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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000857 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2019 
TAGS: PREL UNGA UNP PGOV PTER KPKO ET SO
SUBJECT: (U) AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH ETHIOPIAN PRIME 
MINISTER MELES ZENAWI ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000857  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Classified by Ambassador Susan Rice.  Reason: 1.4 (b) and 
(d) 
 
¶2.  (U) September 21, 2009; 2:30 p.m.; New York, NY. 
 
¶3.  (U) Participants: 
 
U.S. 
Ambassador Susan Rice 
Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson 
 
Ethiopia 
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi 
Charge d,Affairs Negash Kebret Bortora 
 
¶4.  (C) SUMMARY.  USUN Ambassador Susan Rice and African 
Affairs Assistant Secretary (A/S) Johnnie Carson met with 
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on September 21 on the 
margins of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).  In an amicable 
discussion, Meles offered his thoughts on how Somalia,s 
Transitional Federal Government (TFG) can move forward and 
opined that the Government of Kenya,s (GOK) efforts to 
support a takeover of the southern Somalia port city of 
Kismayo from U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization 
(FTO) al-Shabaab will fail.  While noting that he values 
Ethiopia,s relationship with the Obama Administration and 
would like to continue its dialogue with Washington, Meles 
did not fully agree with the priorities laid-out by 
Ambassador Rice and A/S Carson concerning free and fair 
national elections, political space for the opposition, and 
an open economy.  Meles said he doubted that Ethiopia,s 
border dispute with neighboring Eritrea would be resolved so 
long as Eritrean President Issais remains in power, and 
supported the idea of a new UN Security Council Resolution 
(UNSCR) sanctioning Eritrea for its illegal activities in 
Somalia and Djibouti.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
SOMALIA: THE TFG, AMISOM AND KISMAYO OFFENSIVE 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶5.  (C) Meles summarized the current situation in Somalia by 
stating that &things are going as well there as can be 
expected.8  Meles said he believes the TFG will &hang on8 
as long as the Ugandan contingent of the African Union 
Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is present in Mogadishu.  While 
stating that the September 17 suicide bombings in Mogadishu 
that targeted AMISOM,s base at the airport &did not 
diminish the will of the Ugandans or Burundians,8 Meles 
commented that the Ugandans and Burundians are poorly trained 
and were not prepared for the September 17 suicide bombings. 
 
¶6.  (C) When prompted for his views concerning how the TFG 
can move forward, Meles said it is important that President 
Sheikh Sharif and the TFG work more closely with the Suffi 
religious group Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamma; broaden its support 
base to include other clans, especially Hawiye sub-clans; 
seek additional Arab support, particularly from Saudi Arabia; 
and improve the recruitment and training of its security 
forces. 
 
¶7.  (C) Regarding the ongoing effort by the Kenyan Government 
(GOK) to assist certain sub-clans in southern Somalia in 
liberating the port city of Kismayo from al-Shabaab, Meles 
admitted that he discussed the issue briefly with GOK 
officials and does not think the GOK-led effort will be 
successful.  He justified his conclusion by noting that it 
will be extremely difficult to unify the Darod/Marehan clan, 
as the GOK is attempting to do, and that the GOK and former 
TFG president Abdullahi Youssef previously attempted the same 
effort and failed.  Meles expressed concern that the GOK may 
be supporting groups in its effort that &are opposed to the 
Government of Ethiopia8 and that may also be opposed to the 
TFG. 
 
--------------- 
DOMESTIC AGENDA 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Ambassador Rice stressed to Meles the importance of 
Ethiopia holding free, fair and transparent national 
elections, and of giving the opposition political space.  She 
also highlighted the need for Ethiopia to open its economy, 
and A/S Carson urged Meles to focus specifically on the 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000857  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
banking, finance, insurance and agriculture sectors.  While 
stating that he &does not necessarily agree with all8 of 
the priorities raised by Ambassador Rice and A/S Carson, 
Meles noted the need for continued dialogue between our two 
countries as he 
&values Ethiopia,s relationship with the Obama 
Administration.8  Particularly, Meles expressed an interest 
in &broadening our bilateral relationship beyond the 
military and security fields8. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
ERITREA: BORDER DISPUTE AND NEW SANCTIONS REGIME 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶9.  (C) Noting that there is a presumption, rightly or 
wrongly, that Ethiopia has not lived up to its international 
obligations in resolving its border dispute with Eritrea, 
Ambassador Rice encouraged Meles to take a fresh look at how 
to resolve the issue.  Meles underscored his view that the 
border dispute is unlikely to be resolved as long as Eritrean 
President Issais is in power, as he &is opposed to any 
Ethiopian leadership on the issue8 and is not likely to take 
further initiative himself. 
 
¶10.  (C) Ambassador Rice asked Meles, views on a potential 
UNSC  resolution creating a stand-alone Eritrea sanctions 
regime, separate from the exisiting Somalia sanctions regime 
(UNSCR 1844) under which Eritreans can be designated for 
threatening the peace and stability in Somalia, and violating 
Djibouti,s border, among other sanctionable actions.  Meles 
strongly backs this approach. 
 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
 
RICE