EUROPEAN COMMISSION CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

UNCLAS USEU BRUSSELS 001078 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER SO EAID KPKO MARR SUBJECT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO SOMALIA REF: A. SECSTATE 79853 ¶B. USEU BRUSSELS 810 ¶C. USEU BRUSSELS 963 ¶D. USEU BRUSSELS 886 ¶1. (SBU) POLOFF delivered REF A points on August 4 to Jeremy Lester, head of the European Commission unit for the Horn of Africa, Eastern Africa, and the Indian Ocean. Lester agreed that the TFG is Somalia's best chance for stability and said, "If we were to deliver a demarche in Washington on this issue, we would say almost exactly the same things." He noted that the European Commission has remained committed to provide development and humanitarian support to Somalia -- including South/Central, Somaliland, and Puntland -- since before the Djibouti Peace Process. At present, the Commission, like the EU Council Secretariat and Member States, is considering what more it can contribute along the six lines of action laid out by EU High Rep Javier Solana in May (REF B). The Commission, like the Member States, has not reached a decision on additional measures, but has a number of instruments at its disposal which could provide humanitarian assistance, governance support, support to police forces, and indirect support to military forces, but not lethal aid such as weapons and ammunition (REF C). He said the Commission and Council General Secretariat would probably be called upon in mid-September to present new ideas to EU Ambassadors in the Political and Security Committee, after which both the Commission and Council could move forward towards specifics. All parties agreed to stay in touch regarding future programs for Somalia, in particular during this time of EU deliberation. ¶2. (SBU) During the meeting, Lester and staffer Giorgio Balzarro confirmed that the Commission would be represented in the UN-led, U.S.-funded Somalia security sector by Georges-Marc Andre, the Commission's special envoy for Somalia (REF D). As the assessment develops, they said, the Commission may be able to send someone with expertise in a specific area, if necessary. The Council General Secretariat has likewise been working to volunteer a participant or participants, and is expected soon to confirm its participation. MURRAY .