LIBYA SUGGESTS FUNDING GO TO SHEIKH AHMED'S FORCES, NOT

UNCLAS TRIPOLI 000256 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/MAG AND AF/RSA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO SO LY SUBJECT: LIBYA SUGGESTS FUNDING GO TO SHEIKH AHMED'S FORCES, NOT AMISOM REF: STATE 17205 ¶1. (SBU) On March 26, Post received a diplomatic note from the MFA outlining Libya's position on peacekeeping forces in Somalia. This note responded to an earlier US demarche on the subject (see reftel). In a meeting with the Ambassador today, MFA Secretary for the Americas Ahmed Fituri said that Libya's position on the issue of support for AMISOM had been cemented during a recent phone conversation between Muammar al-Qadhafi and Sheikh Sherif Ahmed, during which Sheikh Ahmed had plead for donor funding to be directed to him, rather than to AMISOM. The Leader reportedly agreed with this position. The Ambassador will seek further clarity at a scheduled meeting with the head of the MFA department handling Somali affairs early next week. In the meantime, Post would appreciate any additional relevant guidance on the matter that could be used in that meeting or in a written response to the dipnote below. ¶2. (U) Text of the diplomatic note: The General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation (Americas Desk),sends its compliments to the US Embassy in the Great Jamahiriya. In response to the esteemed Embassy's diplomatic note # 09/290 dated March 3, 2009 regarding providing AMISOM with $67 million in support, and whereas the Great Jamahiriya thinks that the election of Sheikh Sharif Ahmed is the beginning of political stability in Somalia, we thus believe that the said support should rather go to the Somali forces (Army and police) which consist of more than 70,000 troops, and we deem it wrong to continue supporting AMISOM. Meanwhile we do express our gratitude to the USG for the support it wishes to provide at the amount of $67 million. We think that the support should go to the Somali forces, and therefore we welcome the opportunity to discuss the issue among the African Union, the US government, and Somalia before providing any support or aid whether from our side or from yours. The General People's Committee Secretariat for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation (Americas Desk) avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the esteemed US Embassy the assurances of its highest consideration. (Seal of the General People's Secretary for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation) To: US Embassy- Tripoli Tripoli: March 26, 2009 End text of diplomatic note. CRETZ