Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NAIROBI2757
2006-06-25 12:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:  

A/S FRAZER MEETS KENYA FM TUJU

Tags:  PREL PGOV PTER MASS KISL SO 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 002757 

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TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MASS KISL SO
SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER MEETS KENYA FM TUJU

Classified By: A/S Frazer, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 002757

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MASS KISL SO
SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER MEETS KENYA FM TUJU

Classified By: A/S Frazer, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a June 21 meeting with Kenya' s Foreign Minister Raf
ael Tuju,
Assistant Secretary Frazer END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Assistant Secretary Frazer noted that she came to Kenya at the s
pecific
direction of Secretary Rice to consult with our Kenyan allies on Somali
a. A/S
Frazer explained the genesis of the International Contact Group for Som
alia and
its composition, emphasizing that the group is a Norwegian initiative t
o share
information and coordinate positions among selected states and internat
ional
organizations. FM Tuju pointed out that IGAD has authority from the Af
rican
Union to lead African diplomatic efforts to bring peace and governance
to
Somalia.


3. (C) Tuju emphasized the importance to Kenya of a Somali settlement g
iven a
long shared border and Kenya's own ethnic Somali population. Tuju said
that
Kenya's ethnic Somalis give his country "channels of communication" to
all
Somali factions, including the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). He urged
a policy
of constructive engagement with the UIC at this early juncture and stre
ssed the
utility of policy coordination among members of the international commu
nity.
Tuju lamented the many unknowns at this time: Does the UIC intend furth
er
expansion?, What is their attitude toward Baidoa and the TFIs? Are exte
rnal
forces represented in the UIC's military wing?


4. (C) On the arms embargo, Tuju pointed out that this policy was adop
ted prior
to "our arrival in power." He said "the arms embargo must be qualified
, some
way must be found to give teeth to the TFG, but not necessarily by tota
lly
lifting the arms embargo."
Tuju advocated a relaxation of the embargo that would permit training o
f
security elements to support the TFG. "The TFG is a creation of IGAD.
We can
exact legitimate influence over it to see that such arms are not abused
."


5. (C) Turning to Somaliland, Tuju stated that "Somaliland recognition

is on the
table" of the African Union. He repeatedly referred to "British Somali
land,"
underlining Somaliland's claim that its long-sought independent status
does not
cross AU red lines as regards the maintenance of inherited colonial bou
ndaries.
Tuju praised the Somaliland administration for its "pragmatic, open-min
ded"
attitude, its record of responsibly controlling its territory under ele
cted
governments, and its policy of not seeking to expand beyond the histori
c borders
of British Somaliland. Tuju recounted his understanding of British Som
aliland
having agreed to merge with Italian Somaliland soon after independence,
but
emphasized that the merger was never formally ratified. "The marriage
did not
work out, just as was the case with the attempted merger between Senega
l and
Gambia. In such cases, the two parties should revert to their former
independent status."


6. (C) A/S Frazer returned the conversation to the current situation be
tween the
UIC and the TFG. She mentioned that she had resisted facile comparison
s between
the Taliban and Somalia's Islamic courts, but the stories coming out of
Somalia
now are making her reconsider her views. She spoke of the decisiveness
of

NAIROBI 00002757 002 OF 002


extremists, their ability to act quickly and seize initiative while mod
erates
consult. Tuju advocated robust engagement with the "moderate majority"
within
the UIC. Tuju said that the TFG had urged his government not to speak
to
Somaliland or to the UIC, but this approach is mistaken. "We told the
UIC not
to attack Baidoa. They followed our counsel." Tuju recommended an "op
en-minded
approach toward the UIC, while not being nave, don't close doors." Tuj
u
continued "there are both extremists and moderates among our Muslims.
We
strengthen the moderates. We do not marginalize them all."


7. (C) A/S Frazer concurred with Tuju's strategy, noting that an early
push
against the extremists risks forcing the moderates to close ranks with
them.
But in the end, she emphasized, neither we nor the region can accept a
Taliban-
style takeover of a state in the Horn of Africa. While it makes sense
to first
build up the moderates before crushing the extremists, "what to do when
even the
moderates are against you?" A/S Frazer stressed that the TFG and the U
IC must
acknowledge the existence of active al Queda cells in Mogadishu and the
ir
responsibility for rendering to justice members of those cells.


8. (C) A/S Frazer and Tuju discussed evidence that Eritrea is arming a
nd
funding anti-TFG elements, including within the UIC. They agreed that
the
upcoming Arab League-sponsored talks in Khartoum between the TFG and th
e UIC
will provide a welcome opportunity to begin to answer key questions abo
ut the
UIC leadership, such as "Who are they?" and "What do they want."


9. (S/NF) FM Tuju then requested a private one-on-one meeting with A/
S Frazer.
During that discussion, Tuju raised Kenya's anti-terrorism legislation,
explaining that the first draft had language amounting to "racial profi
ling" of
Muslims, for example, identifying terrorists by their mode of dress. T
he bill
will require extensive reworking. He also expressed concern about the
state of
Kenya-U.S. relations, opining that they have never been worse. He asso
ciated
this state of affairs to Kenya's refusal to allow Wilson airport to be
used as
an exit for fleeing Somali warlords and for the confusion surrounding t
he
Assistant Secretary's request to meet President Kibaki. (The meeting d
id not
occur despite being confirmed by State House but not the Foreign Minist
ry.)
Finally, FM Tuju asked that greater respect be given to Kenyans seeking
visas at
the Mission.


10. (U) Assistant Secretary Frazer cleared this message.

BELLAMY