Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LILONGWE84
2007-01-31 13:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Lilongwe
Cable title:
MUTHARIKA BACKS OFF TROOP COMMITMENT TO
how-toVZCZCXRO3650 RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHLG #0084 0311336 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 311336Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3801 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0957 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0539
UNCLAS LILONGWE 000084
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/S KAMANA MATHUR
STATE FOR INR/AA RITA BYRNES
STATE FOR AF/RSA MIKE BITTRICK
STATE FOR ACOTA
ADDIS FOR USAU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM MI
SUBJECT: MUTHARIKA BACKS OFF TROOP COMMITMENT TO
SOMALIA
REF: (A) STATE 5683, (B) LILONGWE 28, (C) LILONGWE 42
UNCLAS LILONGWE 000084
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/S KAMANA MATHUR
STATE FOR INR/AA RITA BYRNES
STATE FOR AF/RSA MIKE BITTRICK
STATE FOR ACOTA
ADDIS FOR USAU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM MI
SUBJECT: MUTHARIKA BACKS OFF TROOP COMMITMENT TO
SOMALIA
REF: (A) STATE 5683, (B) LILONGWE 28, (C) LILONGWE 42
1.(SBU) Despite previous statements by the GOM's
Minister of Defense(reftel C) and public reports out
of Addis Ababa, President Mutharika said on January 30
that Malawi has not yet made a decision to commit
troops to an AU mission in Somalia.
2.(SBU) Mutharika, at a press conference on his return
from the AU Summit, pointedly denied that Malawi had
made a decision to commit forces to an AU Somalia
mission. He said that the opposition had not been
consulted, the Cabinet had not approved, no "formal
request" had been received, nor had Malawi received
clear information about what role would be expected
for Malawi's troops, i.e, whether it would be a combat
mission, a static guard mission, or policing.
3. (SBU) Mutharika did not rule out Malawi's inclusion
in the Somalia mission. He merely made it clear that
he had not authorized the Minister of Defense's
previous statements on this issue. According to a GOM
official, the troop deployment is expected to be
discussed during Mutharika's next cabinet meeting on
February 2.
4.(SBU) Comment: Mutharika seems intent on assuaging
the opposition before the February 19 parliamentary
session. Opposition leader John Tembo had recently
been quoted in the press questioning why his party
hadn't been consulted regarding the mission.
Mutharika could thus be trying to take Somalia off the
table as a potential problem-point during the
parliamentary session. We will continue to follow up
with the GOM on this issue. End Comment.
EASTHAM
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/S KAMANA MATHUR
STATE FOR INR/AA RITA BYRNES
STATE FOR AF/RSA MIKE BITTRICK
STATE FOR ACOTA
ADDIS FOR USAU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM MI
SUBJECT: MUTHARIKA BACKS OFF TROOP COMMITMENT TO
SOMALIA
REF: (A) STATE 5683, (B) LILONGWE 28, (C) LILONGWE 42
1.(SBU) Despite previous statements by the GOM's
Minister of Defense(reftel C) and public reports out
of Addis Ababa, President Mutharika said on January 30
that Malawi has not yet made a decision to commit
troops to an AU mission in Somalia.
2.(SBU) Mutharika, at a press conference on his return
from the AU Summit, pointedly denied that Malawi had
made a decision to commit forces to an AU Somalia
mission. He said that the opposition had not been
consulted, the Cabinet had not approved, no "formal
request" had been received, nor had Malawi received
clear information about what role would be expected
for Malawi's troops, i.e, whether it would be a combat
mission, a static guard mission, or policing.
3. (SBU) Mutharika did not rule out Malawi's inclusion
in the Somalia mission. He merely made it clear that
he had not authorized the Minister of Defense's
previous statements on this issue. According to a GOM
official, the troop deployment is expected to be
discussed during Mutharika's next cabinet meeting on
February 2.
4.(SBU) Comment: Mutharika seems intent on assuaging
the opposition before the February 19 parliamentary
session. Opposition leader John Tembo had recently
been quoted in the press questioning why his party
hadn't been consulted regarding the mission.
Mutharika could thus be trying to take Somalia off the
table as a potential problem-point during the
parliamentary session. We will continue to follow up
with the GOM on this issue. End Comment.
EASTHAM