Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE115689
2009-11-10 08:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

(U) Secretary Clinton's November 5, 2009

Tags:  OVIP CLINTON HILLARY PREL PGOV PHUM ET 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 115689 


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2019
TAGS: OVIP CLINTON HILLARY PREL PGOV PHUM ET

SUBJECT: (U) Secretary Clinton's November 5, 2009
conversation with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 115689


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2019
TAGS: OVIP CLINTON HILLARY PREL PGOV PHUM ET

SUBJECT: (U) Secretary Clinton's November 5, 2009
conversation with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin


1. Classified by AF Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson.
Reason: 1.4 (d)


2. (U) November 5, 2009; 11:00 a.m.; Washington, D.C.


3. (SBU) Participants:

U.S.
The Secretary
AF Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson
U.S. Charge d'Affaires Roger Meece
Acting USAID Administrator Alonzo Fulgham
DoD Deputy Assistant Secretary Vicki Huddleston
NSC Senior Director Michelle Gavin
PA Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood
S Executive Assistant Joe Macmanus
Joel Wiegert (AF Notetaker)

ETHIOPIA
Seyoum Mesfin, Foreign Minister
Sufian Ahmed, Finance Minister
Girma Birru, Trade Minister
Siraj Fegess, Defense Minister
Terfer Deribew, Agriculture Minister
Getachew Assefa, Intelligence Chief
Samuel Assefa, Ethiopian Ambassador to the U.S.

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


4. (C) The Secretary expressed appreciation for the
longstanding and deep bilateral relationship, especially
on regional security concerns such as Somalia and Eritrea.
After acknowledging the difficulties of democratization in
an unstable regional environment, she underscored the
importance of staying on a democratic track, noting that
the 2010 parliamentary election would "buttress the legacy
of your government." The Ethiopian Foreign Minister (FM)
thanked the Secretary for our "all-weather" relationship,
noted Ethiopia's commitment to expanding security
cooperation, and recognized that democratic governance was
necessary for his government to remain viable. END
SUMMARY.

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SECURITY COOPERATION
--------------


5. (C) The Secretary applauded "our extraordinary security
cooperation" and assured the FM that we understood that
instability in the region places a heavy burden on
Ethiopia. Thanking the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) for
its contributions to peacekeeping missions to Darfur and
Liberia, she said the USG considered the GOE military
professional and effective. On Somalia, she thanked the
GOE for its past involvement and lauded intelligence
sharing, training of Somali security forces, and assisting
with the Somaliland electoral crisis. She underscored the
need for Ethiopia's discreet support for Somalia's
Transitional Federal Government (TFG). Highlighting
current difficulties in reaching out to the Isaias regime,
she asked for Ethiopia's advice on how to change the
direction of our engagement with the Government of
Eritrea.

--------------
DEMOCRATIC GOVERANCE AND ECONOMIC REFORM
--------------


6. (C) On governance issues, a sensitive area for GOE, she
acknowledged that regional security concerns made the
transition to democracy more difficult. Calling on the FM
"to stay on track," she committed the USG to supporting a
democratic agenda in Ethiopia. She said that the 2010
election was important and would "buttress the legacy of
your government." She pressed the FM on the GOE's
repressive NGO law, asking the GOE to differentiate among
the NGOs working in Ethiopia. The Secretary pointed out
that civil society was "the best guard for stability."
She called on Ethiopia to "set a different example" that
reflects the principles of democratic governance we
promote in the region and beyond. Finally, she noted that
we would like to work with Ethiopia on democracy and
governance.


7. (SBU) The FM affirmed the GOE had "no sensitivity to
table any agenda." He stated that his government believed
democracy was critical to its viability. He highlighted
Ethiopian efforts to create the proper legal framework for
the upcoming election, citing the recent Electoral Code of
Conduct as a positive step. He underscored the GOE
"commitment to continue doing what is required" but noted
it is a difficult undertaking.


8. (SBU) The Secretary also commented on economic reform,
pointing to the potential of Ethiopia as an economic
engine for the region. She called for the opening up of
the telecommunications, banking, and insurance sectors to
private investors, noting that when these important
changes took place Ethiopia would reap huge benefits.

--------------
FOOD SECURITY
--------------


9. (SBU) The FM confirmed that the GOE's interest in the
President's Food Security Initiative as a way to move from
food assistance to agricultural development. The
Secretary explained that the new initiative was a country
and community-led program that would build capacity and
increase agricultural productivity. Noting the huge
challenges facing Africa, she outlined the plans to
transition countries to food security using measures such
as distributing hybrid seeds, training farmers how to get
higher yields, and improving irrigation methods. While we
will continue to give food aid, she said, "We want to
shift to getting you to grow more food."
CLINTON