US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI934

S E C R E T DJIBOUTI 000934 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MARR, MOPS, DJ 
SUBJECT: PORTENTS IN DJIBOUTI BASE LEASE NEGOTIATIONS 
 
REF: DJIBOUTI 903 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (S) During the July 6 meeting of the U.S.-Djibouti 
Military Coordinating Committee, Abdurahman Boreh, Special 
Economic Advisor to President Ismail Omar Guelleh, told USLO 
Chief that the Government of Djibouti would like to construct 
a new international airport. He said an American consulting 
firm was already under contract to do a preliminary study and 
to produce a master plan. This future airport, he continued, 
would benefit U.S. military forces.  Essentially, the new 
airport would allow Djibouti to turn over its current 
international airport exclusively for military use. 
American, French, and Djiboutian military personnel would 
have complete control of the premises to enforce security and 
develop a runway that could meet all the services' needs. 
When USLO Chief pressed on financing possibilities for a new 
international airport, Boreh admitted that financing was 
currently lacking. However, he offered the view that Shaykh 
Mohamed (bin Rashid?) of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, 
owner of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) and Dubai Ports 
International (DPI), would finance a new passenger terminal 
if the Government of Djibouti could finance the new airport's 
runways, ramps and control tower. 
 
2. (S) Intriguingly, Boreh stated that he hoped this time the 
U.S. military would "plan ahead" and "think seriously" about 
the opportunity that was before it, instead of making the 
same mistake that was made in 2002 when U.S. forces were 
offered Camp Lemonier, and all the land east to the sea, and 
turned it down.  USLO explained to Boreh that no element of 
the Department of Defense could pay for or assist in the 
development of a civilian airport.  Boreh smiled and said he 
was sure that some arrangement could be made during the 
upcoming negotiations for Camp Lemonier. 
 
3. (S) By decree of President Guelleh, the U.S.-Djibouti 
military coordinating committee was established in October, 
2003 to coordinate and facilitate U.S. military assistance to 
Djibouti.  The committee consists of, besides Boreh, Major 
Patrick Anderson, Embassy Djibouti's USLO Chief, Mohamed Ali 
Hassan, Director of Bilateral Relations in the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, Lt.Col. Abdurahman Dembil, Presidential 
Defense Advisor, and Col. Osman Soubagleh, Director of 
International Relations, Djiboutian Army Headquarters.  The 
committee meets weekly to discuss the status of security 
assistance programs and military issues in general.  During 
the July 6 meeting, all members of the committee expressed 
the desire that a new access agreement between Djibouti and 
the United States for use of Camp Lemonier be comprehensive 
and cover all future U.S. requirements for security, 
logistical support and training. 
 
4. (S) In other business at the July 6 meeting, Boreh sought 
USLO Chief's assistance in determining if the U.S. Navy had 
any concerns, or any additional requirements, following the 
June 30 tour by Captain Kurt Kunkel, N-4 of the Fifth Fleet, 
of the Port of Doraleh's construction site.  During Capt. 
Kunkel's visit to the port, the length of the berth became a 
topic of discussion.  The current Doraleh port project design 
calls for a berth of 210 meters with dolphin anchor points 
extending to 324 meters.  Boreh asked USLO Chief if these 
dimensions would be sufficient to meet anticipated use of the 
berth by the U.S. Navy.  (Note:  Ambassador had requested the 
visit of a NAVCENT representative to Djibouti to tour the 
Doraleh site after she learned from Exxon-Mobil Corporation 
that the U.S. Navy had contracted, under DESC auspices, to 
lease four container storage tanks from ENOC for future fuel 
storage at Doraleh.  End Note). 
 
5. (S) Comment:  Boreh's statement that Djibouti planned to 
build a new airport confirmed an earlier discussion 
Ambassador had with the Doraleh port site manager, K.K. Menon 
(strictly protect) on June 30.  The informal "proposal" that 
the existing airport could be turned over for combined 
military use, if a new airport is built, was conveyed to USLO 
only days after post delivered its diplomatic note to 
Djibouti's Foreign Ministry informing the Government of the 
U.S.'s desire to re-negotiate agreements related to Camp 
Lemonier.  Post believes that the Government of Djibouti may 
see base negotiations as a vehicle to help finance a new 
international airport in Djibouti. It will likely argue that, 
while costly, a new airport would be in the best short and 
long-term interests of the U.S. End comment. 
RAGSDALE