ETHIOPIA PRESSING FOR UNSC SANCTIONS ON ERITREA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 001450 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2019 TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO SO ET SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA PRESSING FOR UNSC SANCTIONS ON ERITREA Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Summary. Ethiopian State Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Tekeda Alemu called in the P-5 Ambassadors on June 18 to review the recent InterGovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) trip to the UN to press for the African Union (AU)/IGAD agreed sanctions on Eritrean activities in Somalia, and other measures to stem extremist actions in Somalia. Tekeda termed the discussions positive, but required further work before the UNSC would consider taking action. Tekeda asked for P-5 support to press for UNSC sanctions on Eritrea, underscoring that Eritrea was the main destabilizing outside force in Somalia. Pointing to the tragic death of Somalia Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Minister of Security Omar Hashi, Tekeda said he spoke with UN Special Representative for Somalia Ahmedou Ould Abdullah, and they both thought that the Eritreans could be behind the attack because of Hashi,s tough condemnation of Eritrean meddling in Somalia. IGAD will consider another AU statement at the upcoming AU Summit in Sirte, Libya as a means to reaffirm Africa's unified position against Eritrea in Somalia. End Summary. New York Travels -------------- ¶2. (C) Dr. Tekeda called in the P-5 Ambassadors on June 18 and summarized the recent IGAD trip to the UN as having made progress in gaining UNSC support for the IGAD and AU call for sanctions on Eritrea, but concluded that more work was necessary. Tekeda met with special Africa Advisor Bruno Joubert in Paris and Somalia experts in London. In New York, TFG Foreign Minister Omar, along with Ambassadors assigned to the U.N. from Djibouti, Uganda, and Kenya, joined Tekeda in meeting the UNSC representatives. Tekeda said the Libyans were very receptive to Eritrea,s accountability in destabilizing Somalia. Tekeda added that he was mindful of comments made by the UNSC member states for further work by IGAD to secure full support from the African Union member states, and not just Ethiopia and Djibouti, which have direct problems with Eritrea. ¶3. (C) Dr. Tekeda said the African Union had already endorsed the IGAD agreement to seek sanctions on Eritrea for destabilizing Somalia and other measures to be recommended to the UN to implement and enforce a no-fly zone and blockade of certain ports in Somalia to stem the flow of extremist activities. The U.S. Ambassador urged Tekeda that if Ethiopia and the IGAD countries wanted UN support, then Ethiopia and IGAD must secure a clear statement by the African Union of support for IGAD's position. Tekeda replied that the IGAD states will consider this recommendation. What was Asked in New York -------------- ¶4. (C) Tekeda said the IGAD delegation, in order to secure UNSC support, limited what it was seeking. It did not raise in detail the call for a no-fly zone and blockade of ports, but limited the discussions with UNSC member states to restrict travel and impose an asset freeze of certain Eritrean officials. Tekeda said there was general positive receptivity to these requests and especially from Libya. For the UN to be in support of the IGAD, Tekeda recommended that the UNSC focus on enforcing and reaffirming UNSCR 1844 on Eritrea,s destabilizing activities in Somalia, and to call for specific sanctions against Eritrea. When asked about other countries involved in Somalia, Tekeda immediately stated that is clearly Eritrea that is the main culprit and should be the focus of sanctions. Of course, there are other countries and groups, but UNSC action would be more effective if focused on Eritrea. To make efforts easier, Tekeda argued that a new UNSC resolution was unnecessary, and that UNSCR 1844 alone was sufficient. ¶5. (C) Tekeda said cutting off the flow of money to Eritrea was essential. Particularly, remittances from the U.S. was a major source of funding for Eritrea, which used such funds for arms procurement and support for extremist elements. Having the UNSC firmly in support of the African Union and IGAD in condemning Eritrea would help the Eritrean community in the U.S. to justify diaspora non-payment of taxes (2 percent of salary) to the Eritrean government. Currently, ADDIS ABAB 00001450 002 OF 002 those who do not pay, Tekeda asserted, face imprisonment upon return, and imprisonment of family members living in Eritrea. Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Ethiopia, as chair of IGAD, has been effective in condemning Eritrean destabilizing activities in Somalia. But the African Union has also supported IGAD in criticizing Eritrean occupation of Djiboutian territory, and activities in Somalia. A unified AU position will help Ethiopia's case. However, no matter how egregious Eritrean activities are in Somalia, IGAD/AU actions may prove more effective if presented in the context of supporting and strengthening the TFG and ending the violence in Somalia. End Comment. YAMAMOTO