SOMALIA TFG PARLIAMENT SPEAKER HASSAN'S ROLE

S E C R E T NAIROBI 005402 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, AND A/S FRAZER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER ASEC MOPS SO ET KE SUBJECT: SOMALIA TFG PARLIAMENT SPEAKER HASSAN'S ROLE Classified By: Ambassador Rannenberger for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) As the current situation in Somalia has unfolded, we have been in close touch with TFG Parliament Speaker Hassan. Hassan left Baidoa over a month ago, stating that Parliament could not deliberate with freedom given pressures coming from President Yusuf and PM Gedi. He has insisted that Gedi has lost the confidence of Parliament and must be replaced as a prerequisite for his return to Baidoa. Subsequent to the Ethiopian intervention, he stated that he will not return to Somalia while Ethiopian forces are there, because the Parliament did not authorize that intervention and their presence precludes unfettered deliberations by Parliament. Hassan remains, however, a widely-respected figure and a key link with moderate elements of the Islamic Courts, who could still be brought into support for a broad-based national government structure. ¶2. (C) As the Ethiopian intervention has unfolded in Somalia, Hassan has emphasized the need for himself and Parliamentarians supporting him (among these are a group of 48 MPs present in Nairobi) to be part of the national dialogue leading to a broad-based government structure. At one point he suggested that Kenya could serve as the neutral venue for a meeting of the full TFG Parliament. The Ambassador told Hassan that this would not be feasible, or the right course of action. The Ambassador emphasized that dialogue among Somalis needs to take place within Somalia and that TFIs must be made to work effectively. He urged Hassan to return to Baidoa to help bring about the inclusive dialogue he seeks. ¶3. (C) During a meeting January 1, the Ambassador again urged Hassan to resume his participation in the TFG. He noted the constructive statements now coming from Yusuf and Gedi on dialogue. The Ambassador also asked Hassan to comment on an alleged statement by him that Somalis should resist the Ethiopian forces through armed struggle. Hassan emphatically said that he never made that statement. Instead, Hassan said, what he has been saying is that UNSC 1725 must be implemented by bringing in African non-front line forces. The Ambassador urged Hassan to express public support for this. Hassan said that he has already done so and that he will send a letter to the Ambassador expressing formal support for implementation of the UNSC resolution. Hassan said that his message to all those Somalis reaching out to him is that they must pursue dialogue and must be patient while efforts are made to implement the UNSC resolution. ¶4. (C) Hassan said that he pressed the German Foreign Ministry Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, who had just visited Nairobi, to provide funding to support implementation of UNSC 1725. The A/S, Hassan said, made a commitment to provide some German funding, and to reach out to Italy and the Nordics to provide funding. ¶5. (C) Hassan expressed appreciation for the extraordinary efforts of the Ambassador and other U.S. officials in reaching out to a broad range of Somalis to encourage dialogue and to influence the TFG in the right direction. Hassan said that he has been keeping his group of 48 MPs briefed on these efforts. ¶6. (C) The Ambassador informed Hassan that TFG President Yusuf would be visiting Nairobi January 2-4 and urged the Speaker to meet with him. Hassan said he saw the value of this opportunity, and said that he would consult the 48 parliamentarians regarding whether they would support him having such a meeting. RANNEBERGER