TFUS01: EMBASSY LONDON SITREP 11, 09/28/01

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 005780 E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2011 TAGS: MARR PREL PGOV US UK SUBJECT: TFUS01: EMBASSY LONDON SITREP 11, 09/28/01 REF: LONDON 5755 (NOTAL) CLASSIFIED BY: DCM GLYN DAVIES. REASONS PARA 1.5 (B),(D),(E). -------------- -------------- PM BLAIR URGES CREATION OF "HUMANITARIAN COALITION" -------------- -------------- ¶1. (U) PM TONY BLAIR MET SEPTEMBER 27 WITH A DIVERSE GROUP OF BRITISH MUSLIM LEADERS AT DOWNING STREET AND ANNOUNCED, "JUST AS WE HAVE BUILT A POLITICAL AND MILITARY COALITION FOLLOWING THE EVENTS IN AMERICA, NOW WE HAVE ALSO TO BUILD A HUMANITARIAN COALITION TO DEAL WITH THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN THAT REGION." BLAIR SAID HE WOULD PRESS THE ISSUE WITHIN THE EU, THE UN, AND BILATERALLY WITH JAPAN. ¶2. (U) IN ADDITION TO THE 25 MILLION POUNDS (USD 38M) BRITAIN PLEDGED LAST WEEK FOR DISPLACED AFGHANS, THE UK GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED IT WILL ALSO GIVE 11 MILLION POUNDS (USD 17M) TO HELP PAKISTANIS LIVING IN THE BORDER AREA (IN PART TO PREVENT ACCUSATIONS OF FAVORITISM TOWARD AFGHAN REFUGEES). -------------- COMMONWEALTH MEETING CANCELLED -------------- ¶3. (U) THE BIENNIAL COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING, SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 6-9, WAS POSTPONED FOR A YEAR. THE QUEEN ACCORDINGLY POSTPONED HER PLANNED TOUR OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. -------------- LIBERAL DEMOCRATS SUPPORT U.S. -------------- ¶4. (U) THE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARTY ANNUAL CONFERENCE CLOSED SEPTEMBER 27 WITH THE TRADITIONAL SPEECH BY THE LEADER, CHARLES KENNEDY. KENNEDY ESCHEWED THE NORMAL RALLYING CALL TO THE PARTY FAITHFUL, AND INSTEAD FOCUSED ON NUANCED SUPPORT FOR THE BLAIR GOVERNMENT'S STAND WITH THE U.S. HE MADE A SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR'S PRESENCE EARLIER IN THE WEEK AS A SIGNAL OF THE FORCES OF DEMOCRACY WORKING TOGETHER (SEPTEL). -------------- UK SHARES CONCERNS ON UBL IN SOMALIA -------------- ¶5. (C) THE FOREIGN OFFICE PROVIDED EMBASSY LONDON WITH A REPORT ON SOMALI CONNECTIONS TO UBL THAT ANALYZES PROSPECTS FOR RELOCATION AND/OR SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM AMONG SOMALI FACTIONS (REFTEL). -------------- MEDIA -------------- ¶6. (U) THE SECRETARY'S INTERVIEW WITH RESPECTED ANCHORMAN SIR TREVOR MCDONALD WAS BROADCAST SEPTEMBER 27 ON ITN'S EVENING NEWS TO VERY FAVORABLE REVIEWS. THE DCM APPEARED ON SKY NEWS CALL-IN PROGRAM SEPTEMBER 28. FARISH