ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT PROTESTS FRENCH CRITICISM OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 002833 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2019 TAGS: PREL UNSC ER ET SUBJECT: ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT PROTESTS FRENCH CRITICISM OF PENDING SANCTIONS RESOLUTION ADDIS ABAB 00002833 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: CDA Roger Meece. Reason 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Foreign Affairs State Minister Tekada expressed strong concerns December 1 to CDA and DCM regarding reported French objections to a proposed UNSC resolution which includes sanctions directed at Eritrea. Tekada said that he and FM Seyoum had met earlier in the day with the French Ambassador to underscore GOE concerns. Among the points reportedly made was that UNSC failure to pass a meaningful bill would undermine the GOE,s belief in a collective approach to security, raising the specter of potential unilateral action. Tekeda has also called in the British Ambassador to deliver a similar demarche and urge action to ensure passage of a strong resolution. The French Ambassador separately confirmed to the CDA that he had also received a call from PM Meles with a similarly strong message. The Ethiopians are obviously very energized on this issue and tracking developments closely. End summary. ¶2. (C) Foreign Affairs State Minister Tekada asked to see the CDA Tuesday afternoon, December 3, regarding the proposed UNSC resolution which would impose sanctions targeting Eritrea. In the call, Tekada said he had received a disturbing report of strong French objections to the draft resolution presented by Uganda, which he said the GOE views as a potentially very negative development for the region. He added that French success in rendering the resolution toothless, or even worse blocking passage of a resolution, would undermine UNSC credibility and encourage Eritrea,s Isaias in his negative behavior toward its neighbors. Such an outcome, he concluded would be very bad for regional stability. ¶3. (C) When the CDA arrived for the meeting accompanied by the DCM, Tekada expressed appreciation for U.S. efforts to-date regarding the proposed resolution. Per information supplied by earlier telcons and e-mails, CDA reiterated USG support for the resolution and noted that talks apparently referenced by the State Minister were early expert-level consultations. He affirmed that Washington and the Mission in New York were fully engaged on this subject, and would be continuing work in the UNSC process to obtain as effective a resolution as possible. Tekada reported that he and FM Seyoum had met with the French Ambassador earlier in the day, expressing in strong terms Ethiopia,s dismay with the reported French position, emphasizing that it represented a potentially dangerous stance that risked undermining UNSC credibility. Seyoum reportedly added that failure to enact a meaningful resolution would pose a further threat to regional stability through Eritrean misbehavior. Moreover, he told the French, such a development would do damage to Ethiopia,s belief in a collective approach to security matters (comment: clearly implying an increased chance of Ethiopian unilateral action. End comment). ¶4. (C) Questioning why the French would take such a strong stance, Tekada opined to the CDA that France may have some kind of deal or initiative in the works in their efforts to obtain freedom of the French hostage reportedly being held by Al Shabab elements in Somalia. If so, the French may be angling for a delay in the resolution, or worse he thought, wanting to scuttle the resolution altogether as an unhelpful distraction to the effort to secure the hostage,s release. Either way, he concluded, it was a poor and unhelpful policy stance. ¶5. (C) Tekada said he had also spoken with the British Ambassador. Tekada asserted that while the British were a &bit behind8 the U.S. in their support, they had been generally supportive, but that he encouraged the U.K. to increase its efforts to secure a resolution. The British Ambassador separately confirmed to the CDA the gist of this message. The French Ambassador subsequently told the CDA that not only had he had indeed received a very strong message at MFA, but he had also received a call from PM Meles, essentially conveying the same points. ¶6. (C ) Comment: It is obvious that the Ethiopians are strongly engaged on this issue affecting their perceived arch-enemy, Isaias and his government, and are receiving detailed read-outs from their mission in New York on developments. The French Ambassador who is well versed on regional affairs, acknowledged in private conversation that he felt a bit battered, and was looking at options at how to ADDIS ABAB 00002833 002.2 OF 002 respond pending some further guidance from Paris. It would be useful for us to stay in touch with the Ethiopian mission in New York, as well as through the embassy in Washington and through post in Addis, to keep the GOE in the loop on developments with the resolution to reduce the chances of the GOE getting too far off on its own path. End comment. MEECE