US embassy cable - 03DJIBOUTI1659

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 001659 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR IO/UNP, PMAT, PM/RSAT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2013 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, DJ, IZ 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI: EMBASSY VIEWS ON UNSC RESOLUTION ON IRAQ 
 
REF: STATE 256573 
 
Classified By: ADCM Haywood Rankin for reason 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (C)  The UNSC resolution outlined in reftel would not 
bother Djibouti, so long as there were not strong Arab or 
European opposition to it.  Djibouti does not want to be seen 
leading any charge on Iraq, but it will not be a negative 
force.  It is small, poor, and in Arab League terms, 
peripheral.  It is also more exposed than ever, with an 
American base on its soil now, in addition to the French 
garrison. 
 
2.  (C) Djibouti particularly does not want to get out in 
front of Arab states on Arab issues, as it does not want to 
annoy rich and powerful Arab patrons.  Nor does it want to go 
out of its way to pick a fight with France, however tetchy it 
often feels in its relationship with its former colonial 
master and present protector. 
 
3.  (C) That said, Djibouti has no ax to grind on Iraq. 
Moreover, it is likely to see great potential benefits from 
the U.S. if it were to accede to our wishes on a subject of 
such great importance to us.  The Djibouti leadership finds 
itself caught between a rock and a hard place, and we have 
intermittent signs that it may still be considering the idea 
of some sort of very low-level military participation in Iraq. 
SMITH