DJIBOUTIANS WANT MORE TEETH FROM UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000542 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF, P, IO, S/CT, PM & INR/GGI CJTF HOA FOR POLAD LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2018 TAGS: PREL PBTS MOPS AU ER YM DJ SUBJECT: DJIBOUTIANS WANT MORE TEETH FROM UN REF: DJIBOUTI 531 (AND PREVIOUS) Classified By: CHARGEE KATHLEEN LIST FOR REASONS 1.4 B, D. ¶1. (C) Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf called CDA June 19 to put forward the concerns he and the Prime Minister, Dileita Mohamed Dileita, will present to the UN Security Council the afternoon of June 24. He mentioned Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's phone calls to Presidents Guelleh and Isaias three days ago, in which he noted Isaias' complete rejection of a political solution to the current border exchange of hostilities. The Minister claimed Isaias is comfortable with the military stand-off and the tension at Ras Doumeira. Djibouti, however, wants dialogue to resolve the situation as soon as possible. "If the Eritreans do not want to dialogue, then the international community will have to intervene to keep the Eritreans away from our border." The Djiboutian goal in New York is the adoption of a resolution, "something more binding" than was issued last week, that will put pressure on Eritrea to withdraw its troops to the status quo ante of February 4. The Djiboutians have already withdrawn 18 kilometers to Moulhoule from Ras Doumeira; they want the Eritreans to withdraw at least five kilometers to Raheita, if not further north. The Minister stated that the Eritreans are building fortifications in the area. ¶2. (C) The Minister emphasized that he had received diplomatic support from a wide variety of friends of Djibouti. He indicated the UK Deputy Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs had made a commitment to work with them, as had the French, to get a resolution passed quickly. He said he was assured by the Russian Ambassador in Djibouti that Russia was also willing to help; in addition he cited the good relations the government had with South Africa. He claimed most non-permanent members of the UNSC were prepared to support Djibouti. His only concern was the Libyan position, which he characterized as one of putting obstacles before Djiboutian efforts at peace. ¶3. (C) Prime Minister Dileita and the Foreign Minister leave Djibouti on Saturday, June 21, with a lay-over in Paris. On Sunday they will proceed to New York and attempt to meet with as many representatives as possible before Tuesday afternoon's UNSC meeting. The Minister requested that Africa Deputy Assistant Secretary Swan contact Ambassador Olhaye to further discuss the matter prior to the Djiboutian delegation's arrival in New York. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: The claim that the Eritreans are building fortifications on the Eritrean side of the border, digging in literally, would imply a defensive rather than offensive mind-set with a longer-term presence envisaged. We continue to monitor the situation. END COMMENT. LIST