AWEYS DISCOURAGED AND ALONE IN ASMARA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000128 DEPARTMENT FOR AF/EX AND AF/E E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2019 TAGS: PREL PTER ER SO SU EG SUBJECT: AWEYS DISCOURAGED AND ALONE IN ASMARA Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d) ¶1. (C) HOME AGAIN: Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys returned April 18 from his stay in Khartoum "completely discouraged" by Sudan's pressure on him to reconcile with the TFG on President Sharif's terms, according to Dr. Taisier Ali, the Sudanese director of the Peacebuilding Center for the Horn of Africa. Dr. Ali, with excellent contacts in the Aweys ARS faction, said the government of Sudan had offered Aweys money, political support, and a private plane to fly him to Mogadishu if he would reconcile with the TFG. Aweys refused, and returned to Asmara even though he had terminated his utilities and had made other arrangements to leave Eritrea for good. ¶2. (C) TO A QUIET HOUSE: Dr. Ali also said Aweys recently relocated his four wives from Asmara to Cairo, where the government of Egypt is providing accommodation and other support. In addition to the four Mrs. Aweys, Egypt also reportedly facilitated the move of "17 close family members" from Puntland to Cairo. Dr. Ali said the Aweys mob got visas from the Egyptian embassy in Asmara, but the Egyptians refused to allow Sheikh Aweys himself to relocate to Cairo. Egypt will now have a degree of leverage with Sheikh Aweys, and will probably use it, Dr. Ali mused. MCMULLEN