SOMALIA: PRESS STATEMENT ON SELECTING A PRESIDENT

UNCLAS STATE 009388 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL SO XA XW SUBJECT: SOMALIA: PRESS STATEMENT ON SELECTING A PRESIDENT ¶1. Action Request: Department requests that USUN seek a UN Security Council Press Statement welcoming the election of a new President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia at the earliest opportunity. USUN has the discretion to either circulate the statement in paragraph 2 to the Council for adoption or to give the statement to the British for inclusion in their draft statement. ¶2. Begin statement: The members of the Security Council welcomed the election by the Somalia Transitional Federal Parliament of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. The members of the Security Council commended the newly-expanded Parliament on its work in electing the new President. The members of the Security Council expressed their appreciation to all parties who contributed to this historic event, including the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah and the support by President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti. The members of the Security Council expressed their strong support for the peace process and for this important step towards a political settlement in Somalia. To this end, Council members called upon President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to constitute a Government of National Unity. Council members called on all Somalis to support the Transitional Federal Institutions as peace and reconciliation efforts go forward. The Council strongly condemned terrorist organization al-Shabab, in particular, for continuing to target the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). The members of the Security Council commended AMISOM for its important work. Council members expressed their concern regarding the humanitarian situation in Somalia and condemned violence directed at civilians, AMISOM and humanitarian personnel. End statement. ¶3. Please report action to IO/UNP action officer Joseph Fitzgerald (fitzgeraldjjo@state.gov or 202-647-2641.) CLINTON