UNSC DIVIDED AND CONFUSED ON SOMALIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000279

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; PLEASE PASS TO SE YATES

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL MOPS UNSC SO
SUBJECT: UNSC DIVIDED AND CONFUSED ON SOMALIA

REF: A. LEVINSON-FITZGERALD EMAILS 03/11/08

B. LEVINSON FITZGERALD EMAILS 03/14/08

Classified By: POL Minister-Counselor Jeff DeLaurentis for Reasons 1.4
B/D.


1. (U) This is an action request, please see paragraph 8.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 20 SRSG Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah and
A/SYG Edmond Mulet briefed the Security Council on the
recently published UN reports on Somalia, the Integrated UN
Task Force Strategic Assessment and the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations Fact Finding Mission Report.
Following the UN briefings, Ugandan PermRep Francis Butagira,
who was delegated to speak on behalf of the African Union,
called on the Security Council to authorize a UN peacekeeping
mission to replace the African Union stabilization force. In
closed consultations following the briefings, UKUN John
Sawers announced that the UK will begin to facilitate
discussions on a Security Council textual response to the UN
reports on March 28. END SUMMARY.

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SRSG More Optimistic than DPKO
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3. (SBU) SRSG Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah told the Security Council
in his March 20 briefing that the reconciliation process in
Somalia was beginning to make progress. He said that
enhanced engagement from the international community was
needed to sustain the progress and move forward (ref A).
Ould-Abdallah listed several signs of political progress -
the new Prime Minister, Nur Hassan Hussein, has appointed a
more inclusive cabinet, begun a dialogue with opposition
forces, and the government has returned to Mogadishu. Ould
Abdallah endorsed the core findings of the UN Strategic
Assessment on Somalia and called for the Security Council to
respond by formulating a strategic approach that integrates
the "political, security and programmatic resources
necessary" to support Somali national reconcilitation.


4. (SBU) Following the SRSG's briefing, A/SYG Edmond Mulet
delivered a briefing on the DPKO Fact Finding Mission (FFM)
report to Somalia, which outlines five "scenarios" for
addressing the security situation in Somalia (ref B). Mulet
said the current situation in Somalia presented a "paradox of
improving political conditions with worsening security." For
that reason, Mulet said conditions were not in place for a
successful UN peacekeeping mission to Somalia. Nevertheless,
Mulet said DPKO recognized that a "credible stabilization
force is an essential component of any international
strategy." He said the UN, however, does not have the robust
military capabilities to meet the requirements for a
peacekeeping mission in Somalia. Mulet closed his briefing
by describing the requirements for an "international
coalition of the willing" capable of carrying out a UN
mandated mission with peace enforcement elements in Somalia.


5. (C) (COMMENT: USUN contacts in DPKO and DPA have told us
privately that there are substantial differences between the
two UN departments on the way forward in Somalia with DPA
pushing a more forward leaning UN role. The UN Integrated
Task Force, which drafted the Strategic Assessment, was
disappointed that DPKO did not provide more substantive input
on the security aspects of their proposal for an integrated
strategy on Somalia. END COMMENT.)

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AMISOM TCCs: Somalia Needs
a UN PKO or Greater Support
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6. (SBU) Following the UN briefings, Ugandan PermRep Francis
Butagira spoke on behalf of the African Union and AMISOM
TCCs. Butagira told the Security Council that the Ugandan
and Burkinaban forces in Mogadishu were doing their best to
stabilize the country, but that the African Union lacked the
financial resources and logistical capacities to bring about
real improvements in security. Butagira challenged the
Security Council to "get serious on Somalia." He said the
Security Council essentially had two options: 1) improve UN
support for AMISOM; or 2) actualize a UN peacekeeping mission
to replace AMISOM. Butagira closed his comments by
commenting that AMISOM could not remain in place indefinitely
without enhanced international support

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USUN NEW Y 00000279 002 OF 002


Security Council: No Clear
Consensus on the Way Forward
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7. (SBU) During closed consultations following the briefings
in the Security Council chamber, most delegations delivered
preliminary reactions to the UN reports, one of which was
released only two days prior to the meeting. UKUN John
Sawers announced that the UK will begin to facilitate
discussions on a Security Council textual response to the
reports on March 28. Sawers made clear that the UK believed
that the focus of any text should be on support for the
Somali reconciliation process, not peacekeeping options.
USUN POL/COUNS delivered the U.S. points, emphasizing the
need for a coordinated UN approach to the crisis in Somalia.
South African PermRep Kumalo criticized DPKO for "pronouncing
on issues that pertain to the Security Council," i.e.
declaring that a peacekeeping mission was inadvisable. South
Africa, Libya, France and Italy endorsed the idea of moving
the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) back to
Mogadishu. UK PermRep Sawers offered qualified support for
this proposal, saying the UK was prepared to support it once
the UN has completed the proper security preparations.
Panamanian PermRep Arias called for UNSC action to implement
a UN mandated maritime presence off the coast of Somalia.

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Action Request and Comment
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8. (C) USUN requests Department guidance on what type of
response we favor to the UN reports on Somalia. Without a
specific U.S. position on the security component of the UN
Strategic Assessment, we can expect continued incoherence
from the Security Council on the Somalia issue. DPKO and DPA
remain divided on whether there is an effective role for the
UN to play in Somalia and for that reason have failed to
produce any actionable recommendations. The African
delegations, led by South Africa, are committed to an
expanded UN role in Somalia and will keep this issue on the
Security Council agenda. While the UK has the lead on the
Somalia portfolio, their failure to consult adequately on the
AMISOM renewal has earned them the distrust of the African
delegations, which will complicate the debate as we move
forward.

KHALILZAD