SOMALIA: ITALY SEEKS U.S. PARTICIPATION IN JOINT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003666

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR AF, EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2014
TAGS: PREL SO IT UN
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: ITALY SEEKS U.S. PARTICIPATION IN JOINT
MONITORING COMMITTEE FOR SOMALIA

Classified By: A/DCM Tom Countryman for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This cable includes a guidance request. Please see
paragraph 7.

Summary
--------------


2. (C) Bruno Cabras, MFA Director General for Sub-Saharan
Africa, requested a meeting with A/DCM on September 21 to
request U.S. participation in the protocol joint monitoring
committee designed to support the soon to be formed Somali
transitional government. Cabras urged the U.S. to take on a
leadership role in the committee and requested U.S. support
for a prominent Italian position. Cabras also suggested
forming a troika composed of the U.S., the UK and Italy.
Embassy requests guidance on how to respond to the MFA's
solicitation for U.S. participation in the protocol joint
monitoring committee and troika. End Summary

Joint Protocol
--------------


3. (C) Cabras stated that the national Somali assembly is
scheduled to select a president on October 27 and a new
transitional government should be in place soon after.
According to Cabras, one of the first objectives of the new
government is to sign a protocol with the international
community. This protocol, which is already substantially
drafted, is made up of three "pillars." The first pillar
defines the basic principles that the international community
expects the Somali government to uphold (respect for human
rights, rule of law, good governance, religious freedom,
anti-terrorism etc...). The second pillar outlines a rapid
assistance program designed to help the country within the
next six months and a long-term assistance plan which will be
initiated through a donors' conference hosted by the
Italians. The third pillar "creates a joint monitoring
committee to oversee the implementation of the protocol."
According to Cabras, the protocol, and especially the joint
monitoring committee, would guarantee the Somalis the support
of the international community while simultaneously allowing
the international community to keep tabs on the new Somali
authorities.

Joint Monitoring Committee and Leadership Roles
-------------- --


4. (C) Cabras stated that the international community must
act fast to set up the committee and decide how it will be
composed and who will play the leading roles. He stated that
the committee would be similar to the overseeing bodies
formed in the Ivory Coast (Comite de Suivi) and for the Great
Lakes region (International Support Committee to the
Transition - CIAT). Under normal circumstances the UN would
have a lead role in such a body, but Cabras doubted the UN
would be interested in taking on this responsibility in
Somalia. EU partners are aware of the idea, but he said, the
bureaucracy involved in identifying a role agreeable to all
25 members would be too time consuming and thus impractical.
He stressed Italy's interest in playing a prominent role and
suggested the possibility of appointing an Italian,
specifically Mario Raffaelli, a former MFA undersecretary and
special envoy for the Italian government to Somalia, as
either a special representative or EU representative. He
stated that, besides the Italians, the Europeans with the
greatest interest in this matter are the British, because of
Somaliland, and the Swedes, due to the large immigrant Somali
population in Sweden.

The U.S. Role and Possibly a Troika
--------------


5. (C) Cabras expressed hope that the U.S. would be
interested in participating in the joint monitoring committee
and suggested exploring the role of co-chairman for the U.S.
Cabras also requested U.S. support for a leading Italian
role, specifically the assignment of Raffaelli to a prominent
position. Cabras stated that Italy would also like to
explore the idea of a troika made up of Italy, the UK and the
U.S. to take on a role. He stated that this idea had been
previously discussed with A/AS Charles Snyder as well as with
the British. Cabras was vague as to the role of such a body,
but suggested that it could serve as the active core of the
monitoring committee. It would also provide a level of
comfort to the British due to their concerns in Somaliland.

Sweden's Role
--------------


6. (C) According to Cabras, the Swedish government will hold


a preparatory meeting in Stockholm on October 29 to finalize
details regarding the joint monitoring committee. Cabras
indicated that regional and international organizations would
also be invited but that a final determination as to the
participants was still pending. He hoped that the U.S. would
participate in this meeting and take on a leadership role
along with the Italians.

Embassy Guidance Request
--------------


7. (C) A/DCM assured Cabras that his message would be
conveyed to the Department. Embassy welcomes any further
knowledge the Department or posts may have on the above
proposal and requests guidance on how to respond to the MFA
regarding U.S. interest and possible participation in the
protocol, the joint monitoring committee and the troika
concept.


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2004ROME03666 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL