S/CT Ambassador Crumptons Meeting with President

S E C R E T NAIROBI 002453

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

DEPARTMENT FOR AF and S/CT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2026
TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL MOPS ASEC KPAO SO KE
SUBJECT: S/CT Ambassador Crumptons Meeting with President
Kibaki

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR WILLIAM M. BELLAMY, REASONS 1.4
(B,C,D)


1. (S/NF) S/CT Ambassador Henry Crumpton called on Kenyan
President Kibaki May 26. Crumpton hailed U.S.Kenyan anti-
terrorism cooperation in recent years and urged that Kenya
continue to treat regional threats seriously and work with
us to strengthen further our CT cooperation. Crumpton asked
Kibaki about Kenyas regional relationships.


2. (S/NF) Kibaki said Kenya has no complaints and gets
on OK with all its neighbors. Somalia, of course, is a
special case. Asked to comment further, Kibaki volunteered
that press reports of U.S. activities in Somalia have
caused some uneasiness among some groups. Kibaki skirted
any specifics, saying only that reported U.S. actions are
genuinely worrying to some parties in Somalia.


3. (S/NF) Crumpton suggested that Somalia, and especially
its very weak transitional government (TFG),could benefit
from better coordinated, more robust international support.
Crumpton added that establishing a viable government in
Somalia was obviously in our mutual interest, but that this
was likely to be a long term project. Crumpton noted the
worrisome presence of Al Qaida leadership in Mogadishu,
pointing out that we needed to find a formula to deal with
both sides of this issue: strengthening Somali government
leadership while addressing the AQ threat.


4. (S/NF) Kibaki said Kenya would continue working with the
TFG, but lamented that he and his government knew too
little about real political conditions in Somalia.
Fortunately, he said we here in Nairobi are alright, we
are not being infiltrated or affected by the situation in
Somalia.


5. (S/NF) Security Minister Michuki then interjected to
exclaim that the U.S. and Kenya could be doing certain
things to improve Kenyas security. Michuki spoke
enthusiastically of recent conversations with Mission
Nairobi senior staff, and suggested that more joint
training and exercising, as well as increased US civic
action programs, be instituted. (NOTE: Michukis office
has in recent months turned down or failed to respond to a
number of U.S. Mission proposals along these same lines.
We will follow up to test the validity of his sudden
interest in cooperation. END NOTE.)


6. (S/NF) Crumpton praised Kenyas training of some 200
Somali police officers and commended Kenya for footing the
bill for this effort. Kibaki said Kenya needed more
resources to help train not only Somali police but also
potentially civil servants. The TFG, in Kibakis words,
has absolutely nothing. We are willing to help, Kibaki
said, but we need help with funding.


7. (S/NF) Crumpton said that his office may be able to
offer some modest assistance on CT-related training and
pledged to look into possible funding sources. He cautioned
that any assistance to Somalis be carefully vetted to
ensure that it is not distributed purely along partisan,
clan lines. Kibaki agreed, promising to hold additional
discussions with AU and IGAD partners and then report back
to the U.S. Mission on possible avenues of enhanced USG
assistance.


8. (S/NF) COMMENT. This was a useful and cordial meeting
which Kibaki sought to publicize with a brief photo
opportunity at the conclusion. State House staff put out a
subsequent press line to the effect that Kibaki had
appealed for U.S. support for the TFG. END COMMENT.


9. (U) Present at this meeting on the GOK side were
Security Minister Michuki, NSIS Director Gichangi, Security
Ministry Permanent Secretary Gitaui, Assistant Foreign
Minister Wetangula, and Presidential Strategic Advisor
Murage. Ambassador Crumpton was accompanied by Ambassador
Bellamy and S/CT Deputy Virginia Palmer.

Bellamy