Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DJIBOUTI361
2006-03-23 13:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Djibouti
Cable title:  

DJIBOUTI AND REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE COOPERATION ON

Tags:  PREL MARR PHSA SO DJ 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000361 

SIPDIS

COMUSNAVCENT BAHRAIN IMMEDIATE

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR AF/E ACTING DIRECTOR DEBORAH MALAC
DOD FOR AF DAS THERESA WHELAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR PHSA SO DJ
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI AND REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE COOPERATION ON
SOMALI PIRACY SUSPECTS

REF: SECSTATE 46195

Classified By: Ambassador Marguerita D. Ragsdale.
Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000361

SIPDIS

COMUSNAVCENT BAHRAIN IMMEDIATE

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR AF/E ACTING DIRECTOR DEBORAH MALAC
DOD FOR AF DAS THERESA WHELAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR PHSA SO DJ
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI AND REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE COOPERATION ON
SOMALI PIRACY SUSPECTS

REF: SECSTATE 46195

Classified By: Ambassador Marguerita D. Ragsdale.
Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (SBU) Ambassador conveyed to Mahmoud Ali Youssuf,
Djibouti's Minister of Foreign Affairs, substance of points
provided in reftel during an urgent meeting at her request
on March 23. She also converted the cable's instructions
into a series of points which she left with the Minister as
a non-paper. Pol/Econ accompanied the Ambassador as note
taker for the meeting.


2. (C) The Minister, who indicated his intention to depart
the same evening for Khartoum to prepare for the upcoming
Arab League summit, responded that he would consult with
higher authorities in Djibouti and have an answer provided
to the Ambassador by the deadline of March 27. He
commented that piracy is a continuing concern in the Horn
and observed that pirates deal in arms, drugs and other
types of illegal trade.


3. (C) The Minister offered the view that the issue of
custody and the handling of captured piracy suspects needs
to be discussed within a larger framework involving
neighboring countries in the region. He expressed hope
that the United States Government and the United States
military can be included in such discussions. The Minister
conveyed to Ambassador his concern that no legal framework
currently exists for dealing with pirates and said no
country really wants them because their presence can open
up a number of issues, including that of human rights.
Djibouti would like to see collective cooperation and a
combination of efforts to build such a framework, the
Minister said. He also said he believed Italy had first
broached the idea of a framework for handling pirates, and
that Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique also had expressed
interest.


4. (C) The Minister commented as well on the state of
lawlessness in Somalia and observed that Mogadishu is the
largest arms market in the Horn of Africa region. The U.N.
arms embargo has not proved sufficient or effective in
stopping the illegal arms trade as it has been difficult,
in practice, to enforce.
RAGSDALE