SOMALI WARNING TO LIBYANS ON TERRORISM

S E C R E T MOGADISHU 04325 TERREP FROM THE AMBASSADOR E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PTER SO LY SUBJECT: SOMALI WARNING TO LIBYANS ON TERRORISM ¶1. SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT. ¶2. WE REPORTED EARLIER THAT THE SOMALIS HAD INFORMED US THAT THEY HAD WARNED THE HEAD OF THE LIBYAN PEOPLE'S BUREAU AGAINST UNDERTAKING ANY ACTION AGAINST AMERICANS IN SOMALIA. I HAVE JUST HAD ADDITIONAL CONFIRMATION OF THIS FROM EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR MEKKY (PROTECT SOURCE),WHO SAYS THAT MFA MINISTER OF STATE HAMOUD TOLD HIM TWO DAYS BEFORE HAMOUD'S CURRENT TRIP TO THE NEW DELHI NAM MEETING THAT HE, HAMOUD, HAD CALLED IN THE HEAD OF THE LIBYAN PEOPLE'S BUREAU. - ¶3. HAMOUD TOLD MEKKY THAT HE HAD TOLD THE LIBYAN THAT THE SOMALIS DID NOT LIKE THE CHARGES BEING EXCHANGED BETWEEN TRIPOLI AND WASHINGTON. THE LIBYANS SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT IT HAD TAKEN THE SOMALI GOVERNMENT A LONG TIME TO AGREE TO RESUME RELATIONS WITH LIBYA. IN THIS CONNECTION, HAMOUD SAID HE WANTED TO WARN THE LIBYANS AGAINST ANY ACTION AGAINST AMERICANS OR AMERICAN PROPERTY. IN REPLY, THE LIBYAN ASSURED HAMOUD THAT NO SUCH ACTION WOULD BE UNDERTAKEN AS LONG AS HE REMAINED HEAD OF THE PEOPLE'S BUREAU. ¶4. I THANKED AMBASSADOR MEKKY FOR THIS INFORMATION, WHICH I SAID CORRESPONDED WITH WHAT THE SOMALIS HAD TOLD US. I ADDED THAT (A) LIBYAN PROMISES WERE OF COURSE WORTH NOTHING, AND (B) ANY ACTION AGAINST US HERE WOULD PRESUMABLY NOT BE TAKEN BY THE LIBYANS IN PERSON, AS THE FOREIGN MINISTER HAD IN FACT JUST WARNED ME (MOGADISHU 4319). BRIDGES