SOMALI ATTITUDE ON LIBYA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOGADISHU 03643

TERREP

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PTER LY SO
SUBJECT: SOMALI ATTITUDE ON LIBYA


1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.


2. ON APRIL 1 MFA PERMANENT SECRETARY ADAN MET WITH
AMBASSADOR BRIDGES AT THE REQUEST OF PRESIDENT SIAD
TO PRESENT SOMALI VIEWS ON THE RECENT U.S.-LIBYAN
HOSTILITIES IN THE GULF OF SIDRA. AMBASSADOR NUR,
STILL VISITING FROM WASHINGTON, AMERICAS DIRECTOR ELMI
AND DCM WERE ALSO PRESENT. ADAN SAID THAT SOMALIA
HAD JOINED THE COLLECTIVE ARAB LEAGUE POSITION ADOPTED
AT TUNIS WHICH VIEWED U.S. MILITARY ACTION AGAINST LIBYA
AS EXCESSIVE. THE SOMALI GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, HAD
REJECTED LIBYA'S REQUEST FOR A SEPARATE SOMALI STATE-
MENT CRITICAL OF THE U.S. TO BE ISSUED IN MOGADISHU.
MOREOVER, THE MFA HAD INFORMED THE LIBYAN PEOPLE'S
BUREAU THAT THE SOMALI GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT COUNTENANCE
ANY RETALIATION AGAINST U.S. PERSONNEL OR FACILITIES IN
SOMALIA. THE LIBYANS WERE ASKED TO GIVE THEIR
ASSURANCE THAT NO HOSTILE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST
THE U.S. AND TO CONVEY THIS REQUEST TO TRIPOLI. ADAN
SAID THAT THE LIBYAN PEOPLE'S BUREAU HAD NOW PROVIDED
THESE ASSURANCES TO THE MFA.


3. BRIDGES ASKED ADAN TO CONVEY TO PRESIDENT SIAD OUR
DISAPPOINTMENT OVER THE ARAB LEAGUE RESOLUTION, BUT
ALSO HIS APPRECIATION FOR THE SOMALI DECISION NOT TO
ISSUE A SEPARATE STATEMENT AND FOR THE MFA DEMARCHE
TO THE LIBYANS REGARDING RETALIATION. WE APPRECIATED
THE EXCELLENT COOPERATION OF THE SOMALI SECURITY
AUTHORITIES IN KEEPING CLOSE WATCH ON LIBYAN PERSONNEL
IN SOMALIA. BRIDGES SAID HE BELIEVED THAT WE AND
THE SOMALI AUTHORITIES FULLY AGREED THAT QADHAFI COULD
NOT BE TRUSTED. WE WOULD THEREFORE LOOK TO CONTINUED
CLOSE COOPERATION WITH SOMALI OFFICIALS ON THIS
PROBLEM.


4. ADAN SUGGESTED THAT SOME COUNTRIES WERE TENDING
TO LOOK AT WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE GULF OF SIDRA AS A
CASE OF A POWERFUL COUNTRY TAKING A FORCEFUL STANCE
AGAINST A SMALLER AND WEAKER ONE. BRIDGES SAID THAT
WHILE UNDOUBTEDLY THE UNITED STATES WAS LARGER
AND MORE POWERFUL THAN LIBYA, OUR ACTION WAS MOTIVATED
BY OUR STRONG INTEREST IN MAINTAINING THE FREEDOM
OF THE SEAS IN THE FACE OF ANY COUNTRY'S ILLEGAL
CLAIMS, LARGE OR SMALL. BRIDGES REMINDED ADAN THAT WE
HAD REACTED ONLY AFTER THE LIBYANS HAD FIRED SIX
MISSILES AT OUR FORCES IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS OVER
A PERIOD OF SEVERAL HOURS. WHILE THE GULF OF SIDRA
EXERCISES HAD ENDED, WE WERE DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT
LIBYA MIGHT SEEK TO ATTACK OUR PEOPLE OR FACILITIES
ELSEWHERE. THE PROBLEM WAS COMPLICATED BY THE
POSSIBILITY THAT THE LIBYANS WOULD EMPLOY OTHERS,
INCLUDING CONCEIVABLY SOMALIS, TO DO THEIR DIRTY WORK.
AGAIN, WE WERE ANXIOUS TO STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH
THE SOMALI AUTHORITIES ON THIS.


5. AT THE END OF THE MEETING ADAN NOTED THAT HE
WOULD BE GOING TO DJIBOUTI FROM APRIL 2 THROUGH 6 TO
ATTEND THE NEXT IGAAD (EAST AFRICA DROUGHT) MEETING,
WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS ROUTINE.


BRIDGES