(SBU) SOMALIA: TFG FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH AF

UNCLAS STATE 029163 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SO PGOV SOCI PINR PTER KPKO SUBJECT: (SBU) SOMALIA: TFG FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH AF ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARTER ON MARCH 24 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Somalia Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Foreign Minister Mohamed A. Omaar (FonMin) met with Bureau for African Affairs Acting Assistant Secretary Phillip Carter (AA/S) on March 24. The FonMin and AA/S spent the majority of the meeting discussing the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the TFG Joint Security Force (JSF), including USG support for both forces. The FonMin reinforced the TFG,s support for the continuation and enhancement of AMISOM, including the deployment of additional battalions. Other topics discussed included recent diplomatic efforts by the TFG, assistance from the Government of Kenya, spoilers to the peace process, recovery and reconstruction efforts and the creation of an official TFG website. END SUMMARY. -------------- RECENT DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS BY THE TFG -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Regarding President Sharif's recent trips to Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Sudan and Kenya, AA/S Carter urged the FonMin to counsel President Sharif to remain in Mogadishu to focus on the immediate security and political tasks at hand. The FonMin agreed and said he would urge President Sharif to stay in Somalia as much as possible, but noted that President Sharif plans to attend the upcoming Arab League Summit in Qatar from March 29 to 30. (NOTE: The FonMin also plans to attend this summit, and is scheduled to depart on March 25 from New York for Doha via London. END NOTE.). -------------- AMISOM AND THE JSF -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Regarding the TFG's position on AMISOM, the FonMin stated that the TFG does not/not want AMISOM to depart in 120 days, contrary to recent media reports and statements from others in the TFG. The FonMin stated that AMISOM is needed to "hold the fort" on the ground while the TFG, with international assistance, works to build the capacity of the JSF and Somalia Police Force. The FonMin concluded this point by stating that until sufficient JSF capacity is in place, the clock will not/not start ticking on the 120-day departure timeline called for by various religious leaders in Mogadishu. ¶4. (SBU) The FonMin plans to attend the European Commission-hosted AMISOM/JSF pledging conference scheduled to take place April 22 in Brussels. AA/S Carter noted that hopefully the U.S. should be ready to begin our assistance to �0A;the JSF by the date of this conference. The FonMin asked for U.S. assistance in urging Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other Gulf states to match the $5 million we have pledged for the JSF. ¶5. (SBU) AA/S Carter emphasized that the USG is primarily focused on security in Mogadishu and its environs, in particular obtaining additional funding for AMISOM and the JSF. The FonMin stated that the TFG is willing to work with us to put some kind of accountability structure in place for providing stipends/salaries to the JSF, and he suggested that an &auditing firm such as KPMG" be utilized for this effort. The FonMin also noted that the TFG is working on producing a written plan for JSF operations, including the JSF,s mandate and command and control structure. AA/S Carter asked the FonMin to pass this to the Somalia Unit in Embassy Nairobi as soon as possible, and the FonMin agreed to do so. -------------- ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF KENYA -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Elaborating on recent news reports regarding the Government of Kenya,s offer to collect tax revenue in Nairobi on behalf of the TFG on imports going into Somalia, including khat, the FonMin said that the TFG asked the Government of Kenya for this assistance and the TFG plans to place TFG officials alongside Kenyan officials in Nairobi to facilitate this effort. -------------- SPOILERS TO THE PEACE PROCESS -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The FonMin lauded our March 20 statement in the United Nations Security Council regarding Eritrea, stating that "Aweys and Eritrea are still delivering weapons down south (in Somalia)." He noted that Hizbul al-Islam has recently "split" and that small numbers of al-Shabaab foot soldiers continue to defect, most likely due to the TFG urging youth to "put down the gun." (NOTE: The Hizbul al-Islam split will likely work to the advantage of the TFG, since the majority faction implicitly endorsed President Sharif via its endorsement of the TFG's decision to implement Sharia Law. END NOTE.) -------------- RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The FonMin expressed willingness to discuss recovery and reconstruction efforts in more detail with the USAID/East Africa Mission. The FonMin said he would contact the Mission and Somalia Unit directly about moving forward on this front. -------------- TFG WEBSITE -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The meeting concluded with the FonMin noting that the TFG plans to launch a new, official website in the next "week or so.8 Desk Officer urged the FonMin to have the appropriate person in the TFG contact the Somalia Unit to review potential USG assistance for this effort. ¶10. (SBU) COMMENT. On the sidelines of the last International Contact Group on Somalia meeting in Brussels on February 26, the FonMin assured the AA/S that the TFG would focus immediately on security in Mogadishu and on further political reconciliation. Since that meeting, there has been incremental progress on both fronts, with a JSF beginning to take shape and some political spoilers embracing dialogue over violence. The FonMin,s assurance that the TFG supports AMISOM reinforces the view that the TFG is taking the establishment of basic security seriously. END COMMENT. CLINTON