INVITATION TO PIRACY CONTACT GROUP PRE-MEETING

UNCLAS STATE 133750 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EWWT KCRM MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER SUBJECT: INVITATION TO PIRACY CONTACT GROUP PRE-MEETING REF: A. STATE 133199 ¶B. STATE 129941 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. This is an action request. Per reftel A, Assistant Secretary-level officials from 26 states and organizations are invited to the inaugural meeting of the Contact Group on Somali Piracy (CGSP) on January 13-14, 2009 in New York City. There will be a pre-CGSP meeting on the 13th with eight key nations (the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, China, India and Kenya) to ensure support for the efforts being advanced through the CGSP. Posts are requested to invite addressees to participate in this pre-plenary meeting on the afternoon of January 13 to discuss and refine the draft materials to help facilitate reaching a consensus by the full Contact Group the following day. -------------- OBJECTIVE -------------- ¶2. Request and confirm participation of senior representative at a pre-plenary CGSP meeting on the afternoon of January 13. At this meeting we will discuss the draft Agenda, draft Statement of Principles, and proposed Work Plan. We would like to reach preliminary consensus on these proposed items at this meeting. We will advise of the meeting location and time soonest. -------------- REPORTING DEADLINE -------------- ¶3. Please confirm attendance at the CGSP by December 31 per reftel A. Posts are requested to additionally include attendance confirmation for the pre-plenary meeting on the afternoon of January 13. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶4. The Contact Group on Somali Piracy sessions will begin with a meeting of the eight key contributors on the afternoon of January 13, followed by a reception for all CGSP members and observers that evening. On January 14, meetings will commence with a plenary session for the full Contact Group, followed by break out/working group meetings. Venues and meeting times in New York for all meetings and events have yet to be finalized. Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Mark Kimmitt will lead the U.S. delegation. ¶5. UNSC Resolution 1851 calls for an international cooperation mechanism to address piracy off the coast of Somalia, authorizes individual states cooperating with the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and at the TFG,s request to conduct counter-piracy operations in Somalia, and calls for international support to build the judicial capacity of regional states to carry out their obligations to combat piracy. The U.S.-led resolution won unanimous support, with most Council members saying they had voted in favor of the text because they sought robust action and welcomed the practical measures contained in the resolution. -------------- POINTS OF CONTACT -------------- ¶6. Department POCs are in PM/PPA: David Glancy at (202) 736-4054, Donna Hopkins at (202) 647-0792, and Evan Foster at (202) 647-0336, or via email. RICE