US embassy cable - 07ADDISABABA60

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 000060 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF AND AF/E 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2017 
TAGS: PREL, PBTS, PTER, EAID, KISL, SO, ET, RW, AU-1, XA 
SUBJECT: SOMALILAND FOREIGN MINISTER APPEALS FOR 
RECOGNITION AND AID 
 
REF: 06 ADDIS 3114 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: POL-ECON COUNSELOR KEVIN SULLIVAN.  REASON: 1.4 (B),(D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  In a December 14 meeting with Charge a.i. 
Wilgus and deputy pol-econ counselor, Somaliland Foreign 
Minister Abdillahi M. Duale expressed interest in 
establishing a closer strategic relationship with the United 
States, and appealed for both humanitarian and military 
assistance to counter the regional threat posed by Council of 
Islamic Courts extremists.  Saying he was reiterating points 
made in previous discussions in Nairobi, FM Duale requested 
that the USG provide financial and technical support for 
2007-2008 elections in Somaliland; financial support for 
Somaliland's formal education system, to provide an 
alternative to radical Islamic schools; capacity-building for 
Somaliland's security services (military, police, coast 
guard, and immigration); and ammunition and military 
training, to counter possible preemptive moves by Somalia's 
Council of Islamic Courts (CIC).   FM Duale asked that the 
USG support Somaliland's bid for recognition by the African 
Union, as some African countries had indicated they would. 
Duale reviewed regional cooperation between Somaliland and 
Yemen, Ethiopia, and Kenya, to counter the CIC threat, but 
said he had rejected AU Chairperson Konare's recommendation 
to meet with Somali TFG President Yusuf, as such a meeting 
would constitute "high treason."  While Somaliland clearly 
supports Ethiopian intervention against a perceived CIC 
threat to the Horn of Africa, Duale's observations underscore 
that significant political tensions remain between Somaliland 
authorities and Somalia's TFG.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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SEEKING CLOSER STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE U.S. 
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2. (C) In response to the observation by Charge Wilgus that 
Embassy Nairobi took the USG lead on Somalia issues, Duale 
said he was reiterating points he had made recently in "very 
fruitful" discussions with Amb. Ranneberger in Nairobi. 
Somaliland sought a closer strategic relationship with the 
United States, Duale said, in order to promote democracy, 
governance, and counter-terrorism in the Horn of Africa. 
Duale expressed gratitude for USG engagement in Somalia and 
Somaliland, saying the United States had a critical role to 
play in the region.  He thanked the United States for the 
humanitarian assistance it provided indirectly to Somaliland 
through projects and international organizations, saying such 
assistance was crucial to support 2007 elections that would 
strengthen democracy in Somaliland.  He noted that the United 
States had been among the first in 1960 to recognize 
Somaliland, had later sheltered many Somalilanders as 
refugees, and had opposed Siad Barre during the 1988 
"genocide." 
 
3. (C) FM Duale requested both humanitarian and military 
assistance from the United States, as "democracy (alone) will 
not defend us."  Noting USG support of teacher training in 
Hargeisa, Charge Wilgus took note of FM Duale's requests, but 
reiterated Embassy Nairobi's lead on Somalia issues. 
Asserting that Somaliland was a "de facto partner of peace in 
the region," Duale asked that Somaliland receive any 
assistance for which the Transitional Federal Government of 
Somalia (TFG) qualified.  Duale made specific requests for: 
-- financial and technical support for the 2007-2008 election 
cycle; 
-- financial support (and/or scholarships or international 
visit programs) for Somaliland's formal education system, to 
provide an alternative to radical Islamic schools; 
-- capacity-building for Somaliland's security services 
(military, police, coast guard, and immigration); 
-- ammunition and military training, which were especially 
needed to counter preemptive moves by Somalia's Council of 
Islamic Courts (CIC), if the CIC succeeded in taking over 
Puntland and Baidoa. 
 
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"AGGRESSIVELY" SEEKING AU RECOGNITION... 
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ADDIS ABAB 00000060  002 OF 003 
 
 
4. (C) Despite not being involved in any Somalia 
reconciliation processes since its "reconstitution" in 1991, 
Duale said Somaliland could play a significant role in 
fostering peace in Somalia and the Horn, as the only 
functioning constitutional Islamic state in the region.  He 
noted that Somaliland had information-sharing agreements with 
Yemen, Kenya, and Ethiopia.  Citing Somaliland's 
constitutional clause rejecting terrorism, Duale asserted 
that in face of the CIC threat, recognition of Somaliland was 
"the best defense," as it could help unify mullahs, diaspora, 
and other elements of Somali civil society.  As a former 
British protectorate, Somaliland's borders were accepted 
internationally, he claimed, in contrast to the undemarcated 
southern borders of Somalia. 
 
5. (C) Duale appealed for the USG to support Somaliland's 
effort to obtain recognition by the African Union, or at 
least to inform African states that the United States had no 
objection.  Somaliland was "aggressively pursuing recognition 
in the African Union," Duale said, which would require an 
incremental approach to build support first among 
representatives of the 15-member AU Peace and Security 
Council (PSC) and then at the ministerial level.  Duale said 
he had met recently with representatives of key AU member 
states, and would soon meet with Ethiopian Foreign Minister 
Seyoum (January chair of the PSC) before traveling to west 
Africa.  (NOTE: On January 7, FM Duale was to leave for 
Ghana.  END NOTE.)  Rwandan President Kagame supported 
recognition of Somaliland, as did Zambia and Tanzania; South 
Africa was "sympathetic" but was waiting for others to take 
the lead, Duale said.  He noted that Ethiopia had an 
ambassadorial-level attache in Hargeisa, and was using part 
of Bosasso port.  Somaliland had sought to court Algeria and 
Sudan, but many Somali fundamentalists in Mogadishu had been 
trained in Sudan, he said. 
 
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BUT TENSIONS CONTINUE WITH TFG PRES. YUSUF OVER PUNTLAND 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
6. (C) Duale noted that while discussions with AU Commission 
Chairperson Konare had been "useful," Duale had rejected 
Konare's recommendation to engage TFG President Abdullahi 
Yusuf, as Yusuf had always maintained that the unity of 
Somalia was sacrosanct.  Duale criticized the establishment 
of Puntland as "outrageous," asserting that Puntland was 
solely "an entity based on clan."  In contrast, Duale said, 
Somaliland was composed of multiple tribes: its president was 
a former member of Siad Barre's security force and hailed 
from a minority.  Duale said he told Konare that meeting with 
TFG President Yusuf would be "high treason," as Yusuf refused 
to make any statements on self-determination or respecting 
the will of the people, as had been done previously in 
Croatia or prior to the formation of Bangladesh. 
 
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REGIONAL COOPERATION TO COMBAT ISLAMICIST EXTREMISTS 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
7. (C) Duale contrasted the "terribly dangerous, frightening" 
situation in Somalia with peace and stability in Somaliland. 
Somaliland played an integral part in promoting regional 
stability, he said, with its emphasis on institution-building 
and good governance, based on a "viable, secular" 
constitutional state.  Duale expressed concern about the 
regional impact of unrest within Somalia, noting that 
Somaliland authorities had long predicted that the CIC would 
seek to establish an Islamic state in region.  Duale reviewed 
Somaliland's regional initiatives: 
-- Duale said he had met with IGAD authorities, and also 
sought to address the International Contact Group on Somalia 
in order to discuss security in Somalia. 
-- Somaliland assessed that the CIC was taking advantage of a 
"ripe environment" to target Ethiopia, due to its contiguous 
border with Somalia.  Duale noted that Somaliland's Interior 
Minister was currently in Ethiopia for consultations with the 
GOE on cross-border security arrangements, including ensuring 
that Eritrean-trained insurgents did not use Somaliland as a 
base from which to destabilize Ethiopia. 
-- In addition to Ethiopia, Somaliland had 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000060  003 OF 003 
 
 
intelligence-sharing agreements with Yemen and Kenya. 
-- Duale noted that he had discussed with Kenyan FM Tuju the 
need to engage ethnic Somalis and other members of the Muslim 
community, prompting Kenya to organize a town hall event. 
Somaliland's "liaison officer" in Kenya had also been 
instructed to reach out to Somalis. 
-- On the other hand, Duale added, Djibouti had made a 
"geo-political mistake" in allying itself with the CIC. 
 
8. (C) Somaliland was monitoring the fighting in southern 
Somalia closely, Duale said.  Somaliland also feared a long, 
protracted crisis and was concerned about CIC attempts to 
infiltrate Somaliland through bribery.  Somaliland had no 
interaction with the CIC other than receiving threats, Duale 
added. 
 
9. (C) Citing 2003-2004 killings of four Italian aid workers 
and the 2005 attempted bombing of a polling station, Duale 
said the Somaliland security service was closely monitoring 
CIC activities in Somaliland.  The CIC considered 
Somaliland's constitutional order anathema to its vision of 
"peace and tranquillity" under Allah.  Somaliland authorities 
had imprisoned one sheikh for advocating support of the ICU, 
while another sheikh, who at Friday prayers had called for 
supporting extremists against Ethiopia, had reportedly had 
his microphone seized by a worshipper who said it was absurd 
to support fanatics.  Somaliland was the only country in the 
region who had apprehended terrorists, Duale said, and had 
recently sentenced two to 20-25 years imprisonment, despite 
threats from CIC Executive Committee Chairman Sheikh Hassan 
Dahir Aweys to free them.  To counter CIC influence, 
Somaliland authorities were engaging moderate traditional 
leaders, dispatching representatives to six regions, and 
sensitizing the populace about the CIC's dangers through 
several government committees, Duale said. 
 
10. (C) Asked about IGASOM deployment to Somalia, Duale 
underscored the importance of establishing a technical 
committee comprised of Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia to discuss 
peacekeeping options. 
 
11. (SBU) BIO-NOTE:  Duale, who attended the last AU Summit 
in July 2006 as Somaliland's Minister of Information, 
replaces Edna Adan Ismail as foreign minister.  Duale proudly 
referred to having resided previously in Long Island, New 
York, as a refugee. 
 
12. (C) COMMENT:  Somaliland formally requested recognition 
by the AU in a 13-page missive submitted to the AU in 
December 2005.  Ethiopia's deputy foreign minister has 
privately advocated recognition of Somaliland as a bulwark 
against the CIC or others seeking to establish a "greater 
Somalia" by force (reftel).  While it is clear that 
Somaliland FM Duale supports Ethiopian intervention in 
Somalia and shares Ethiopia's concern about the regional 
threat posed by CIC extremists, his continued rejection of 
dialogue with TFG President Yusuf highlights that the 
relationship between Somaliland and the Somali TFG remains 
strained and must be addressed by future efforts at political 
reconciliation.  END COMMENT. 
YAMAMOTO