UNSC/SOMALIA: UN URGES AGAINST SUPPORTING FACTIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001174 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER SO UNSC IGAD SUBJECT: UNSC/SOMALIA: UN URGES AGAINST SUPPORTING FACTIONS AND FOR STRENGTHENING TFG REF: SECSTATE 93702 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In a June 8 briefing to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC),Department of Political Affairs Assistant Secretary-General (A/SYG) Kalomoh warned Members 'this is not the time to abandon Somalia,' given what he called the 'tense military stand-off' between militias of the Union of the Islamic Courts and the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism in Mogadishu. Kalomoh noted that a possible split of the Sharia Courts into two clans harkened back to the polarization of such factions in the early 1990s. Kalomoh reported that the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) wanted all counter-terrorism efforts managed under its auspices, a call endorsed by Kenyan President Kibaki, Congolese President and African Union (AU) Chair Sassou-Nguesso, EU High Representative Solana and EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Michel. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY CONTD. Many Members sided with the UK delegation in calling for Council follow-up to its March 15 Presidential Statement, in which the Council agreed to consider an arms embargo exemption to accommodate a peace support mission of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on the basis of the TFG's National Security and Stabilization Plan (NSSP). The Tanzanian delegate made a compelling argument against a waiver by suggesting that a strong TFG would render the need for such a lifting irrelevant. At the SYG's request, Special Representative of the SYG (SRSG) Fall will brief the Council on June 19, following a June 12/13 Ministerial IGAD meeting in Nairobi and a June 15 meeting of the Coordination Committee in Baidoa. The Danish PR and SC President Loj made remarks to the press following the session. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) DPA A/SYG described for the Council at June 8 consultations the 'tense military stand-off' that ensued in Mogadishu after the Sharia Courts' victory over the Alliance, a victory which the Congolese representative wryly noted 'guaranteed nothing.' He added that Alliance leaders were re-grouping in the northern part of the capital and in Jowhar. Kalomoh noted that as a result of economic concerns and of the traditionally short shelf life of most Somali factions, the Sharia Courts militias might split into a northern clan and a southern clan, as the warlords did in the early 1990s. Kalomoh downplayed a June 6 communique from Sharia Courts' spokesman Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed which vowed to create an environment where Somalis could choose their own leaders, saying it left open the possibility for establishing Islamic-style rule and Sharia law throughout Somalia, which the northern Courts clan would oppose. Kalomoh pointed out that the Courts had yet to recognize either the TFG or the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) and had yet to take PM Gedi up on his offer for talks. ¶4. (SBU) Kalomoh reported that the TFG wanted all counter-terrorism efforts managed under its auspices, a call recently endorsed by Kenyan President Kibaki, Congolese President and AU Chair Sassou-Nguesso, EU High Representative Solana and EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Michel. SRSG Fall was talking to all sides and planned to convene a meeting of the Coordination Committee in Baidoa on June 15, security permitting (Kalomoh said that the Sharia Courts militias were reportedly advancing on Baidoa). This meeting would come on the heels of a June 12 or 13 IGAD Ministerial meeting in Nairobi, at which the IGAD position would be elaborated. According to Kalomoh, SYG Annan requested SRSG Fall brief the Council (NOTE. Now set for June ¶19. END NOTE),at which time the UN would plan to present its 'roadmap' on the way forward in Somalia. The UNSC Mission to Sudan had held consultations on Somalia with AU Commission Chair Konare and AU Peace and Security Council Ambassador Djinnit while in Addis Ababa and had voiced support for IGAD's efforts; Kalomoh hoped the Council would do the same in New York. ¶5. (SBU) Among IGAD's efforts, as the Qatari representative noted, was the idea of a peace support mission, whose deployment would require a lifting of the arms embargo imposed under resolution 733 (1992). The UK delegate called for Council follow-up to its March 15 Presidential Statement, in which the Council agreed to consider an arms embargo exemption to accommodate a peace support mission of the IGAD on the basis of the TFG's National Security and Stabilization USUN NEW Y 00001174 002 OF 002 Plan (NSSP). Kalomoh noted that the NSSP had been tabled but due to recent circumstances, Parliament had not been able to convene to act on it, adding that the future functioning of Parliament was uncertain, given the expulsion by PM Gedi of four Alliance members. Greece, Slovakia and Russia voiced support for the UK's proposal, with the Russian rep adding that deployment of any peace support mission would need the approval of the Somalis themselves. ¶6. (SBU) The Tanzanian delegate made a compelling argument against an arms embargo waiver by suggesting that a strengthened TFG would render the need for such a lifting irrelevant. Kalomoh was clear about the UN Secretariat's stance: with Mogadishu 'awash in weapons,' the only insurance policy the international community had was not to supply weapons, but rather to call for a stricter observation of the arms embargo. While the UN was aware of the IGAD request for a waiver to assist the TFG, the lack of TFG unity meant that the international community would run the risk of unwittingly equipping various factions were the embargo to be lifted at this time. ¶7. (SBU) USUN PolMinCouns made an intervention per ref guidance, with the Chinese, Ghanaian, Slovakian, UK and Greek delegates echoing our call for the need for dialogue within the framework of the Transitional Federal Charter and the re-establishment of governance. Members voiced concern over the plight of humanitarian workers remaining in Somalia, with the Congolese rep reiterating President Sassou-Nguesso's plea for increased assistance from the international community. The Slovakian delegate was particularly worried about the budget shortfall for these operations, with only 25 percent of necessary funds currently available for disbursement. Kalomoh echoed this call for increased funding. ¶8. (SBU) Following up on a UK suggestion, Danish PR and UNSC President agreed to make an oral Statement to the Press after consultations expressing the Council's concern over the recent Mogadishu violence, urging a return to dialogue within the framework of the TFIs, offering Council support for reconciliation efforts, calling on regional and international parties to respect the arms embargo, and looking forward to SRSG Fall's upcoming Council briefing. MILLER