SOMALIA -- GERMANY EXPRESSES CONCERNS TO ROME RE:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 003638

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF
STATE PASS AID
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2025
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO SO KE
SUBJECT: SOMALIA -- GERMANY EXPRESSES CONCERNS TO ROME RE:
ACTIVITIES OF ITALIAN SPECIAL ENVOYS

REF: A. NAIROBI 3434 (NOTAL)


B. ROME 2413 (NOTAL)

C. STATE 131526 (NOTAL)

Classified By: MICHAEL J. FITZPATRICK, POLITICAL COUNSELOR, REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) The Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) has demarched
the Italian MFA in Rome regarding difficult working relations
and differences in principle with the Italian Delegation to
Somalia in Nairobi. It appears that the frustrations the FRG
expressed in Rome are shared by a number of other EU member
states that are particularly engaged in Somali Affairs. Rome
reportedly distanced itself somewhat from its diplomats in
Nairobi, claiming to be well in the middle of the herd on
assistance to the divided Somali Transitional Federal
Institutions (TFIs). It may be, however, that the Italians
in Nairobi are operating with considerable autonomy -- and
that the senior diplomat does not report to the MFA. END
SUMMARY.

FRG DEMARCHES ROME
--------------


2. (C) The FRG's Deputy Chief of Mission in Nairobi, Walter
von den Driesch, called Somalia Watcher September 9 to inform
us that Berlin had made a formal demarche on the Italian MFA
in Rome to discuss Italy's activities in Somalia. von den
Driesch, who has responsibility for Somali affairs as well as
duties as German Deputy PermRep to UNEP and UNHSP, said the
content of the demarche expressed German exasperation with
the positions Rome's envoys had been taking in working with
fellow European Union member states in Nairobi. He said
Berlin also made clear German concerns that Italian
activities in Somalia were not in keeping with the direction
the broader international community believed the most
conducive to bringing governance and peace to Somalia.

INTERMINABLE MEETINGS
--------------


3. (C) DCM von den Driesch said the difficulties he and his
EU colleagues had been having finalizing a report of the EU
Heads of Missions (EUHOMS) to Kenya on Somalia for the
European Commission's Africa Working Group had motivated him
to ask for Berlin's intervention in Rome. He described the
report drafting process as "incredibly painful", involving
interminable meetings since mid-August to review endless
Italian edits to drafts that had garnered broad support from
the rest of the EU member states involved in the process. He
lamented that his and other EU diplomats' time and resources,
already in short supply, were being wasted on trying to
corral Italy on its diplomats' activities in Somalia, instead
of being able to focus on supporting the efforts of the
broader international community. (NOTE: While several other
EU member states are represented in Nairobi, only Denmark,
Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK are
actively involved in Somali affairs. France attends meetings
of the international community with little engagement, while
non-EU members Switzerland and Norway are more deeply
involved. END NOTE.)

WHO ARE THOSE GUYS?
--------------


4. (C) Mr. von den Driesch said that Berlin had asked Rome to
explain the roles and authority held by Italy's three special
envoys for Somali affairs currently on the ground in Nairobi.
He was told that only Ambassador Francesco Lanata, with the
title of "Italian Special Envoy for Somalia", could rightly
be seen as a full-time permanent MFA employee assigned in
Kenya to cover Somali political affairs. The recently
arrived Stefano A. Dejak, ("Counsellor (sic),Italian
Diplomatic Special Delegation for Somalia"),formerly the
MFA's Director General for Sub-Saharan Africa, was called,
simply, "temporary". As for the former Senator Mario
Raffaelli, "Special Envoy, Italian Diplomatic Special
Delegation for Somalia," Rome apparently told the FRG's
representatives that although he is charged with a Somalia
portfolio by the Italian government, "he does not work for
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." von den Driesch said,
"It's as if he is some kind of free-lancer, for lack of a
better term, with Italian government sanction."


5. (C) According to the German DCM, however, Rome's MFA is
convinced that Italy has taken a middle-of-the-pack position
in the international community as regards financial support
to the Somali Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). He
reported that Rome had determined significant infrastructure
projects in Somalia to be premature, and would keep its
assistance in a "co-financing" mode with the European
Commission and other donors. All significant outlays would
await the completion of the joint UN-World Bank development
needs assessment report, expected no sooner than late 2005.

COMMENTS
--------------


6. (C) Our German colleague's frustrations are shared by
other EU member state diplomats, especially the Danes, Dutch,
Swedes, and Brits. It was the Danish bilateral assistance
officer who asked von den Driesch to brief Somalia Watcher on
the FRG demarche. The EUHOMS report process has pushed a
number of member states to the limit of their internal
diplomacy: Italy's edits are said to gut the report of any
notion that there is a split in the Somali Transitional
Federal Institutions; that there is a military build-up on
the side of the Somali President -- whom Italy strongly
supports; and to insert notions that there is a functioning
central government in the small town of Jowhar, presided over
by the President and Prime Minister -- despite the larger
number of TFI Ministers and MPs currently in Mogadishu.


7. (C) This third-hand report of Rome's point of view on the
activities of the Italian Delegation in Nairobi bears some
interpretation. It would almost appear from this account
that some in the Italian MFA would like to distance
themselves from Raffelli, Stefano, et al, and are ensuring
that assistance funds are not available to back up activities
that might be out of step with the broader international
community. However, reports from other EU members of
significant Italian construction projects in the TFG
President's and Prime Minister's temporary capital of Jowhar,
complete with Italian contractors, would seem to indicate a
cash flow independent of the MFA. We believe the evidence
points more toward an Italian Delegation with considerable
room for autonomy and maneuver, and the funds to back it up,
whether or not fully sanctioned by the Italian MFA.


8. (C) That a major European Union member state, one with
significant budgetary clout, has gone to Rome with its
concerns is worth noting. We doubt that it will have much
impact on the Italian Delegation's activities in Somalia
unless it is backed up by greater interest inside the
European Commission's Africa Working Group, where it appears
that Italy has carved out a dominant position. END COMMENTS.
BELLAMY