SOMALIA: EGYPT LAMENTS U.S. DECISION TO "EXCLUDE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003819

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS PTER EG SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: EGYPT LAMENTS U.S. DECISION TO "EXCLUDE
ARAB PARTICIPATION" IN NEW CONTACT GROUP

REF: 6/15/06 NEA/RA-HEGADORN E-MAILS

Classified by ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) During a June 19 meeting, MFA Assistant Minister for
African Affairs Mohamed Higazy complained to poloff about
what he termed Washington's decision to "exclude Arab
participation" in a newly formed "Contact Group" to deal with
the ongoing crisis in Somalia. Higazy questioned the
selection criteria of the new grouping, and cautioned
Washington not to lead peace efforts without Arab
involvement. Higazy predicted that the absence of an Arab
role in Somalia peace-making efforts would lead to a
deepening of the political and military conflict, as Union of
Islamic Courts (UIC) supporters would attempt to paint the
efforts of the Contact Group as a "Western" attempt to impose
solutions in the troubled East African country. Going
further, Higazy warned that exclusion of Egypt and/or the
Arab League from a July 14 international meeting in Sweden to
discuss Somalia might result in efforts by the League or
Cairo to launch its own separate peace track.


2. (C) Offering GOE views on how best to deal with the
crisis in Somalia, Higazy said Egypt would continue to focus
its diplomatic efforts on securing the viability of the
Transitional Federal Government's (TFG) institutions, and
seek ways to subsume the Islamic Courts into the
IGAD-negotiated TFG process. Recognizing the fluidity of the
military situation on the ground, particularly the threat of
Ethiopian forces entering the conflict, Higazy cautioned that
diplomatic efforts should aim at salvaging as much of the
IGAD-led political process as possible. The Arab League, he
said, will organize a meeting in Mogadishu June 19 to bring
together TFG and UIC representatives, in which the Egyptian
Ambassador in Nairobi will participate. Higazy cautioned
against assumptions that the Islamic Courts would quickly
break up as a political and military force, since local
warlords have lost their credibility among the populace.
Asked about outside intervention, Higazy believed it was "not
the appropriate moment" for allowing Ugandan and Sudanese
troops (as agreed by the AU's Peace and Security Council) to
be sent to Somalia.


3. (C) Arab League staff had similarly expressed to poloff
June 15 disappointment that the League had been left off the
new Contact Group participation list. Drawing from ref email
messages from the Department, poloff shared June 18 with AL
staff that despite physical space limitations for the initial
meting, the U.S. appreciated AL interest in the Contct
Group, that Washington recognized the value o the Arab
League with respect to Somalia peace eforts, and that U.S.
diplomats would be willing t offer a readout of the June 16
Contact Group meting.
RICCIARDONE