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