Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ADDISABABA2689
2009-11-12 14:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:  

ETHIOPIA: EU ELECTION EXPLORATORY MISSION TO

Tags:  PREL PGOV ET 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6105
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #2689 3161449
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 121449Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6812
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEPADJ/CJTF HOA
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002689 

SIPDIS

DEPT. PLEASE PASS AF/E: JWIEGERT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: EU ELECTION EXPLORATORY MISSION TO
ARRIVE IN FEBRUARY 2010

Classified By: Classified by CDA Roger A. Meece for Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002689

SIPDIS

DEPT. PLEASE PASS AF/E: JWIEGERT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: EU ELECTION EXPLORATORY MISSION TO
ARRIVE IN FEBRUARY 2010

Classified By: Classified by CDA Roger A. Meece for Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) The European Commission plans to send an exploratory
mission to evaluate the prospects for fielding a team to
observe the 2010 Ethiopian parliamentary elections, but will
not do so until February 15, 2010. In a November 12 meeting,
First Counsellor and Head of the Political and Information
Section Rene Milas of the European Commission told Deputy
Pol/Econ Counselor and Consular Chief that the European
Commission had responded on November 6 to the Government of
Ethiopia's (GoE) October 8 Note Verbal issuing an invitation
to observe the elections (Post will forward a scanned copy of
this response to the Desk). The letter said the EU planned to
send an exploratory mission, but did not mention explicit
timing. When queried about the late timing of the
exploratory mission, only three months before the election,
Milas said the EC believed it was plenty of time. He
commented that even if the exploratory mission recommended
against sending an observation mission, the recommendation
could be overrulled in Brussels.


2. (C) Milas said the observation mission for the 2005
election was 150 people with 50 "long term" observers and 100
"short term" observers who arrived just to watch the voting.
The EU spent approximately three million Euros to fund that
observation mission. He stated that the EU was prepared to
spend a similar amount to fund a comparable mission for next
year's election.
MEECE