Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DJIBOUTI950
2008-11-25 15:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Djibouti
Cable title:  

SOMALIA - DJIBOUTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON

Tags:  EWWT MOPS PHSA PREL XA XW SO DJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9395
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDJ #0950 3301537
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 251537Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9756
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000950 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND AR/RSA:J.BANDO
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA-WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2018
TAGS: EWWT MOPS PHSA PREL XA XW SO DJ
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - DJIBOUTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON
PROSECUTION OF SOMALI PIRATES

REF: A. STATE 124034

B. DJIBOUTI 895

C. DJIBOUTI 947

Classified By: ERIC WONG, DCM. REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000950

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND AR/RSA:J.BANDO
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA-WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2018
TAGS: EWWT MOPS PHSA PREL XA XW SO DJ
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - DJIBOUTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON
PROSECUTION OF SOMALI PIRATES

REF: A. STATE 124034

B. DJIBOUTI 895

C. DJIBOUTI 947

Classified By: ERIC WONG, DCM. REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY. In response to demarche (ref A),Foreign
Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf left open the possibility of
Djibouti accepting apprehended Somali pirates ("persons under
control" or PUCS) for prosecution in national courts, but
said he and his staff would need to study the 1988 Convention
for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of
Maritime Navigation closely, and verify that Djibouti had
both signed and ratified the convention. He noted that
before agreeing to accept any PUCs, Djibouti would need to be
sure that there was clear authority to do so under
international law. He noted that Djibouti would host an IMO
sub-regional conference (Western Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden,
and Red Sea states) on January 26, at which Djibouti planned
that these legal issues would be discussed. Youssouf used
the discussion of Somalia to press again for the USG to
provide financing for the proposed 10,000-person TFG/ARS
security force, and suggested that a small (200-300 person)
Somali naval contingent be included to conduct counter-piracy
operations. In a separate meeting, Ambassador shared a copy
of the 1988 Convention with French Indian Ocean Naval Forces
Commander, Vice-Admiral Valin, who briefed dip corps
representatives on November 22 on the planned ESDP
counter-piracy operation (ref C). END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Ambassador delivered demarche talking points on
counter-piracy cooperation (ref A) to Foreign Minister
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and MFA Deputy Director of Bilateral
Relations Youssouf Aden Moussa on November 24. FM Youssouf
acknowledged the importance of coordinating international
efforts to "eradicate" piracy, citing recent discussions on
the subject with visiting French Indian Ocean Naval Forces
Commander, Vice-Admiral Valin. Given the immense naval space
Somali pirates operated in, it was not possible to ensure the
security of all shipping, Youssouf said, but the struggle
against piracy could be conducted both offshore and onshore.


3. (C) Offshore, FM Youssouf recommended the formation--and
funding--of a Somali maritime force comprising 200-300
members with half a dozen fast boats, perhaps within the
context of the 10,000-person combined security force to be
formed by the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG)
and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS).


4. (C) Onshore, identifying the "judicial space" to prosecute
pirates was an extremely sensitive issue, Youssouf said. He
characterized the issue as an undesirable "hot potato," which
had the potential of raising concerns among international
observers about what legal instrument to use, what human
rights standards would be observed, and who had legal
standing, etc. Noting the need for a durable solution,
Youssouf said Djibouti would host representatives of 20
countries in January 2009 for an International Maritime
Organization (IMO) conference that would examine legal
conventions against piracy. The FM pledged to examine the
1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against
the Safety of Maritime Navigation, and to verify that
Djibouti had signed and ratified it.


5. (C) COMMENT. FM Youssouf did not immediately agree to
accept and prosecute PUCs under the terms of the 1988
Convention--nor did we expect him to. But, he is clearly
seized with the piracy issue and appeared genuinely eager to
find legal options for dealing with the pirates. We will
follow-up with Youssouf and his team, after giving them a few
days to digest the convention's terms. Department may wish
to use the upcoming January 26 IMO meeting in Djibouti as an
opportunity to engage regional actors on the piracy issue.
END COMMENT.
SWAN