MALAWI STILL IN LIMBO OVER SOMALIA MISSION

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000124

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STAtE FOR AF/S KAMANA MATHUR
STATE FOR INR/AA RITA BYRNES
STATE FOR AF/RSA
ADDIS FOR US MISSION TO THE AFRICAN UNION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI STILL IN LIMBO OVER SOMALIA MISSION

REF: (A) LILONGWE 42, (B) LILONGWE 84 (C) ADDIS ABAB 467


1. (U) Action request: See paragraph 7.

2.(SBU) Summary: Ambessador Eastham met with Minister of Defense
Davis Katsonga on February 15 to discuss Malawi's potential
involvement in an AU peacekeeping mission to Somalia. Katsongasaid
that Malawi, while committed to peacekeeping on the continent, has
still not made a decision on whether or not to join the mission.
Katsonga said the GOM has not yet received a formal request from the
AU to commit troops, is unclear under what terms the mission will
take place and what role the force will play, and does not have a
clear picture of what is currently happening "on the ground" in
Somalia. Katsonga requested that the Ambassador keep him informed
to the greatest extent possible on the discussions regarding the
mission, and ongoing events in Somalia. End Summary.


3. (SBU) Katsonga, who had previously announced Malawi's intention
to joint the mission only to be publicly contradicted by President
Mutharika, began the meeting by stating that, "much had transpired"
since his last discussion with the Ambassador (reftels A and B).
Katsonga stated, "we haven't changed our position on peace-keeping,
and are still keen to play our part...but on Somalia we have some
concerns."


4. (SBU) Laying out the three issues lirted above, Katsonga
highlighted the concern over the situation on the ground in Somalia,
statino that the GOM doesn't know if it, "will have to enforce the
peace or keep the peace." Katsonga said that in his opinion the
African Union has not done as much as it should have done to clarify
the mission and the situation on the ground. He said that he had
recently met with the AU representative in Malawi to discuss the
issue, but still expressed a lack of information regarding the
specifics of the mission. MDF commander General Marko Chiziko, who
was also in the meeting, emphasized The need for planning to match
the situation and the mission, noting that Malawi had not done an
adequate job in its foray into Mozambique, resulting in the need to
retreat to Malawi to re-plan and re-equip for a much more hostile
situation than anticipated. If the MDF goes all the way do Somalia,
that /ption will not be available.


5. (SBU) Katsonga said that the GOM has a battalion of trained
troops ready to deploy, and has acquired 10 armored personnel
carriers. He then asked for an update on the equipment request he
had sent to Ambassador Eastham. The Ambassador noted that it would
be difficult to expect any equipment assistance until the GOM made a
commitment to join the mission. Once that commitment was made the
USG might possibly consider a limited request, depending on the
resources available.


6. (SBU) Comment: The GOM's decision making is intrinsically linked
to their understanding of ongoing events in Somalia. Before he was
pulled back by the president, Katsonga appeared fully committed to
sending a battalion to join the mission (reftel A). However, the
President seems to have been spooked by what he heard at the AU
Summit, and expressed doubt over the mission upon his return to
Mclawi (reftel B). A statement by opposition leader John Tembo
pointing out that neither the opposition nor Parliament had been
consulted on the matter was also a factor. Katsonga could influence
the President's thinking on the matter, but suffers from a severe
lack of information regarding both mission planning (i.e., what role
a Malawian force might play),and the state of play on the ground.



7. (U) We much appreciated ref C, USAU's most recent report on AU
planning. Post requests the Department and other relevant posts
(Addis and USAU, Nairobi) include Embassy Lilongwe in reporting on
the situation in-country as well as ongoing discussions and planning
for the proposed mission to Somalia. End Comment.


EASTHAM