US embassy cable - 05DJIBOUTI1057

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 001057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEFENSE FOR ISA AFRICA 
DEFENSE ALSO PASS DSCA SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA DIRECTOR 
STATE FOR AF, AF/E, AF/RA, AND PM 
PARIS/LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MASS, MARR, MOPS, MCAP, DJ 
SUBJECT: INTERIM MEETING WITH GENERALS FATHI AND ZAKARIA ON 
FMF CONCERNS 
 
REF: A. DJIBOUTI 1017 
     B. 04 DJIBOUTI 985 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Ambassador, accompanied by USLO Chief, met October 17 
at Djiboutian Military Headquarters with Chief of Djiboutian 
Military Forces, General Fathi Ahmed Houssein and his Deputy, 
General Zakaria Cheick Ibrahim.  The meeting was requested by 
Ambassador to acknowledge receipt of General Zakaria's letter 
of October 10 (reported reftel A), to further gauge the 
Djiboutian military leadership's views on FMF as expressed in 
the October 10 letter and to provide interim assurances of a 
timely reply.  General Fathi and General Zakaria were joined 
in the meeting by Col. Osman Soubaghleh, Director of 
International Relations, Djiboutian Armed Forces. 
 
2. (C) Ambassador initiated the discussion by acknowledging 
receipt of Zakaria's letter as well as the concerns Fathi 
expressed previously about the pace of delivery of FMF to 
Djibouti (Reftel B). She told Fathi she had passed the letter 
to Washington and could reassure that Washington was seized 
of the matter and would have a formal reply just after the 
24th of October.  The delay, she added, was due to the 
absence in Europe at a EUCOM conference of many of the 
appropriate respondents. 
 
3. (C) General Fathi thanked the Ambassador for her visit. 
With considerable animation, he spoke about Djibouti's 
security needs and the link between FMF and those needs.  He 
reiterated that FMF is important for Djibouti's security and 
that everything Djibouti is asking of the Americans is for 
that security.  He said he understands the procedural 
difficulties in moving FMF projects along, yet there are 
items under the program for which timely delivery to 
recipient countries is essential.  For example, he said, the 
engineering equipment Djibouti requested could have been 
received two years later and Djibouti was prepared to wait 
for it. By contrast patrol boats are extremely necessary for 
security of Djibouti's coasts and that he and the President 
of Djibouti counted on these boats as part of the 
government's package to ensure coastal security of the 
country. 
 
4. (C) There have been other undelivered promises, the 
General continued.  Three years ago the U.S. promised a 
security project under "Image Nautilus" that would involve 
cooperation among Djiboutian, French, and U.S. military 
personnel.  The project included construction of a border 
outpost and hardened access road.  After this extended period 
of time, and four U.S. military delegations later,  Djibouti 
has yet, according to Fathi, to see implementation of this 
project.  He added that Djibouti faced real vulnerabilities 
linked to Al-Qaida's decision to install itself in 
Somaliland. He expressed the belief that Al-Qaida would not 
cease looking for these vulnerabilities. 
 
5. (C) Continuing, the General cited the port rehabilitation 
project at Obock as another example.  He insisted that 
nothing has been done on this project despite promises, and 
the inactivity had led to a "loss of confidence" on 
Djibouti's part.  He told the Ambassador and USLO Chief that 
he is reluctant to raise FMF any longer with President 
Guelleh because in case after case with links to FMF on which 
he has reported to the president, he (Fathi) has simply been 
unable to deliver. Fathi added that Djibouti had willingly 
accepted to be in the coalition fighting the global war on 
terrorism, yet said he feels deeply that Djibouti's friends 
are not sensitive to the dangers his country faces. 
 
6. (C) Comment:  Despite Ambassador's assurances that the 
U.S. has interests in Djibouti's security and is working hard 
to process all outstanding FMF requests, General Fathi gave 
no indication that he believes we will deliver at a more 
rapid pace.  His disenchantment and impatience was 
unmistakable.  It is not clear what pressure upon Fathi is 
driving the chariot, other than saving face with Guelleh.  It 
may be genuine disquiet about security against terrorist acts 
from outside.  We again reiterate the importance of a timely 
reply to Reftel A, perhaps with text that could easily be 
transposed into a letter from Ambassador addressing the 
issues Fathi has raised.  End comment. 
RAGSDALE