ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER'S MEETING WITH SOMALI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 002760 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2026 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER MASS EAID SO SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER'S MEETING WITH SOMALI PRIME MINISTER GEDI Classified By: A/S Frazer, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a June 21 meeting with Somali Prime Minister Gedi, Assistant Secretary Frazer outlined U.S. priorities for Somalia and solicited Gedi's thoughts on the most appropriate role for the U.S. at this time. Gedi identified security needs as the top priority to enable other activities to proceed. He appealed for U.S. support for lifting of the UN arms embargo in order to help the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) establish their own security forces. He was dubious about the prospects for much progress at the upcoming Khartoum talks with the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC),noting that the Courts were not sending their top leadership. Frazer expressed concerns about a potentially hostile Somali reaction if foreign forces are utilized to defend against the UIC. She also emphasized to Gedi that our desire to support the TFIs is an equal priority to our need to counter the terrorist presence in Somalia. Gedi responded that our governments are of a similar mind on the terrorism issue. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer met with Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi on June 21 in Nairobi. Frazer advised that she had been specifically sent to the region by Secretary Rice to discuss Somalia. She outlined U.S. priorities for Somalia of support to the Transitional Federal Institutions and the people of Somalia, enhancing regional stability, and addressing the terrorist threat. The results of the recent meeting of the international Contact Group, she said, had been consistent with similar meetings of IGAD and the African Union. The priority of all involved is to work to strengthen the TFIs. She sought Gedi's thoughts on an appropriate role for the U.S. in Somalia and inquired about his interactions with the Union of Islamic Courts. ¶3. (C) Gedi responded that the people of Somalia had been waiting for USG support. Everything, he said, is a priority for the TFIs at this time. He appealed for support to quick start activities, but identified security as a necessary precondition for any undertaking. Gedi requested U.S. support for a partial lifting of the arms embargo. The TFIs are trying to re-establish security forces, but cannot train or equip them, and therefore cannot restore law and order to the country. Efforts to encamp militias were being undermined by the TFIs' inability to feed and shelter these forces. ¶4. (C) Frazer raised the issue of the IGAD Mission for Somalia (IGASOM) and expressed concerns about the potential for a hostile reaction to the introduction of foreign troops. Gedi responded that as long as the UIC launched no new attacks, dialogue would be possible. However, if new fighting and expansion were to take place, IGAD forces would have to come in. The recent IGAD and African Union resolutions were intended to stop the UIC from advancing further. ¶5. (C) In an overview of the UIC, Gedi noted that the Courts had been able to win the support of the people in Mogadishu by saying they were against looting and similar abuses of the population. However, when the Courts expanded to Balad and Jowhar, their militias engaged in similar activities. Gedi claimed the UIC was beginning to lose the support of the people. He also discussed the UIC's status as a loose, clan-based entity with its own internal problems. His plans to travel to Mogadishu to meet with representatives of civil society were suspended when Gedi was advised that differences between individual courts would hamper effective engagement at this time. ¶6. (C) Gedi said he had appealed for a general cease-fire and for dialogue to take place within the forum of the TFIs. He was concerned at reports that the UIC had required militias to turn in their weapons. He also claimed that radicals within the UIC had sponsored individuals to travel to Baidoa during debate on the National Security and Stabilization Plan (NSSP). These individuals allegedly tried to bribe members of parliament to defeat the NSSP. ¶7. (C) Turning to the Khartoum talks, Gedi advised that Hassan Dahir Aweys had sent his brother and Aden Hashi Ayrow his assistant to be participants in the UIC delegation. Other UIC participants were Hassan al Turqi and Moktar Robo. Frazer asked whether this was possibly a positive sign, as this hard line tendency within the UIC had previously NAIROBI 00002760 002 OF 002 indicated it would not work with the TFIs at all. Gedi was not optimistic about the talks because the UIC delegates were not part of the top leadership. ¶8. (C) Frazer emphasized the USG's concern that Somalia not be a haven for terrorists, a priority equal in value to our emphasis on support for the TFIs. She told Gedi the U.S. could understand there would be moments when the TFIs would not be able to give these two priorities equal public support, but emphasized the importance of a common understanding on countering terrorism. Namely, USG support for eht TFG is with the understanding that it will work to prevent Somalia being a terrorist haven and base of operation for al-Qaeda. Gedi reassured her that our two countries are headed in the same direction on this issue. ¶9. (U) Assistant Secretary Frazer cleared this message. BELLAMY