ER ambassador also reportedly
complained of the presence of Ethiopian arms and heavy
equipment at Mousali Island (NFI).


3. (S) FM Youssouf expressed concern that Eritrea was
escalating the situation, and cited the presence of 3,000
Eritrean troops near Eritrea's border with Djibouti, just
"behind" Eritrea's military post at Dumeira. Youssouf
appealed for the USG and France to exercise their good
offices to protest Eritrea's action, and urged that the U.S.
military be "on alert."

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FRENCH MILITARY REPORTS NO/NO TROOP CONCENTRATION AT BORDER
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4. (C) French Ambassador to Djibouti Dominique Decherf said
that while he had to take note of the assertions by
Djibouti's Foreign Minister, French military observers in the
field had not/not seen any concentration of Eritrean troops
along the border with Djibouti. He said French fixed-wing
aircraft dispatched to the area on April 17 "did not see
anything conclusive," and did not/not see massive troop
concentrations along the border. Decherf said French
military helicopters would return to the area for a second
look.

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DJIBOUTIAN MILITARY ON ALERT
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DJIBOUTI 00000378 002 OF 002




5. (C) Decherf reported that the Djiboutian military along
the border had been placed on alert, especially in the Moussa
Ali area (i.e., in the northeast, inland border area between
Djibouti and Eritrea). No French forces were along the
border, he said.


6. (S) GRPO reports that Deputy Director of the Djiboutian
National Security Service (NSS) Abdillahi Mohamed Abdillahi
confirmed that the Djiboutian military was on alert, and that
Djiboutian troops were proceeding to the Dumeira area "to
guide our brothers back" (i.e., to Eritrea). Separately,
Djiboutian navy contacts informed Post's NCIS representative
that the Djiboutian military was dispatching one of its 12
boats to Dumeira (likely a USG-supplied 55-foot patrol boat).



7. (C) Post convened Emergency Action Committee (EAC) and
determined that our current security posture is adequate.
Post is not aware of any Amcits in the vicinity of Dumeira,
but is informing Amcit wardens in Obock to exercise caution.
Post has also alerted Embassy Asmara, as well as senior
leadership of the U.S. military's Combined Joint Task
Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA),representing over 2,200 U.S.
forces stationed in Djibouti. Post will not issue a consular
warden notice at this time, noting existing restrictions and
admonitions against any travel in Djibouti north of Obock.
Post has requested additional security at the privately run
Horizon Fuel Terminal, in Djibouti city, as the U.S.S.
Kanawha refueling platform is due to dock there on April 18.


8. (C) COMMENT. FM Youssouf first raised concern about the
Eritrean military post on Djiboutian territory in an April 16
meeting with AF/E Director James Knight, noting that Eritrea
had occupied the same area in 1994 (reftel). It is unknown
whether the border between Djibouti and Eritrea, near
Dumeira, is demarcated. Moreover, the presence of Eritrean
troops in that area would not be unusual, due to its
proximity to the strategic Eritrean port of Assab, long
coveted by Ethiopia. While the Djiboutian military is on
alert, exact numbers of Djiboutian military units, if any,
proceeding north toward Dumeira, are currently unknown. The
small size and limited capabilities of the Djiboutian
military make a significant military confrontation unlikely;
Djibouti relies on the presence of nearly 2,800 French troops
(comprising two battalions, one of French marines and the
other of the French Foreign Legion) for its territorial
defense, under treaties predating its 1977 independence.
Post will continue to monitor the situation closely. END
COMMENT.
WONG