US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1168

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 001168 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, OPRC, PREL, KMDR, KPAO, US, XA 
SUBJECT: Djibouti Speaks Out on Darfur 
 
1. (U) The state run newspaper, La Nation, yesterday 
published a story saying that the Republic of Djibouti will 
support the Government of Sudan until the Darfur crisis is 
resolved. The story indicated that the Sudan situation is 
improving and that progress is being made at the Abuja 
conference. It opposed Western military intervention inside 
the Sudanese frontiers. 
 
2. (U) On August 21 the Minister of Information announced 
Djiboutian support for the Sudanese effort to resolve the 
Darfur crisis. Since then, the state news agency has been 
reporting stories favoring the Sudanese government and 
calling for large scale return of  refugees to Darfur. 
 
4. (U) Comment: This may be partly in response to the visit 
of Rep. Donald Payne paid Djibouti and other countries that 
share a border with Sudan, as well as the nomination of a 
new Sudanese Ambassador to Djibouti. Both urged the 
Djiboutian Government to take an official stand on Darfur. 
More likely it is a reflection of the Arab League stance on 
this issue. Djibouti is a member of the Arab League. 
 
5.  (U) Comment Continued: There is an ethically Sudanese 
community in Djibouti with a long history in the capital. 
The feeling about Darfur in this community, and in the 
Djiboutian society as a whole, is that the American 
government's preoccupation with Sudan parallels its stance 
toward Saddam before the current Iraqi war. 
 
GRIBBIN