KENYA AND SOMALIA: MFA PITCHES AGAIN FOR U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 004018 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E; LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2031 TAGS: PREL PTER SO KE SUBJECT: KENYA AND SOMALIA: MFA PITCHES AGAIN FOR U.S. SUPPORT IN THE UNSC FOR IGAD ACTION REF: A. A. NAIROBI 3721 ¶B. B. NAIROBI 3255 Classified By: A/DCM John Hoover for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Kenya views U.S. support as crucial to the success of its imminent plan to secure UN Security Council endorsement for an IGAD peacekeeping mission to Somalia. Kenya's delegation to the UNGA will be seeking consultations with the U.S. on this issue after September 19 in New York. End summary. ¶2. (C) A/DCM was contacted September 13 by Mohammed Affey, Kenyan Ambassador to the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG). Affey made an impassioned appeal for vigorous U.S. support at the UN General Assembly and in the UN Security Council (UNSC) for Kenyan-led efforts to bring a regional peacekeeping force into Somalia under Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) auspices. Reiterating points raised previously by Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju (reftels),Affey specifically asked that his views be conveyed to Washington. Salient points follow: -- Kenya wants U.S. views soonest on Kenya's intention to seek UNSC and UNGA endorsement of a plan to deploy IGAD peacekeepers in Somalia. -- Kenya also wants the strongest possible U.S. support in the UNSC for the IGAD peacekeeping deployment and for a partial lifting of the UN arms embargo to permit training and equipping of Somali forces by IGAD member states. -- Kenya wants not just U.S. support for the IGAD deployment per se, but also wants the U.S. to actively lobby and bring on board other UNSC members. -- Without lockstep support from the UNGA and the UNSC for the IGAD plan, the international community will be sending a dangerous signal to the Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) in Mogadishu. -- The CIC is expansionist and will take any indication of division within the international community during the UNGA sessions as a green light to take control of new areas of Somalia. -- Kenya's delegation, led by Foreign Minister Tuju, is scheduled to meet with the UNSC President on September 19, and with the entire Security Council on September 25. -- Tuju would like to be in close contact with the U.S. delegation and confer between these two dates. ¶3. (C) Embassy comment: Minister Tuju is in Havana now attending the NAM Summit, and will then proceed to New York on/about September 17. Post stands by to convey to the Ministry in Nairobi any specific guidance or information Washington can provide pertaining to the IGAD/Somalia issue. End comment. RANNEBERGER