Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ADDISABABA2908
2009-12-10 13:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002908
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019
TAGS: PREL KIRF ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA ON RELIGIOUS DEFAMATION
REF: A. STATE 109397
B. STATE 122639
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Alyson Grunder for reaso
ns 1.4 (B) and (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002908
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019
TAGS: PREL KIRF ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA ON RELIGIOUS DEFAMATION
REF: A. STATE 109397
B. STATE 122639
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Alyson Grunder for reaso
ns 1.4 (B) and (D).
1. (C) On December 8, Political-Economic Counselor met with
the Director of the Directorate-General for International
Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador
Grum, to deliver Reftel points on religious defamation.
Ethiopia voted in favor of the resolution last year. Grum
said he doubted Ethiopia would change its position this year.
2. (C) Grum stated that Ethiopia's situation on religious
tolerance here was "good but delicate." He gave the example
of a press piece from the Saturday, December 5 weekly Amharic
newspaper "Addis Admas" which contained a paid article
written by Iran's Ayatollah Khomeni asking for support for
Iran's nuclear policy in the name of religion. He
characterized the article as "outrageous" and an example of
how Ethiopia does not "want the boat rocked." (Note: The
article was a paid advertisement of Khomeini's Hajj message
and was sent to the newspaper by the Cultural Center of the
Iranian Embassy in Addis. End Note.)
MUSHINGI
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019
TAGS: PREL KIRF ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA ON RELIGIOUS DEFAMATION
REF: A. STATE 109397
B. STATE 122639
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Alyson Grunder for reaso
ns 1.4 (B) and (D).
1. (C) On December 8, Political-Economic Counselor met with
the Director of the Directorate-General for International
Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador
Grum, to deliver Reftel points on religious defamation.
Ethiopia voted in favor of the resolution last year. Grum
said he doubted Ethiopia would change its position this year.
2. (C) Grum stated that Ethiopia's situation on religious
tolerance here was "good but delicate." He gave the example
of a press piece from the Saturday, December 5 weekly Amharic
newspaper "Addis Admas" which contained a paid article
written by Iran's Ayatollah Khomeni asking for support for
Iran's nuclear policy in the name of religion. He
characterized the article as "outrageous" and an example of
how Ethiopia does not "want the boat rocked." (Note: The
article was a paid advertisement of Khomeini's Hajj message
and was sent to the newspaper by the Cultural Center of the
Iranian Embassy in Addis. End Note.)
MUSHINGI