Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MOSCOW677
2007-02-15 15:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:
RUSSIANS SUPPORT AFRICAN UNION FORCE IN SOMALIA
how-toVZCZCXYZ0006 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHMO #0677 0461516 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 151516Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7503 INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 0092 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 0024 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0183
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000677
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/E GAREY AND AF/RSA BITTRICK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017
TAGS: KPKO MOPS PHUM PREL EUN SO RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIANS SUPPORT AFRICAN UNION FORCE IN SOMALIA
REF: STATE 17083
Classified By: Pol/Min Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons: 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000677
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/E GAREY AND AF/RSA BITTRICK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017
TAGS: KPKO MOPS PHUM PREL EUN SO RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIANS SUPPORT AFRICAN UNION FORCE IN SOMALIA
REF: STATE 17083
Classified By: Pol/Min Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons: 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) On February 15 we delivered reftel points to Oleg
Dadayev, chief of the MFA's Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea
Section, urging support for an African Union force in
Somalia. Dadayev said the GOR would support an African Union
Force as well as the Transitional Federal Government in
Somalia. He added that the GOR believed that a regional
approach, or even a broader international approach, was the
best way to bring security to Somalia. He praised Ugandan
participation in peacekeeping operation, and noted that
Ethiopia's decision to withdraw its forces was the correct
choice.
2. (C) Responding to reftel points on U.S. goals in Somalia,
Dadayev questioned U.S. motives for its involvement, saying
that some in the GOR believed the U.S. was after Somalia's
energy resources. Dadayev took on board our point that the
U.S. wanted to prevent Somalia from being a safe haven for
terrorists as part of our strategy in the Global Was on
Terrorism.
3. (C) In a February 14 meeting, Vladimir Safronkov, Chief of
the UN Political Affairs Section in the MFA's International
Organizations Department, told us that Russia wanted to work
together with the U.S. on Somalia. He pointed out that
Russia had not objected to Ethiopia's "unsanctioned"
intervention in Somalia, noting that some state needed to
remove the Islamist regime before it grew too strong and
Somalia became even a greater haven for terrorists. Russia
supported the AU Force in Somalia, but Safronkov was
skeptical about the mission's staying power. At the same
time, he warned that a transition to a UN PKO would have to
be carefully reviewed by the Security Council.
BURNS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/E GAREY AND AF/RSA BITTRICK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017
TAGS: KPKO MOPS PHUM PREL EUN SO RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIANS SUPPORT AFRICAN UNION FORCE IN SOMALIA
REF: STATE 17083
Classified By: Pol/Min Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons: 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) On February 15 we delivered reftel points to Oleg
Dadayev, chief of the MFA's Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea
Section, urging support for an African Union force in
Somalia. Dadayev said the GOR would support an African Union
Force as well as the Transitional Federal Government in
Somalia. He added that the GOR believed that a regional
approach, or even a broader international approach, was the
best way to bring security to Somalia. He praised Ugandan
participation in peacekeeping operation, and noted that
Ethiopia's decision to withdraw its forces was the correct
choice.
2. (C) Responding to reftel points on U.S. goals in Somalia,
Dadayev questioned U.S. motives for its involvement, saying
that some in the GOR believed the U.S. was after Somalia's
energy resources. Dadayev took on board our point that the
U.S. wanted to prevent Somalia from being a safe haven for
terrorists as part of our strategy in the Global Was on
Terrorism.
3. (C) In a February 14 meeting, Vladimir Safronkov, Chief of
the UN Political Affairs Section in the MFA's International
Organizations Department, told us that Russia wanted to work
together with the U.S. on Somalia. He pointed out that
Russia had not objected to Ethiopia's "unsanctioned"
intervention in Somalia, noting that some state needed to
remove the Islamist regime before it grew too strong and
Somalia became even a greater haven for terrorists. Russia
supported the AU Force in Somalia, but Safronkov was
skeptical about the mission's staying power. At the same
time, he warned that a transition to a UN PKO would have to
be carefully reviewed by the Security Council.
BURNS