PRIME MINISTER MELES ON BALANCING AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 001599

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID ET
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER MELES ON BALANCING AND
STRENGTHENING U.S. RELATIONS

Classified By: Ambassador Donald Yamamoto for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

SUMMARY
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1. (C) Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi underscored to
visiting Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson on July 6 that
Ethiopia welcomes a broad and balanced relationship that
focuses not just on security but also encompasses economic
development and political stability. As he commented to
other senior U.S. officials, Meles stated that Ethiopia
shares the same values and interests on democracy and human
rights and common policy goals on development and security.
Meles reiterated the need to correct problems which
unnecessarily raise distrust in the relationship. He cited
Ethiopia's inclusion with Sudan and Zimbabwe in the July 2008
omnibus appropriations bill requiring notification to
Congress before disbursement of funds and other complaints as
indicators of a changed and tougher stance on Ethiopia by the
U.S. Meles argued that criticism of recently passed
legislation on press, public financing of political parties,
and civil society did not limit political space, but expanded
democratic values in Ethiopia. He welcomed senior level
meetings with the U.S. to define clearly the relationship and
to resolve misunderstandings. End Summary.

TOWARD A MORE BALANCED RELATIONSHIP
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2. (C) Assistant Secretary Carson and Prime Minister Meles
discussed for over three hours on July 6 the need to develop
a more balanced relationship which focuses not only on
regional security concerns, but also on advancing shared
objectives on development and political stability, including
human rights and democratic values. But, misunderstandings
stand in the way of developing a strong relationship. Meles
described Ethiopia's belief that despite its commitment to
form a more democratic country, Ethiopia is being treated
more harshly than countries which do not advance democratic
values. He listed several problems which, when taken
together, convey a changed stance, a tougher approach toward
Ethiopia by the U.S. Such indicators, if not addressed and
resolved, will undercut the relationship, Meles argued.


3. (C) Meles raised, as an example, Ethiopia's inclusion
among a list of countries like Sudan and Zimbabwe, in a brief
paragraph in the 2008 appropriations bill requiring
Congressional notification prior to disbursement of
assistance. Other indicators of changed perceptions include
the Department of State's annual Human Rights Report. He
called the Report "inaccurate" and "misleading" and
questioned why the Embassy and the Department could not work
with the government to jointly investigate or monitor alleged
human rights abuses. To issue the report without first
raising problems directly with the government to allow
officials the opportunity to address complaints, investigate
charges, and resolve valid human rights abuse claims does not
contribute to confidence and trust in the relationship. The
Prime Minister said the State Department's Human Rights
Report allows other groups, like Human Rights Watch, to issue
even harsher reports based solely on rumors, misinformation,
and unsubstantiated complaints. Meles said that he
understood the legal restrictions placed on the Embassy in
sharing sensitive information with the government, but urged
a more open discussion as a means to improve relations.


4. (C) Meles remarked that Ethiopia and the U.S. must
dialogue on differing views on rebel groups, like the Ogaden
National Liberation Front (ONLF). The Prime Minister cited
past contacts with the group by the U.S. military, in its
effort to enhance force protection for civil affairs teams
working in the volatile Ogaden region near Somalia. Just as
Ethiopia would not contact groups declared as insurgents or
terrorists by the U.S., Meles questioned why the U.S.
military and, most recently, the U.S. Congress, would speak
with the ONLF, a declared insurgent group by Ethiopia. Meles
offers as another indicator of a changed posture toward
Ethiopia by the U.S. the refusal to sell night vision goggles
to the Ethiopian military by the U.S. Further, this tension
in the relationship was recently heightened by the passing to
the U.S. and UK Embassies in private a copy of a draft
antiterrorism law. A report was released by Human Rights
Watch along with a very critical comment, shortly thereafter.
The Ethiopian Government (GoE) believes that it was the U.S.

ADDIS ABAB 00001599 002 OF 003


and not the UK which released the report to Human Rights
Watch. Meles said he was perplexed as to why the USG would
release a document provided in strict confidence. Such
treatment by the U.S. places relations with Ethiopia on an
adversarial plain.

COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY
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5. (C) On human rights and democracy, the Prime Minister said
there are few developing countries more serious than Ethiopia
about establishing democratic structures and protecting human
rights. But, negative and false reports and criticism from
the vocal Ethiopian diaspora in the U.S. creates a wrong
perception of Ethiopia's record. Meles underscored that he
recognized there is much more that Ethiopia must do as an
evolving democracy and that his government is committed to
democratization. Meles said he could not understand how
countries like Eritrea, which has no commitment to democratic
values and is a severe abuser of human rights, can escape
U.S. Congressional scrutiny, yet Ethiopia is a target for
criticism. Meles stressed that it is Ethiopia's choice to
pursue democracy and it holds itself accountable to the high
standards set for democratic states.

POLITICAL SPACE
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6. (C) Meles said that criticism of laws passed since 2005 as
restrictive of political space were unnecessary attacks by
the Ethiopian diaspora and international NGO groups. He
briefly commented that such laws, which include the Press
Law, Electoral Law, Political Parties Registration Law,
Charities and Societies Law, and the just passed
Antiterrorism Law, did not limit political space, but clearly
defined the limits of activities and protected rights. On
the re-arrest of opposition leader Birukan Midekssa, Meles
said he had no choice other than to uphold legal procedures.
Meles said that Birtukan violated the terms of her pardon and
release from prison two years ago. Despite criticism, if the
Justice Ministry had not re-arrested Birtukan, then it would
demonstrate a lack of commitment by the GoE to upholding the
rule of law and democratic procedures. Meles reiterated his
belief that this was also an issue of sovereignty. There
cannot be a law for the masses, but a separate law for
Birtukan and others. All must comply with the constitution.
Meles also added that he hopes the U.S. would give Ethiopia
"space" to make mistakes and correct them for Ethiopia is
still a developing democracy.

TOWARD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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7. (C) Meles said he welcomed the recent visit of Deputy
Secretary Lew and the U.S. commitment to advancing a new
paradigm for assistance. Development aid over humanitarian
assistance would help Ethiopia's economic development. But,
Meles worried that, given the tougher U.S. approach to
Ethiopia, that the U.S. Congress and Administration may place
strict human rights and good governance conditions for
disbursement of funds. Given the misperception of Ethiopia's
human rights and democratic records, Meles expressed anxiety
that Ethiopia would receive limited funding which would
undercut its development program.


8. (C) Assistant Secretary Carson raised economic development
and pressed the Prime Minister on the importance of opening
the telecommunications, banking and insurance sectors to
private enterprises. This will enhance foreign investment,
resolve Ethiopia's chronic foreign exchange deficit, and
improve its balance of payments problems. Meles did not
directly address the closed sectors, but stressed his
commitment to economic development as a cornerstone of his
government's economic policy objectives.

CORRECTING MISPERCEPTIONS
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9. (C) A/S Carson remarked that strong relations are defined
by shared and common values on democracy, good governance,
and human rights as well as on security and development
goals. There are frictions in all relations, but such
tension are discussion points, not defining points of the
relationship, and the fundamental basis for relations remains

ADDIS ABAB 00001599 003 OF 003


strong. A/S Carson articulated human rights and good
governance as cornerstone ideals for strong bilateral
relations. He detailed how democracy and respect for human
rights made countries and systems stronger. A/S Carson urged
Meles to resolve the Birtukan case fairly in order to remove
it as an irritant in the U.S.-Ethiopian relationship. A/S
Carson praised the elections in Tanzania and Ghana, where
POTUS will visit later this week. Finally, A/S Carson
underscored the importance of political space to ease
frustrations and enhance political dialogue. Meles expressed
his understanding and support for A/S Carson's position.
Meles also pressed for bilateral meetings between the U.S.
and Ethiopia as essential to correct these differences and
tensions, and to restore the mutual commitment by both
countries tot he bilateral relationship.

COMMENT
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10. (C) While we have corrected Prime Minister Meles's
misperceptions on night vision goggles and informed him of
our efforts to discuss and correct problems noted in our
human rights report, the continued raising of these issues
underscore the anxiety by the Prime Minister and his
government that the U.S. posture toward Ethiopia would become
tougher or worse, and that the U.S. would not consider
Ethiopia an important ally in the region. It is also clear
that while Meles desires improved relations, he also wants to
establish bilateral relations on his own terms in which the
U.S. would give Ethiopia space as it advances human rights
and democracy as well as economic development according to
its own policy objectives. End Comment.


11. (U) A/S Carson cleared this message.
YAMAMOTO