Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASMARA27
2008-01-17 08:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:  

CODEL PAYNE MEETS SOMALI ARS REPRESENTATIVES

Tags:  KPKO PGOV PREL PTER ER SO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4621
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHAE #0027/01 0170819
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 170819Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9390
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1574
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1752
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000027 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
DEPT FOR AF/E

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2028
TAGS: KPKO PGOV PREL PTER ER SO
SUBJECT: CODEL PAYNE MEETS SOMALI ARS REPRESENTATIVES

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000027

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
DEPT FOR AF/E

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2028
TAGS: KPKO PGOV PREL PTER ER SO
SUBJECT: CODEL PAYNE MEETS SOMALI ARS REPRESENTATIVES

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)


1. (U) Summary. On January 4 CODEL Payne met with five
representatives of the Alliance for the Reliberation of
Somalia (ARS) at the Intercontinental Hotel in Asmara. ARS
members stated their views of U.S. policies in the Horn of
Africa, the reasons for and consequences of the Ethiopian
invasion, and international terrorism. The ARS members also
submitted a plan for bringing peace to Somalia. CODEL Payne
solicited the ARS position on four questions. End Summary.


2. (U) CODEL Payne was represented by Congressman Donald
Payne of New Jersey and Ted Dagne of the Congressional
Research Service. ARS participants were: Central Committee
Chairman Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (Sharif),former Member
of Parliament Dr. Zakaria M. Haji Abdi (Zakaria),Secretary
for Political and Foreign Affairs Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim
(Dheeg),Central Committee Member Ahmed Abdihashi (Ahmed),
and Vice Chairman Jama Mohamed Ghalib (Ghalib).


3. (C) Sharif claimed he would like the USG to be more of a
stakeholder in Somalia and asserted he did not know the
bombers of the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam
nor their whereabouts. He questioned why the USG has
excellent relations with other Muslim countries but not
Somalia, claiming Somalia's problems stem from failed U.S.
polices in the region. Sharif also suggested that the
Ethiopian invasion and installation of the Transitional
Federal Government (TFG) was an attempt to paralyze the
country and derail this process. CODEL Payne noted many
other countries have successfully overcome external
manipulation and listed several of Somalia's internally
caused issues.


4. (C) Sharif submitted an ARS peace plan for Somalia: 1)
the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Ethiopian
forces, 2) the withdrawal of all African Union (AU) troops,
3) a conference to establish a new transitional government,
4) the international community to support the outcome of the
conference, and 5) an international commission of inquiry
into war crimes with the perpetrators, including U.S.
officials, brought to justice. Sharif said there could be no
peace without the consent of all parties regarding the
composition and deployment of foreign troops in Somalia.
Zakaria added that in the interim the TFG should return to
Baidoa and allow the ARS to deploy in Mogadishu; the status
quo prior to the Ethiopian invasion. He noted this was the
basis of any negotiation. A new conference would then be
held to create a transitional government, with
representatives coming from major Somali stakeholders rather
than the clans.


5. (C) CODEL Payne presented four initiatives to the ARS
representatives: 1) negotiate a political settlement; 2)
creation of zones of tranquility; 3) establish a one month
humanitarian cease-fire, and 4) renounce terrorism. Sharif
agreed to the principles of negotiating a political
settlement and the creation of zones of tranquility. The ARS
representatives were opposed to a humanitarian cease-fire,
believing it would allow the TFG and Ethiopian militaries to
consolidate control of Somalia. Sharif said the ARS agreed
in principle to anything allowing humanitarian assistance to
be provided, adding that the dispute over a cease-fire was
merely a technical issue.


6. (C) Sharif was adamant the ARS was not a terrorist
organization, did not have ties to terrorist organizations,
and was never a threat to its neighbors or the U.S. (Note:
In a January 11 VOA interview, Sharif stated the ARS had
severed ties with al-Shabaab. End Note). He said that the
ARS officially condemns all terrorist acts, and the ARS will
cooperate with the U.S. in the war on terror, if the U.S.
helps against terrorist acts committed in Somalia by the
Ethiopian military.


7. (C) Comment: The leaders of the ARS seem to have little
interest in operating within the framework of the TFG and are
openly working toward its ouster. In a side conversation
with A/PolOff before the meeting, both Dheeg and Ahmed stated
that the TFG was "an entity" conceived by foreigners and that

ASMARA 00000027 002 OF 002


it exists only with the support of Ethiopian and AU troops.
ARS statements regarding the so-called "failed U.S. policies"
in the region are in synch with that of their Eritrean hosts,
but their willingness to communicate directly with the U.S.
over the future of Somalia and terrorism is somewhat
encouraging.


8. (U) This message has been coordinated with Embassy Nairobi.
MCMULLEN