ADDITIONAL ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION BY CORE

UNCLAS STATE 001225 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EWWT KCRM MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION BY CORE MEMBERS OF CONTACT GROUP ON SOMALI PIRACY REF: A. STATE 133199 ¶B. STATE 1223 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. This is an action request. Per Ref A and B, action addressees are invited to attend a coordination pre-meeting for the Contact Group on Somali Piracy (CGSP) hosted by Germany on the afternoon of January 13, 2009. While briefing host governments on objectives requested in ref B, the Department requests that posts also brief on the proposed modalities for the Working Groups or focus areas and inquire about the host government,s interest in chairing a CGSP Working Group. -------------- OBJECTIVES -------------- FOR ALL ADDRESSEES: ¶2. Posts are requested to engage host governments to pursue the following objectives: -- Notify host governments that they are invited to participate in a coordination pre-meeting for the Contact Group on Somali Piracy (CGSP) on the afternoon of January 13, 2009, hosted by Germany at The Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations, 871 United Nations Plaza, New York. The meeting is scheduled to take place from 1530 to 1730. The German mission at the UN will provide an agenda SEPTEL. -- Brief on the proposed modalities for the Working Groups. -- A major point of discussion at the pre-meeting will be to introduce the suggestion of lead nations for Working Groups. We would like to discuss the notion of countries within the core group taking the responsibility to initially establish the Working Groups and guide/enable them to become effective groups to manage efforts. It would be helpful if nations come to the CG meeting with an idea as to which WG they would like to embrace as lead nation. The intent would be to identify the willingness of particular nations to take on responsibilities the next day at the plenary session. The proposed working groups are: Establishing the Counter-Piracy Coordination Center; Coordinating Military Activities among Organizations and Nations; Promoting a &Judicial Track8 to Arrest, Detain, and Prosecute Pirates; Advocating for an Increased Maritime Self Awareness; Interdicting Financial Flows to Pirate Organizations; Increasing Public Diplomacy Activities. -------------- MODALITIES FOR THE WORKING GROUPS -------------- ¶3. -- The Working Group chairs will be expected to provide an overview briefing on the goals of the group at the inaugural CGSP meeting and moderate a discussion of this issue. -- The Working Groups should focus on tangible results and implementing the goals of the CGSP. -- Membership in the Working Groups will be based on self-selection. -- Working Group members will be expected to actively contribute to the group,s activities. -- The chairs of the Working Groups would be expected to develop work plans for the group, coordinate the group,s activities and report back to the CGSP on the group,s actions. -- We expect that much of the work for the Working Groups will be done virtually via email, phone calls, and video teleconferences. -- Working Group chairs should strive for consensus if possible but be willing to move ahead on an issue if there is enough support to achieve the desired objective. -- The Working Groups will be expected to meet in person a minimum of once each quarter. Time and location of Working Group meetings will be decided by the chair in consultation with other Working Group members. -------------- REPORTING DEADLINE -------------- ¶4. Posts are requested to report whether the host government will attend the pre-meeting on January 13, any feedback on the proposed modalities of the Working Groups, and if the host government will chair a CGSP Working Group by no later than January 8. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶5. The Contact Group on Somali Piracy (CGSP) will be established at an inaugural meeting on January 14 to facilitate discussion and coordinate the activities of states and organizations to suppress piracy off the coast of Somalia pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1851. -------------- 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 by email. RICE