VZCZCXRO9968
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLG #0124 0471020
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161020Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3866
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0958
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0540

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STAtE FOR AF/S KAMANA MATHUR 
STATE FOR INR/AA RITA BYRNES 
STATE FOR AF/RSA 
ADDIS FOR US MISSION TO THE AFRICAN UNION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI STILL IN LIMBO OVER SOMALIA MISSION 
 
REF: (A) LILONGWE 42, (B) LILONGWE 84 (C) ADDIS ABAB 467 
 
¶1. (U) Action request: See paragraph 7. 
 
2.(SBU) Summary: Ambessador Eastham met with Minister of Defense 
Davis Katsonga on February 15 to discuss Malawi's potential 
involvement in an AU peacekeeping mission to Somalia.  Katsongasaid 
that Malawi, while committed to peacekeeping on the continent, has 
still not made a decision on whether or not to join the mission. 
Katsonga said the GOM has not yet received a formal request from the 
AU to commit troops, is unclear under what terms the mission will 
take place and what role the force will play, and does not have a 
clear picture of what is currently happening "on the ground" in 
Somalia.  Katsonga requested that the Ambassador keep him informed 
to the greatest extent possible on the discussions regarding the 
mission, and ongoing events in Somalia. End Summary. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Katsonga, who had previously announced Malawi's intention 
to joint the mission only to be publicly contradicted by President 
Mutharika, began the meeting by stating that, "much had transpired" 
since his last discussion with the Ambassador (reftels A and B). 
Katsonga stated, "we haven't changed our position on peace-keeping, 
and are still keen to play our part...but on Somalia we have some 
concerns." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Laying out the three issues lirted above, Katsonga 
highlighted the concern over the situation on the ground in Somalia, 
statino that the GOM doesn't know if it, "will have to enforce the 
peace or keep the peace." Katsonga said that in his opinion the 
African Union has not done as much as it should have done to clarify 
the mission and the situation on the ground.  He said that he had 
recently met with the AU representative in Malawi to discuss the 
issue, but still expressed a lack of information regarding the 
specifics of the mission.  MDF commander General Marko Chiziko, who 
was also in the meeting, emphasized The need for planning to match 
the situation and the mission, noting that Malawi had not done an 
adequate job in its foray into Mozambique, resulting in the need to 
retreat to Malawi to re-plan and re-equip for a much more hostile 
situation than anticipated.  If the MDF goes all the way do Somalia, 
that /ption will not be available. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Katsonga said that the GOM has a battalion of trained 
troops ready to deploy, and has acquired 10 armored personnel 
carriers.  He then asked for an update on the equipment request he 
had sent to Ambassador Eastham.  The Ambassador noted that it would 
be difficult to expect any equipment assistance until the GOM made a 
commitment to join the mission.  Once that commitment was made the 
USG might possibly consider a limited request, depending on the 
resources available. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: The GOM's decision making is intrinsically linked 
to their understanding of ongoing events in Somalia.  Before he was 
pulled back by the president, Katsonga appeared fully committed to 
sending a battalion to join the mission (reftel A).  However, the 
President seems to have been spooked by what he heard at the AU 
Summit, and expressed doubt over the mission upon his return to 
Mclawi (reftel B).  A statement by opposition leader John Tembo 
pointing out that neither the opposition nor Parliament had been 
consulted on the matter was also a factor. Katsonga could influence 
the President's thinking on the matter, but suffers from a severe 
lack of information regarding both mission planning (i.e., what role 
a Malawian force might play), and the state of play on the ground. 
 
 
¶7. (U) We much appreciated ref C, USAU's most recent report on AU 
planning. Post requests the Department and other relevant posts 
(Addis and USAU, Nairobi) include Embassy Lilongwe in reporting on 
the situation in-country as well as ongoing discussions and planning 
for the proposed mission to Somalia.  End Comment. 
 
 
EASTHAM