US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI446

S E C R E T DJIBOUTI 000446 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/E AND S/CT 
STATE ALSO FOR EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2014 
TAGS: PREL, ASEC, PGOV, PTER, GR, DJ 
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE DIPLOMATIC FALL-OUT FROM CANCELED GERMAN 
PRESIDENTIAL VISIT 
 
REF: DJIBOUTI 441 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Reftel conveys report of Djiboutian government 
reaction to cancellation of the March 24 visit to Djibouti of 
German President Rau.  Embassy notes that the German 
Ambassador to Ethiopia (who also has responsibility for 
Djibouti), Helga Strachwitz, expressed considerable concern 
to Ambassador over remarks to Reuters News Agency about the 
canceled visit that were attributed to a CJTF-HOA 
spokesperson.  These remarks appeared in a Washington Post 
article on March 24.  The spokesperson, when queried about 
the German statement of a threat, is quoted as saying "that's 
news to us." 
 
2. (C) The Reuters-originated story was carried in condensed 
form in the media here, but the spokesman's remarks were 
re-interpreted in French as indicating U.S. "surprise" over 
the German claims of a specific threat against Rau. 
Strachwitz told Ambassador March 25 that in her meeting with 
Foreign Minister Ali Abdi Farah the morning of March 24, the 
Foreign Minister was pleasant but chastised Germany for 
having made the decision to cancel the visit on security 
grounds and stated to her that "even the Americans were 
surprised by your government's allegations." 
 
3. (C) As customarily happens in situations such as these, 
the Reuters' attribution was re-interpreted a second time in 
"La Nation" newspaper on March 25.  There, it implied that 
the "U.S. counterterrorism group" said it was "not able to 
take seriously" the threats against Rau.  Strachwitz stated 
to Ambassador that she believed the U.S. should issue an 
immediate refutation of its public remarks on the Rau 
threats, even moreso because the Djiboutian government was 
using those remarks as a basis to lambast Germany for 
cancelling the Rau visit.  She told Ambassador that there had 
indeed been a specific threat against her President, that the 
threat emanated from Somalia and that individuals in 
Somaliland being interrogated in connection with the recent 
attack on the German organization, GTZ, had revealed details 
of the travel plans, flight pattern, ground schedules, 
spousal plans, meeting plans, etc. of the Rau visit -- 
information that would not normally have been in the purview 
of the Somali individuals. It was on that basis, she said, 
that the decision was made to cancel the Rau trip. 
 
4. (C) Ambassador attempted to defuse the situation by 
assuring the German Ambassador that the quotes attributed in 
the local French press to the CJTF-HOA are not an accurate 
rendition of the spokesperson's remarks and that the U.S. 
Government has made no statement regarding the validity of 
the German allegations.  Ambassador also met with CJTF-HOA 
Acting Commander, Colonel Jeff Mathis, who re-confirmed steps 
taken to ensure full coordination with the Embassy on press 
matters. 
 
5. (S) Comment:  The German Ambassador opined that there may 
be a need for greater intelligence coordination so that there 
is no daylight on threat information.  Meanwhile, post will 
make clear that much of the confusion has been fueled by 
press inaccuracies.  End comment. 
RAGSDALE