Wikileaks: Ethiopia proposed ‘semi-recognition’ for Somaliland in 2009

[ramzy2277]

A leaked Cable of US Embassy Addis Ababa shows Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi lobbying for a ‘semi-recognition’ status for Somaliland, a breakaway northern territory of Somalia.

In a January 30, 2009 meeting with Assistant Secretary Phil Carter, the Ethiopia Premier was quoted as saying that:Somaliland

he(Meles) has already broached the notion of an interim- or semi-recognition, along the lines of what the Palestinian Authority enjoys, with Somaliland President Kahin Riyale, and that Riyale has become increasingly receptive to the strategy……the next steps must be for others in the international community to help convince the Somalilanders of such an approach.

Meles argued that granting a "semi-recognition" for Somaliland would be ‘a critical step necessary to enhance the international community’s ability to support Somaliland on regional security/stability and in its own domestic efforts toward democratization.’ He stressed further that ‘the international community’s status quo relationship with Somaliland is untenable and that Somaliland needs a way around the issue of legal recognition to allow the international community to "recognize some authority within Somaliland with which it can engage”.‘

While accepting the Assistant Secretary’s criticism of Somaliland’s internal political dynamics in the prior two years and the need to hold credible elections as planned, Meles Zenawi insisted that ‘Somaliland’s democratic process cannot be sustained without some kind of interim recognition which can allow for the provision of international assistance to bolster Somaliland’s own democratic process.’ [Note that the 2010 Presidential election went as planned and Somaliland managed a peaceful transfer of power to an opposition party, albeit with some hitched in …]

However, Somaliland needs a "good sponsor" within the African community to advance the cause, Meles observed. Speaking of potential sponsors, Meles suggested that:

Djibouti would be the best choice, and acknowledged that Ethiopia would be the worst (as the move risked only fueling detractors’ arguments that Ethiopia is bent on breaking up Somalia).

Once the support of Africans is secured, ‘the onus would be on the U.S. and UK to make the Somaliland semi-recognition case to the Europeans and others in the international community’, Meles outlined the strategy.

Source:

http://hornaffairs.com/en/2011/09/08/wi ... omaliland/

[WaaliCas]

Ato Meles Zenawi Asris was very intelligent man with a high IQ. While he was fighting in the mountains and caves of northern Ethiopia, he was studying not only the battlefield, Ethiopian politics, Somali tribal relations, Sudanese issues, Eritrea's desire, Yemen but by 1995 he was able to acquire First Class MA in Business Administration from the UK's Open University. A decade later he gained an MSc in Economics from the Erasmus University of the Netherlands. In July 2002, he received an honorary doctoral degree in political science from the Hannam University in South Korea.

He understood the region very well and studied all night while running governmental affairs all day. That's what eventually killed him. He was restless.

Semi-recognition would have helped SL enough but not enough to run away. Meles was thinking long term. I believe Addis will eventually carry it through with that idea. I don't believe Djibouti is the right nation but it should be South Sudan but first we need to handle the Dinka boys and install a Nuer president in Juba. Of course this is risky too considering some Nuer are fighting against Ethiopia for independence in the Gambella region. But I believe its worth the risk. If we install them in Juba, they could consider us an ally and drop their secession in Gambella and focus on ruling their South Sudan rather than burn the bridge that delivered them in Juba. The Nuer can not only play role in Gambella and SL but can get the oil pipeline to run through Ethiopia on its way to Djibouti port rather than Kenya via Uganda.

Uganda's Museveni has the upper hand against our Wolaita Prime Minister (HMD). He also slept from Somalia and is rather too focused on Semayawi and the all invisible G7.

[Rambie]

Yh, I read about that before.
It does make sense cos Somalis see the Habasha as a boggy man (the irony )
If Djibouti offered to take the lead (Somali majority country) the reaction would be much more different.

However, I read somewhere that the president of Djibouti is afraid from Isaaq influence if Somaliland
was recognized as an independent state.

A semi-recognition would have been the last nail in Somalia's coffin.