Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ALGIERS1338
2008-12-28 15:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:
ALGERIAN COMMITMENT TO AMISOM COMES FROM THE TOP
how-toVZCZCXRO5571 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHAS #1338 3631501 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 281501Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6786 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 0009 RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY 0011 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0080 RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 0067 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 2983 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 9145 RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 0766 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
UNCLAS ALGIERS 001338
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO SO AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN COMMITMENT TO AMISOM COMES FROM THE TOP
REF: SECSTATE 134421
UNCLAS ALGIERS 001338
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO SO AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN COMMITMENT TO AMISOM COMES FROM THE TOP
REF: SECSTATE 134421
1. (SBU) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche on December 28
to Kamel Rezag-Bara, Counselor to President Abdelaziz
Bouteflika for Counter-terrorism. He thanked Rezag-Bara for
Algeria's commitment to provide ten aircraft to transport
African Union member troops into Somalia, and stressed the
urgency of having the aircraft ready as early as possible
given the planned January 5 withdrawal of Ethiopian forces
from Somalia.
2. (SBU) Rezag-Bara responded that President Bouteflika was
personally committed to empowering the African Union to
manage security on the continent. In this regard, Rezag-Bara
explained that Algeria's commitment went beyond the ten
aircraft it had provided to support AMISOM. He noted the
recent meeting of African Union chiefs of staff in Tripoli,
at which agreement was reached to establish an African Union
"standby force" that would be coordinated via five separate
regional groups. Rezag-Bara said that from the countries
that attended the Tripoli meeting, Algeria was selected to be
the overall coordinator of this effort, and would be
providing training and equipment to help create this standby
force.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Rezag-Bara understood the timeline. He
noted that Algeria was going to be coordinating via the
African Union, but also took pride in Algeria's regional role
on African security within the context of the AU. Bouteflika
himself has long seen engagement in Africa as a key part of
his legacy. Algeria is therefore likely to do the necessary
if AMISOM troops are ready for transport on an accelerated
timetable.
PEARCE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO SO AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN COMMITMENT TO AMISOM COMES FROM THE TOP
REF: SECSTATE 134421
1. (SBU) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche on December 28
to Kamel Rezag-Bara, Counselor to President Abdelaziz
Bouteflika for Counter-terrorism. He thanked Rezag-Bara for
Algeria's commitment to provide ten aircraft to transport
African Union member troops into Somalia, and stressed the
urgency of having the aircraft ready as early as possible
given the planned January 5 withdrawal of Ethiopian forces
from Somalia.
2. (SBU) Rezag-Bara responded that President Bouteflika was
personally committed to empowering the African Union to
manage security on the continent. In this regard, Rezag-Bara
explained that Algeria's commitment went beyond the ten
aircraft it had provided to support AMISOM. He noted the
recent meeting of African Union chiefs of staff in Tripoli,
at which agreement was reached to establish an African Union
"standby force" that would be coordinated via five separate
regional groups. Rezag-Bara said that from the countries
that attended the Tripoli meeting, Algeria was selected to be
the overall coordinator of this effort, and would be
providing training and equipment to help create this standby
force.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Rezag-Bara understood the timeline. He
noted that Algeria was going to be coordinating via the
African Union, but also took pride in Algeria's regional role
on African security within the context of the AU. Bouteflika
himself has long seen engagement in Africa as a key part of
his legacy. Algeria is therefore likely to do the necessary
if AMISOM troops are ready for transport on an accelerated
timetable.
PEARCE