JAPAN AND SOMALIA: NO RECOGNITION FOR THE TFG

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000641 SIPDIS AF/RSA COL. MIKE SKARDON, AF/E MATTHEW WALSH, IO/PSC TANAZ KHAMBATTA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2019 TAGS: AF MARR PGOV PREL PREF PTER JA SUBJECT: JAPAN AND SOMALIA: NO RECOGNITION FOR THE TFG REF: STATE 24665 Classified By: Pol M/C W. Michael Meserve per 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Embassy Tokyo Political Officer delivered reftel demarche to MOFA Second Africa Division Deputy Director Mitsuhiro Kobayashi who said that the Government of Japan does not officially recognize the TFG (Transitional Federal Government) for the technical reason that it does not control all of Somalia. He stated that "Japan's fiscal support for AMISOM (the African Mission in Somalia) will be limited to the $500,000 dollars we have given for disbursement though the AU Peace Trust." He went on to explain that because Japan's constitution prohibits direct support for military operations, this money would only be used to support civil affairs offices in Mogadishu and Nairobi. ¶2. (C) Kobayashi pointed out that Japan was taking an active role in seeking peace and stability in Somalia including a meeting planned March 28-29 in Botswana between Japanese officials and the Somalia Minister for Development and National Reconciliation. He said the Government of Japan was also trying to finalize the timing of a visit to Japan by Somalia Foreign Minister Amal. Kobayashi said he attended the Somalia International Contact Group meeting in Brussels on February 26-27 with Ambassador Sato and that, "the Ambassador has doubts about the current peace process because not all of the warring parties have participated, and most of the Somali participants are from outside of the country. But," he added, "there does not seem to be another alternative." ZUMWALT