A/S FRAZER AND IGAD EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ON SOMALIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000831 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF AND AF/E LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL IGAD DJ SO SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER AND IGAD EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ON SOMALIA Classified By: A/S JFRAZER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) "We want the United States to be part of the process," said IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Bashir Attallah to A/S Jendayi Frazer, during a cocktail the Ambassador hosted June 21 for both. Dr. Attallah, who is headquartered in Djibouti, said IGAD wants America's "active involvement." It wants America "to show up at meetings, and to show political support for the Transitional Federal Government (TFG)." A/S Frazer pointed out that the United States has made statements of support for the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and for holding open dialogue. "Be assured we will be involved in Somalia," she said. "That is the reason for my visit here today." But, A/S Frazer pointed out, "there appears to be differing views within the TFG and among IGAD member states on how this involvement should occur." ¶2. (C) Dr. Attallah conceded that many initiatives have followed Somalia's collapse in 1991, but all have been limited in scope and all offered only unilateral approaches. The IGAD initiative began in 2002, he said, and wanted to involve everyone from all sides. At that time, Dr. Attallah continued, USAID gave financial support, but there was only one person from the Department of State assigned to watch Somalia. That person changed position every six months, according to Dr. Attallah. Somalis, he continued, lost confidence in peace when the Americans pulled out. Dr. Attallah described Somalia as a "safe haven" for terrorists from all over Asia and the Middle East. He opined that if there is support for the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs),peace in Somalia will follow. ¶3. (C) Dr Attallah noted a recent meeting in Nairobi of the IGAD Council of Ministers and said IGAD wanted political support--not financial support. He stated that IGAD is concerned about the Arab League initiative on Somalia, taking form in the ongoing meeting in Khartoum. He said IGAD does not accept recognition of Islamists, but feared the Arab League would. Moreover, IGAD is against "parallel initiatives", he explained, such as the Arab League and the Somalia Contact Group, and does not wish to see "a mushroom of initiatives." ¶4. (C) A/S Frazer responded that the Somalia Contact Group was established under Norway's invitation, not to serve as a parallel initiative. It was seen, she said, as a way to coordinate policy on Somalia. A/S Frazer noted that the Arab League and IGAD should be involved in future discussions, since the Somalia Contact Group is a forum for discussion, not a governing body. ¶5. (C) A/S Frazer told Dr. Attallah that IGAD member states seem to differ in opinion about what to do regarding lifting the arms embargo and Somalia peacekeeping operations. Dr. Attallah pointed out that Ugandan President Museveni wanted strongly to begin peacekeeping operations. A/S Frazer expressed the view that Museveni may be unclear on how to proceed, given the lack of clarity on the issue. Dr. Attallah observed that IGASOM efforts would be temporary, until the African Union can take over. He said military experts from the AU and IGAD were meeting to discuss the situation in Somalia and then planned to travel there to asses the security situation. ¶6. (C) A/S Frazer advised Dr. Attallah that there is merit in giving space for moderates to emerge. The main concern, however, is to prevent extremists from consolidating their efforts in the interim. Dr. Attallah noted his fears in this regard and commented that each clan in Somalia wanted the umbrella of having its own Islamic Court. Already, he continued, "we are seeing in Somalia a mushrooming of Islamic Courts." According to Dr. Attallah, three more had emerged since the Islamic Courts declared victory over the warlords. RAGSDALE