OMANI-SAUDI INITIATIVE TO CONVENE SOMALIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000103 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER SO MU SUBJECT: OMANI-SAUDI INITIATIVE TO CONVENE SOMALIA CONFERENCE Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) During a January 31 meeting with the Ambassador, Omani Foreign Ministry Under Secretary Sayyid Badr al Busaidi said that Sultan Qaboos and Saudi King Abdullah had discussed and tentatively agreed to convene a conference in Riyadh to help stabilize Somalia and shore up the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The conference, as currently envisioned, would encompass high-level representatives from the TFG and moderates "from all (Somali) camps," including the Council of Islamic Courts, along with senior delegates from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Participation from other GCC states is also being considered, he added. ¶2. (C) Acknowledging U.S. concerns on Sudanese involvement, Sayyid Badr said that Oman and Saudi Arabia hoped that Sudan could be "steered in the right direction" if seated at the same table with the more moderate conference participants. He also remarked that Khartoum could seek to hinder proposals resulting from the conference if it were excluded. ¶3. (C) Sayyid Badr explained that the goal of the proposed conference is to develop a plan to achieve comprehensive stability and security in Somalia so as to preclude another breakdown in order and to prevent extremist groups from amassing power. Delegates at the conference would discuss a broad range of possible measures to end violence, provide economic assistance, improve the delivery of basic services, generate employment, and broaden the political process, for example. The creation of an international peacekeeping force with approximately 3,000 - 4,000 members, and which could include Arab troops, would also likely be discussed, Sayyid Badr added. ¶4. (C) While he provided no timeline or proposed date for the conference, Sayyid Badr expressed that Oman and Saudi Arabia wanted to move forward on their conference proposal quickly. He stated that the MFA was in the process of drafting a non-paper (in English) on the Somalia initiative to share with Secretary Rice as requested by NEA A/S Welch, with whom he had raised many of the same points during a January 30 telephone conversation. Sayyid Badr promised to deliver this document to post as soon as it is finalized for forwarding to Washington. ¶5. (U) Minimize considered. GRAPPO