Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PARIS1542
2009-11-19 15:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

MARITIME SECURITY SECTOR REFORM AND HORN OF AFRICA

Tags:  MARR ETTC PREL PGOV KPIR XO SO FR 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 191537Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7561
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMCSUU/CJTF HOA
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1762
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 2750
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3931
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 001542 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2019
TAGS: MARR ETTC PREL PGOV KPIR XO SO FR
SUBJECT: MARITIME SECURITY SECTOR REFORM AND HORN OF AFRICA
PIRACY: CONSULTATIONS WITH THE FRENCH (NOVEMBER 13)

Classified By: Andrew Young, Political Counselor, 1.4 (b/d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 001542

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2019
TAGS: MARR ETTC PREL PGOV KPIR XO SO FR
SUBJECT: MARITIME SECURITY SECTOR REFORM AND HORN OF AFRICA
PIRACY: CONSULTATIONS WITH THE FRENCH (NOVEMBER 13)

Classified By: Andrew Young, Political Counselor, 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: A French inter-agency team expressed keen
interest in USG ideas on piracy and Maritime Security Sector
Reform (MSSR) during PM/PPA Donna Hopkins's November 13
consultations in Paris. The French agreed to provide
constructive feedback on the MSSR matrix under development by
State and USAID and to serve informally as a bridge with the
EU to promote a complementary approach to the matrix
regarding terminology and its eventual applicability. The
French expressed reservations about more robust kinetic
action in or near Somalia but seemed to lean toward more
proactive responses on the high seas. There was general
agreement on such matters as detaining and prosecuting
pirates (including support for Kenya),the need to disrupt
pirates' financial arrangements, the possible need to address
insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, and the desire to improve
intelligence sharing on both sides. The meeting augured well
for continued close U.S.-France cooperation on piracy and
related MSSR concerns. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) MFA Anti-Piracy Coordinator Chantal Poiret on
November 13 hosted PM/PPA Donna Hopkins and Embassy
AF-assistant to a four-hour discussion of Maritime Security
Sector Reform (MSSR),piracy, and related issues. The French
side (11 in total) consisted of several naval officers,
civilian naval and MOD experts, representatives from the
Prime Ministry and the Ministry of Transportation, an IMO
expert, an MFA legal expert, and an officer from the MFA's EU
office. (Notably, the MFA's Africa Bureau was not
represented.) The first session focused on Hopkins's
explanation of the MSSR matrix that her office and USAID
counterparts are involved in developing, with discussion
broadening during a working lunch. A smaller group session
followed the lunch, highlighting the French Navy's interest
in expanding bilateral information and intelligence sharing.


MSSR and the Matrix
--------------

3. (C) After opening pleasantries, Anti-Piracy Coordinator
Poiret invited PM/PPA's Donna Hopkins to brief on MSSR and
especially the matrix the USG has been developing as a tool
for carrying out MSSR. Hopkins explained that the matrix was
intended to serve as a tool for conducing a comprehensive
assessment of a country's ability to provide what we would
recognize as maritime security, including underlying or
associated factors not immediately associated with the
maritime sector. The matrix could be used as a
self-assessment tool by countries seeking assistance; by
donor countries considering offering assistance, or by donor
countries and organizations to deconflict and prioritize
their bilateral or regional assistance efforts. Hopkins
welcomed French ideas on how to complete and improve the
matrix, which Poiret and the others said they would be happy
to provide.


4. (C) Poiret stated the need to consider the matrix and
MSSR within the EU context, as the EU was itself working on
improving maritime security. (Hopkins had previously briefed
the EU Political Military Group, as well as members of the
Commission and Secretariat, on MSSR, and met with a favorable
reception in Brussels.) Expressing interest in the matrix
concept, Admiral Bruno Paulmier (Deputy Secretary General for
the Sea at the Prime Ministry) said that neither France nor
the EU had developed a comprehensive view of maritime
security from a law enforcement perspective and that any such
policy tended to be "ad hoc." He said that France lacked a
centralized, coordinated mechanism, with much management
delegated to local "prefets maritimes." Paulmier indicated
that he would welcome a unifying force such as the matrix to
bring order to France's approach (as well as that of the EU)
to maritime security.

French and EU Efforts at
Developing a Unified Maritime Policy
--------------

5. (C) Samer Melki of the MFA's Common Foreign and Security
Policy office, expanded by describing France's efforts to
promote a comprehensive approach to maritime security within
the EU. The EU's many "competencies" provided a flexible
framework for a comprehensive approach but much work
remained. Melki described two areas of progress --
operationally, with Operation Atalanta, and an internal

PARIS 00001542 002 OF 003


reflective process. Atalanta represented a big step in terms
of operating outside the EU's immediate area, and it
broadened the concept of pro-activity by seeking to protect
EU citizens and property abroad. Melki described movement
within the EU to harmonize and unify policies, which the
Lisbon Treaty would facilitate, so that there could be an
overarching policy covering fisheries, migration,
trafficking, crime, and other such factors bearing on
maritime security. At least that was the hope, he explained.
He repeated that while this process seemed promising, it was
still in a relatively early stage.


6. (C) Tsiporah Fried (Navy Staff HQ Senior Advisor for
Strategy and Policy) agreed that Europeans were moving toward
an integrated maritime policy, which she welcomed. She
thought it important (and Hopkins agreed) on developing a
standard terminology to employ in the matrix and more
generally. She said that the GOF preferred using IMO
terminology as a base line. Hopkins stated that the U.S. NSC
staff had reacted favorably to the matrix and MSSR approach,
and considered them consistent with President Obama's broader
strategic concept and the U.S. National Maritime Strategy.
She described how the issue was being treated within the USG
interagency process. Responding to a question, Hopkins
discussed possible "custodians" of the matrix, which would
require effort to maintain its currency. The existing
Contact Group, or perhaps a UN entity, could serve as a
custodian. The French said that the IMO might be the best
custodian of the matrix. Hopkins reserved judgment on the
IMO as custodian. All finally agreed that for the time
being, the Contact Group might be the best choice, but that,
in the meantime, the USG would continue to pursue the
initiative.

Legal Considerations
--------------

7. (C) MFA legal expert Annick Mathis recalled the need to
define a legal basis for the matrix and any action that might
emerge from it. On piracy itself, she described how French
law was being amended so that the GOF could take action
against pirates even if a French ship, individual, or company
were not involved in an incident. The Law of the Sea
framework could be useful in determining legality. Hopkins
agreed on the need for a legal framework, especially
regarding taking suspects into custody and then prosecuting
them. Poiret noted the unique position of Kenya at present.
France was presently detaining 25 accused pirates. Poiret
said that France was working to obtain agreement from the
Seychelles to try pirates there. France also had the
agreement of the Somalia TFG and local authorities in
Puntland to turn over suspects to Puntland's control, with
Puntland having provided assurances that it would treat
suspected pirates humanely and not subject them to the death
penalty.

Stabilizing Somalia
--------------

8. (C) Discussion turned to efforts to stabilize Somalia,
with Poiret expressing the GOF's long-standing view that
piracy in the region would not disappear until some form of
stability emerged on the ground in Somalia. Both sides
recognized the need to ensure that foreign assistance not
inadvertently serve as a "subsidy" for pirates. The French
described their program to train 500 Somali security forces
in Djibouti, a project that was nearing its end. France
hoped to engage other EU members in this project. Melki
commented that it would be very difficult to assign a
maritime security role to AMISOM.

Gulf of Guinea
--------------

9. (C) Poiret said that the GOF was conducting an internal
study on insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea and was ready to
discuss possible actions that could be taken there to respond
to the region's maritime problems, which were unlike those in
Somalia's environs and which revolved around the petroleum
industry. Melki commented that the matrix, once further
developed, could be used to analyze and provide solutions to
the Gulf of Guinea's problems. Poiret thought that Nigeria
would be an excellent vehicle for application of the matrix.

International Trust Fund Board Meetings
--------------

PARIS 00001542 003 OF 003



10. (C) One area of slight U.S.-France disagreement
concerned the venue for ITF board meetings, with Poiret
pushing for Nairobi and Hopkins arguing for another venue, on
the grounds that meetings in Nairobi would distract Kenyan
bureaucrats from pursuing productive work rather than hosting
meetings. Poiret said she understood the point but responded
that the French Embassy strongly recommended Nairobi.

Small Meeting -- Kinetic Action
--------------

11. (C) Following the lunch, the meeting continued with
reduced participation, with the non-MFA and non-uniformed MOD
officials not participating. The French seemed to harbor the
impression that the USG was contemplating kinetic action
against pirates in Somali territory. Hopkins stated that
such action was unlikely to comport with larger USG strategic
interests in the region, and could in fact be
counter-productive. Naval Captain Jean-Nicolas Gauthier
(Joint Staff, Center for Planning and Operations) said that
it was "difficult to think about Somalia" (i.e., operations
on the ground) and that French thinking "stopped at the
shore."


12. (C) Gauthier stressed that there were always risks of
escalation and retaliation in response to increased activity
against pirates. France preferred keeping a low profile.
Mentioning U.S. UAVs stationed in the Seychelles, he asked
that the U.S. provide more intelligence if possible, which
could allow for more preventive measures and less conflict.
Gauthier did say that the GOF was willing to take more robust
action if French hostages, for example, were involved, and he
cited previous cases where the French had used force to free
French hostages. Hopkins expressed doubt that the USG would
consider taking action on land in the absence of a dramatic
change in the overall situation.


13. (C) There was general agreement that a more aggressive
response might be permitted in open waters, against, for
example, mother ships. Gauthier said the GOF was developing
rules of engagement to cover the various situations that
French forces could encounter. Hopkins was wary of the
recent call by the Spanish Defense Minister for a "blockade"
of Somalia's ports, which could be construed as an act of
war. Gauthier said the French preferred speaking of an
"embargo" or "control" of port activities rather than a
"blockade."


14. (C) Hopkins, referring to the search for a
comprehensive structural framework for addressing piracy
issues, said that it would be good to have a consistent
policy on what to do with pirates once apprehended with
respect to maintaining and transferring custody, seizing
weapons and ships, and disposing of them under an agreed-upon
procedure.

Comment
--------------

15. (C) We were favorably impressed by the way Poiret
organized the meeting, with a broad range of French experts
who knew their subjects. The French did as good a job
listening to (and taking real interest in) Hopkins's
presentation as they did in explaining their own views.
French interest and hope for working closely with the U.S.
were evident, and participants seemed genuinely interested in
the matrix, despite its complexities. We expect that the
French will continue to want to work closely with us on
piracy issues and would welcome other opportunities for an
in-depth exchange of views. END COMMENT.


16. (C) PM/PPA Donna Hopkins has cleared this message.



PEKALA