Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASMARA166
2009-06-01 13:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:
MFA WARNS DESK OFFICER TO AVOID USG
how-toVZCZCXRO7371 RR RUEHROV DE RUEHAE #0166 1521317 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 011317Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0301 INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000166
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV ER
SUBJECT: MFA WARNS DESK OFFICER TO AVOID USG
Classified By: CDA Melinda Tabler-Stone for reason 1.4(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000166
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV ER
SUBJECT: MFA WARNS DESK OFFICER TO AVOID USG
Classified By: CDA Melinda Tabler-Stone for reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) The Eritrean government (GSE) Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA) has recently warned its Desk Officer
responsible for the Americas to not contact the U.S. Embassy,
according to a close Embassy source. The Desk Officer was
told "the relationship between the U.S. and Eritrea is not
good," and that it would be wise for him to avoid contact
with the Embassy. The Desk Officer recently returned to
Asmara after a two-month hiatus of teaching political
education to students at Sawa, the military training camp
that takes the place of students' last year of high school.
He told the Embassy source that conditions in Sawa are poor
and morale is so low that instructors are fleeing. He knew
of two instructors who had escaped from Sawa into Sudan and
one who was shot and killed while trying to escape. According
to the Embassy contact, the Desk Officer returned to Asmara
noticeably thinner.
TABLER-STONE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV ER
SUBJECT: MFA WARNS DESK OFFICER TO AVOID USG
Classified By: CDA Melinda Tabler-Stone for reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) The Eritrean government (GSE) Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA) has recently warned its Desk Officer
responsible for the Americas to not contact the U.S. Embassy,
according to a close Embassy source. The Desk Officer was
told "the relationship between the U.S. and Eritrea is not
good," and that it would be wise for him to avoid contact
with the Embassy. The Desk Officer recently returned to
Asmara after a two-month hiatus of teaching political
education to students at Sawa, the military training camp
that takes the place of students' last year of high school.
He told the Embassy source that conditions in Sawa are poor
and morale is so low that instructors are fleeing. He knew
of two instructors who had escaped from Sawa into Sudan and
one who was shot and killed while trying to escape. According
to the Embassy contact, the Desk Officer returned to Asmara
noticeably thinner.
TABLER-STONE