SOMALIA: URGENT UN REQUEST FOR FORCE GENERATION

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000841 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR MOPS PHUM PREL SO UNSC SUBJECT: SOMALIA: URGENT UN REQUEST FOR FORCE GENERATION REF: A. SENIOR-FITZGERALD EMAIL (8/27/08) ¶B. USUN 791 ¶C. USUN 689 ¶D. USUN 668 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4. ¶2. (SBU) In a hastily called September 18 meeting with UNSC Milads and Political officers, DPKO Military Chief of Staff Col. Ian Sinclair (UK) requested recommendations from capitals concerning which miltarily capable nations the Secretary-General should approach to lead and/or participate in a multinational force that would deploy into Somalia. This request came in response to the 4 September 08 Presidential Statement (PRST/2008/33) that requested the Secretary-General "urgently identify and approach States that might contribute the financial resources, personnel, equipment and services required" for potential Somalia stabilization force. ¶3. (SBU) Noting that Council members stated in the PRST that each "stands ready to support the Secretary-General in this regard," Sinclair asked that Council members quickly identify appropriate countries with sufficient military capabilities as described in the Secretariat's August 26 briefing to the SC (Ref. A). Sinclair stressed that he was not asking members to approach potential contributors bilaterally, and that Council members' suggestions would be kept in confidence. He asked for a response no later than Wednesday, September 24 at 9am, in order to allow the Secretary-General to possibly approach potential troop contributing countries on the margins of the upcoming UNGA high level event. Comment and action request: ¶4. (SBU) Though Sinclair told the group that his was a "military task, not a political task," he later admitted privately that DPKO needed political cover for its force generation efforts, and was making this request in order to ensure that UNSC members did not feel that certain countries were inappropriately approached or inappropriately left out. USUN requests Department assistance in responding to DPKO's request with a vetted list of potential contributing countries by close of business on Tuesday, September 23. Khalilzad