VZCZCXRO5397
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #1279/01 1141527
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241527Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5829
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 001279 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KREL ET ER
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES RECONCILIATION AND 
DEVELOPMENT WITH PATRIARCH 
 
REF: ADDIS ABABA 00451 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  In a courtesy call with the Patriarch of 
the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abuna Paulos, Ambassador 
discussed the importance of the upcoming Ethiopian millennium 
as a means to bring all Ethiopians together in the name of 
reconciliation.  The Patriarch echoed this view, saying that 
the EOC plans its own religious summit at that time focused 
on peace and unity.  As Abuna Paulos is a president of the 
World Council of Churches, he feels he can call on many 
religious leaders from around the world to take part. 
Ambassador and the Patriarch discussed several areas of 
potential cooperation in this regard, also focusing on the 
possibility of the Patriarch working with released CUD 
detainees.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) On April 23, Ambassador and Poloff (notetaker) paid a 
courtesy call to the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox 
Church (EOC), Abuna Paulos.  Ambassador used the introductory 
meeting as an opportunity to discuss development plans for 
Ethiopia and as a mutual exchange of offers for support and 
guidance on Ethiopia's future 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
DIASPORA KEY IN SUCCESSFUL MILLENNIUM CELEBRATION 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Abuna Paulos began by explaining to the Ambassador 
the EOC's plans for celebration of the Ethiopian millennium 
celebration.  (NOTE: Ethiopia uses the Julian calendar, under 
which the current year is 1999. Their new year begins on 
September 12 in the Gregorian calendar. END NOTE)  He said 
that with the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to 
visit Ethiopia around that time, and with many of them coming 
from the diaspora in the US and EU, it is an ideal time to 
work on Ethiopia's image and to help rebuild ties to 
Ethiopians living abroad.  However, "Ethiopia needs a big 
brother with big shoulders," Abuna Paulos told the 
Ambassador, in an effort to solicit support for the many 
development projects scheduled in conjunction with the 
millennium, specifically the construction of a new museum to 
be built in the center of Addis Ababa.  Ambassador informed 
the Patriarch that the USG is planning on supporting a number 
of initiatives and that large-scale projects will need 
coordination with other donors and substantial time to plan 
and implement. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Patriarch, who is a president on the World 
Council of Churches, informed Ambassador of his desire also 
to hold a religious summit at the time of the millennium, for 
which religious, governmental and non-governmental leaders 
from around the world would be invited to participate.  The 
focus of the event would be to promote peace and 
reconciliation between faiths and among the Ethiopian 
population.  In his vision of "building a bridge to peace," 
Abuna Paulos envisions this event to also reach out to 
Orthodox Church leaders in Eritrea and the US.  The Patriarch 
is seeking funding from the USG to assist with the planned 
summit. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
ADDIS EOC KEEN TO PATCH THINGS UP WITH US EOC 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Asked about recent efforts by the EOC in Addis Ababa 
to mend ties with the EOC in the US (reftel), Abuna Paulos 
said that the four archbishops that he had dispatched to the 
US to meet with counterparts there had returned to Ethiopia, 
but had been unsuccessful in their trip.  Abuna Paulos 
expressed regret of the divide that separates him and his 
"brothers" in the US and the rift that occurred when the 
EPRDF came to power which caused it.  He said that he 
recently released a statement in the US to this effect, 
professing that no one had been forced out of Ethiopia as 
widely believed.  "Many people blamed me for that," he said, 
but his only desire now, he says, is to bring the two 
churches together again.  When asked whether he himself would 
visit the US again anytime soon, Abuna Paulos said that he 
would like to, but that some in the US (from the US EOC) may 
object. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
PATRIARCH OFFERS TO WORK WITH RELEASED CUD DETAINEES 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00001279  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) In light of other activities aimed at peace building 
and reconciliation, Ambassador asked the Patriarch whether he 
would be willing to focus his reconciliation efforts on the 
Coalition for Unity and Democracy detainees that have been 
released, and those that will hopefully be released in the 
future.  Though the Patriarch claimed that he was ignorant of 
the political situation that these detainees find themselves 
in, he nevertheless offered his help and said he recognizes 
the need for Ethiopians to come together in the name of peace 
and unity. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
COMMENT: EOC SUPPORTS POST IN PEACE BUILDING EFFORTS 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) In this very cordial meeting between Ambassador and 
the Patriarch Abuna Paulos, both parties agreed that as 
Ethiopia moves toward its highly publicized millennium 
celebration, the focus needs to be on reconciliation.  These 
efforts should address differences between factions of the 
EOC, as well as religious and political differences among 
Ethiopians, both in the diaspora and at home.  The Patriarch 
pledged his help in supporting Embassy efforts in this 
regard.  Though the leadership of the EOC in Ethiopia is 
viewed suspiciously by many who consider it too close to the 
GoE, the church itself remains very powerful and may 
nevertheless be instrumental in bringing disparate groups 
together. 
YAMAMOTO