DJIBOUTI FM CONCERNED ABOUT APPARENT ERITREAN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000393

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/E, AND INR/AA
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA-WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2018
TAGS: PREL MOPS PBTS PHSA DJ ER XW
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI FM CONCERNED ABOUT APPARENT ERITREAN
NAVAL FACILITY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT BAB AL MANDAB STRAIT

REF: A. DJIBOUTI 389

B. DJIBOUTI 380 (NOTAL)

C. DJIBOUTI 378 (NOTAL)

DJIBOUTI 00000393 001.6 OF 002


Classified By: ERIC WONG, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I. REASON: 1.4 (B),(D)
AND (G).


1. (S) SUMMARY. Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali
Youssouf plans to travel to Asmara to protest Eritrea's
ongoing construction of an apparent naval facility at Ras
Doumeira, along the strategic Bab al Mandab strait. Imagery
from the Djibouti President's April 22 visit to Ras Doumeira
shows extensive trenches wrapping around the coastline, and
thatched structures (not tents) inhabited by uniformed
troops, presumably Eritrean. According to Youssouf, Eritrean
troops are "clearly" on Djiboutian territory; of greater
concern, however, is that an Eritrean naval facility, no
matter how nascent, poses a potential threat to international
maritime traffic using the Bab al Mandab strait. END SUMMARY.


2. (S/NF) On April 23, Charge, GRPO, and Combined Joint Task
Force-Horn of Africa Country Coordination Element (CJTF-HOA
CCE) CDR James Dickie met with Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali
Youssouf, to follow up on the FM's April 22 visit to Ras
Doumeira with President Guelleh. Per instructions and as
authorized by Washington for release to Djibouti, Charge
passed USG imagery of Ras Doumeira to the Foreign Minister.

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ERITREAN TROOPS "CLEARLY ON DJIBOUTI'S SIDE" OF THE BORDER
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3. (S) FM Youssouf presented the GODJ's own color photographs
of Ras Doumeira (supplied by France),taken during the April
22 visit by helicopter. The photographs depict
fortifications along the coastline, including significant
trenches wrapping around Ras Doumeira; several dozen thatched
structures being used by apparent troops in military uniforms
(BDUs); heavy construction machinery (e.g., a back hoe); and
several small patrol boats (twin outboard "vedette de type
Conquest") armed with machine guns and at least one apparent
crew-served weapon. According to FM Youssouf, these Eritrean
fortifications began two months previously.


4. (S) While an 1882 agreement between a local sultan and the
French called for all of Ras Doumeira to be Djiboutian
territory, FM Youssouf explained that the Eritrea-Djibouti
boundary intersected the "mountains" at Ras Doumeira: the
north was Eritrean, while the south was Djiboutian. Some 70
percent of the mountain was Djiboutian territory, he said.
Youssouf identified "tents" imaged on the southern side of
Ras Doumeira as Eritrean, not Djiboutian; thus, Eritrean
forces were "clearly on Djibouti's side of the border".


5. (S) In response, FM Youssouf said Djibouti had deployed
troops with "heavy vehicles" at Ras Doumeira, and would seek
to maintain reinforcements at its base at Moulhoule
(approximately 15 km south of Ras Doumeira).

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DJIBOUTIAN FM TO TRAVEL TO ASMARA
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6. (S) Djiboutian government representatives had met on the
morning of April 22 with two Eritrean colonels, Youssouf
said, who had initially instructed Eritrean forces to
withdraw from the border. However, later that evening,
Eritrea had deployed additional troops in the area. Eritrea
was thus "not very cooperative so far," Youssouf said, as it
was "not reasonable" to maintain such a troop presence at the
border. Youssouf said he planned to travel personally to
Asmara on the evening of April 23, "to try to convince Isaias
we are friends." Youssouf said he would propose the
establishment of joint monitoring stations (at Ras Doumeira)
as an initial confidence-building measure, manned by both
Eritrean and Djiboutian authorities. In time, he said, such
monitoring stations could transform into customs points.

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TRENCHES AND COASTAL FORTIFICATIONS SUGGEST NAVAL FACILITY
-------------- --------------

DJIBOUTI 00000393 002 OF 002




7. (S) FM Youssouf expressed deep concern that the coastal
area at Ras Doumeira, where the bulk of Eritrean structures
and troops appear to be located, was in fact an Eritrean
naval facility under construction. Noting that the
Bure-Assab plain was flat terrain, and that neither
landlocked Ethiopia nor Djibouti (with 12 small boats) had a
significant navy, Youssouf asserted that the Eritrean
fortifications on the mountains of Ras Doumeira were intended
to exercise Eritrean control over the strategic Bab al Mandab
strait, which was extremely narrow (18 km). An Eritrean
naval base at Ras Doumeira was "not good for Djibouti or the
international community," Youssouf said.
According to Youssouf, Djiboutian intelligence indicated that
the facility was under the control of Eritrean Navy
Commander, Major General Karikare Ahmed Mohammed. MG
Karikare had been invited to participate in April 20
discussions with Djiboutian officials, but had declined to
appear, Youssouf added.


8. (C) FM Youssouf said the GODJ had issued a public
statement on Doumeira (featured in local state-run media),in
order to quell public rumors that Djibouti had been invaded
or that Eritrean and Djiboutian troops had engaged each
other. However, he said Djibouti still preferred "silence at
the international level," as diplomatic discussions
continued. (NOTE: Today's state-run French-language "La
Nation" newspaper featured a front-page lead article on
Eritreans at Doumeira, under the headline "Unfriendly plots
at the border," accompanied by a statement by Djibouti's
foreign ministry that, inter alia, "political contacts would
be pursued." International media, including "Le Monde" and
Agence France-Presse (AFP) have subsequently reported on
Eritrea's incursion into Djiboutian territory. END NOTE.)


9. (S) COMMENT. The Djiboutian Foreign Minister's
interpretation of USG- and (likely) French-provided imagery
indicates an Eritrean military presence well on the
Djiboutian side of Ras Doumeira. Even if Eritrean forces
were to withdraw to the Eritrean side of Ras Doumeira,
however, the fortifications and coastal trenches already
completed suggest that Eritrea has established a de facto
naval facility adjacent to the strategic Bab al Mandab
strait. This poses a potential concern to international
maritime traffic, including that of the U.S. Navy. While the
GODJ has so far sought to minimize international attention to
this incident, the public statement by Djibouti's MFA has led
to growing international media coverage, which may influence
the outcome of bilateral discussions between Eritrea and
Djibouti. END COMMENT.
WONG