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