SOMALIA: ARAB LEAGUE BRINGS SOMALI TRANSITIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CAIRO 003966

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EFIN MOPS EG SM
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: ARAB LEAGUE BRINGS SOMALI TRANSITIONAL
GOVERNMENT AND ISLAMIC COURTS TOGETHER FOR PEACE TALKS

REF: A. KHARTOUM 1477


B. CAIRO 3849

C. CAIRO 3819

D. 6/23/06 HEGADORN-NEA EMAIL

Classified by ECPO Counselor Catherine Hill-Herndon for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. Senior Arab League contacts Samir Hosni and
Talal Elamine briefed poloff June 25 on outcomes of the
Khartoum meeting of the Arab League's Somalia Committee with
key Somali political leaders. In addition to providing
Arabic texts of the June 22 Khartoum Communique (translations
below),Hosni confirmed plans to hold a second round of talks
July 15 in Khartoum between Transitional Federal Government
(TFG) leaders and representatives of the Union of Islamic
Courts (UIC). Hosni welcomed coordination with the U.S. and
others, noting that League representatives would brief
Nairobi-based diplomats on the AL's mediation efforts soon.
Hosni also welcomed inclusion of an Arab role in future
meetings of the U.S.-led Somalia Contact Group. End summary.


2. (C) Arab League Secretariat African Affairs Office
Director Samir Hosny provided poloff June 25 with a readout
of the Khartoum ministerial of the League's Somalia
Committee, joined by Somali TFG leaders and representatives
of the UIC. Hosni provided additional details to what AL
Secretariat staffer Talal Elamine shared June 23 (ref D)

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regarding a seven-point communique (text at paragraph five)
signed by TFG and UIC leaders. Hosni described the
atmospherics of the meeting as positive, productive, and
non-confrontational. While the UIC reps (Deputy UIC Chairman
Dr. Mohammed Ali Ibrahim plus ten - namelist below) did not
represent hard-line elements of the UIC, Hosni said, their
aim was clearly to establish a role for the UIC within the
TFG. Hosni said the UIC wants to revisit parts of the
Constitution (NFI) and reform certain TFG institutions (NFI).
In general, the UIC does not want to abandon the IGAD-led
peace process which established the TFG in 2004, he noted,
and agreed to this point in the final communique. The UIC is
opposed to a foreign troop presence, Hosni said, and is
focused on getting "warlords" out of the TFG. Likewise, he
added, the UIC is willing to negotiate disarmament of its
militias, and is opposed to lifting the UN arms embargo.
Hosni shared a copy of the UIC demands presented to the Arab
League Secretariat at the start of the talks (text at
paragraph six).


3. (C) Asked about next steps for the Arab League and the
Somali political forces, Hosni noted that the Arab League's
Somalia Committee would meet again with key Somali political
forces July 15 in Khartoum under the auspices of League
President Sudan. Hosni stated that the League was also
consulting with member states and Somali groups on the
possibility of granting observer status to the U.S., AU,
IGAD, and others for future talks. In this spirit, Hosni
said the AL's Somalia peace process envoy (Salim Al
Khusseibi) would offer Nairobi-based diplomats a readout of
the June 22 meeting sometime during the week of June 25,
including Ethiopian and Kenyan diplomats. This move, he
shared, was intended to "calm them (i.e., front-line
states)," and to show them that "their interests in Somalia
are being taken into consideration" by the League.


4. (C) On the theme of coordinating international diplomatic
efforts on Somalia, Hosni welcomed efforts to include an Arab
role in the international Contact Group on Somalia, and
proposed that Sweden consider hosting the next Contact Group
meeting early enough to allow Arab and Arab League experts to
participate, prior to the League's July 15 Somalia meeting.
Hosni concluded by calling for a "common agenda" with the
U.S., and pressed for Europe and the U.S. to focus on
humanitarian assistance for Somalia. We must all work
together, he added, to "isolate the radical elements" in
Somalia and eventually disarm the militants. Hosni believed
that the Arab League mediation effort would succeed in
bringing political stability to southern Somalia, and an
accomodation between the TFG and the UIC. Still, he added,
these talks will have to be followed by political talks with
Somaliland leaders and later, Puntland.


5. (U) Unofficial embassy translation of June 22 Arab
League-sponsored Somalia talks communique:

Within the framework of implementing the Khartoum summit
resolution 345 of March 29, 2006 regarding support to
Somalia, and based on the initiative and generous invitation
of the President of Sudan (current Arab League Summit
President),the Arab League ministerial committee assigned to
follow the situation in Somalia met under the chairmanship of
His Excellency President Omar Al-Bashir. His Excellency

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President Abdullah Youssef of Somalia, the Secretary General
of the Arab League, and ministers and representatives of
member states attended.

Through intensive consultations with the Somali government
and the Union of Islamic Courts, the Committee reached a
number of elements that can be built upon to create common
ground. And, with the participation and auspices of the
Committee on Somalia, the first session of the dialogue
between the two parties was held, during which they expressed
determination to achieve a settlement that would preserve the
unity, sovereignty, and territorial security of Somalia and
enable the Somalis to rebuild the State institutions and
proceed with the reconstruction and rebuilding process.

Within this context, agreement was reached on the following
(7) principles:

- Recognition of the legitimacy of the current Somali
transitional government.

- Recognition of the "reality" of the Union of Islamic Courts.

- Continue dialogue and talks without prior conditions within
the framework of mutual recognition.

- Underline the necessity of putting war criminals on trial.

- Adhere to a halt to media and military campaigns (against
one another).

- Address a joint peace appeal.

- Conduct a dialogue on pending security and political
issues, and add this to the agenda of upcoming sessions and
explore the possibility of forming technical committees to
discuss such issues and submit proposals.

Agreement was reached to continue the talks and hold the next
round in Khartoum on July 15, 2006.

The Committee urged the international community to provide
support quickly to the Somali people and stressed that the
Arab countries would actively contribute to the restoration
of security and stability in Somalia, to reconstruction and
rebuilding efforts, and would extend urgent humanitarian
assistance.

The Committee thanked the Republic of Sudan for its
initiative on calling for and hosting a meeting of the Arab
League's Committee on Somalia.

Signed by:
Abdallah El-Sheikh Ismail, Foreign Minister, Republic of
Somalia

Dr. Mohamed Ali Ibrahim, Head of the UIC Delegation, Somalia

Witnessed by:
Amre Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League

Lam Akol, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Sudan

End text.


6. (U) Unofficial embassy translation of UIC paper.

Delivered by: Sheikh Sharif El-Sheikh Ahmed, Head of the
Union of Islamic Courts

(Title) "Some Negotiation Axes"

The recent Somali rebellion under the UIC and various society
sects see the following points as axes for negotiations:

- Opposite of what is present in the global, Arab, and
Islamic scenes, the Somali government described the recent
rebellion as a "terrorist" action in order to undermine what
is left of the Somalis and their property. Therefore, we
urge the government to formally apologize to its people and
to the rebellion in order to rebuild confidence.

- The Parliament,s recent decision to bring foreign troops
is unacceptable because the country does not need such troops
after resolving the problem of security in Mogadishu and its
vicinity. From our side, we promise to restore security and
stability in any region of Somalia where there is
instability. Therefore, we urgently demand the cancellation
of this decision (on foreign troops).

- In light of the size and nature of the recent changes in

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the country, it is imperative that all political formations
and issued documents, as well as the various laws,
resolutions, and agreements based upon them, should be
reviewed.

- Issue a general peace declaration whereby all Somalis would
live peacefully in all provinces. Ban any military activity,
but without fettering the rebellion in its campaign to hound
the warlords who are trying to create unrest and sectarian
strife in certain areas.

- Bring war criminals to justice before a special court and
in cooperation with the international and regional community.

- Do not lift the arms embargo.

Signed by: Dr. Mohamed Ali Ibrahim, Chairman of the UIC
delegation

End text.


7. (U) Name list of UIC delegation to June 21-22 Khartoum
talks.

Dr. Mohamed Ali Ibrahim, Chairman
Sheikh Hussein Mahmoud Jimaala, Vice Chairman
Taher Mahmoud Jeeli, Secretary
Sheikh Ali Abdallah Ahmed, Secretary
Sheikh Youssef Ali Einti, Member
Sheikh Beshir Ado Alsso, Member
Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Abdallah, Member
Prof. Omar Adam Kadi, Member
Sheikh Ahmed Balli Hassan, Member
Mr. Abdel Qader Mu,allem Jeedi, Member

End UIC participant list.
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