VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #1264 1841844
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 021847Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 0000
RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN PRIORITY 0000
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0000
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0000
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0000
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0000
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 0000
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0000
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS STATE 071264 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHSA BM CY EN GM NATO RS SO UK UP
SUBJECT: REPLY: REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE TO THE MV LEHMANN 
TIMBER 
 
REF: A. A. DIPLOMATIC NOTE NO. 76 EMBASSY OF ESTONIA 
     ¶B. B. DIPLOMATIC NOTE EMBASSY OF UKRAINE 
 
¶1.  (SBU) This is an action request.  Drawing from the points 
in 
paragraph 3 below, Department requests Posts respond to 
diplomatic 
notes from the Embassy of Estonia (received 24 June, 2008) 
and from 
the Embassy of Ukraine (received 23 June, 2008) requesting 
supplies 
and assistance to Ukrainian and Estonian crew members on the 
hijacked 
vessel MV Lehmann Timber. 
 
---------- 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On May 28, 2008 the MV Lehmann Timber, which we 
believe to 
be either German- or Cypriot-owned and sailing under the flag 
of Gibraltar, 
was hijacked by Somali pirates in international waters in the 
Gulf of Aden. 
(Note: Equasis, a European Commission-French Maritime 
Administration sponsored 
database, indicates that a German company owns the vessel.) 
The crewmembers 
were taken hostage and the ship has since been relocated to 
Somali territorial 
waters.  The crew is composed of Estonian, Ukrainian, 
Russian, and Burmese 
nationals.  On June 23 and 24, 2008 the USG received official 
requests from 
the Governments of Estonia (GOE) and Ukraine (GOU) to 
consider transporting 
provisions to the ship, including drinking water, food, and 
medical supplies. 
According to the GOE, the crewmembers had been allowed to 
contact family members 
and had stated that they were being denied food and water and 
that the ship 
was running out of fuel.  The GOE and the GOU have indicated 
that they do 
not have assets in the region that would be able to provide 
the requested 
assistance to the crewmembers. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: The Department requests that Posts 
draw from the 
following points to convey a response to the Estonian and 
Ukrainian MFAs as 
soon as possible.  Points were informally delivered on June 
26, 2008 to the 
Estonian and Ukrainian Embassies in Washington, D.C.  USNATO 
is authorized 
to draw from the talking points in any discussions of a 
possible NATO role 
in such situations. 
 
-------------- 
Talking Points 
-------------- 
 
--  The United States recognizes the importance of the issue 
of piracy and 
recognizes the concerns of the Republics of Estonia/Ukraine 
regarding the 
health and well-being of the crewmembers of the MV Lehmann 
Timber. 
 
--  We have thoroughly considered your request.  Following a 
comprehensive 
review, we have concluded that, in this particular instance, 
we are not in a 
position to provide the requested provisions of drinking 
water, food, and 
medical supplies to the crew of the MV Lehmann Timber. 
 
--  Among the factors that weighed in our decision-making, 
two were 
especially significant: that providing the requested 
provisions would neither 
abate nor remedy the circumstances of the crew; and that the 
provision of 
such assistance only aids the cause of the hijackers and 
facilitates ongoing 
criminal activity. 
 
--  In recognizing the continued importance of the issue of 
Somali piracy more 
broadly, the USG took a leadership role in actively 
supporting the recent passage 
of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1816 (2008). 
This resolution 
condemns piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast and 
encourages States 
with military assets in the region to work together to deter 
such attacks and 
render aid to vessels threatened by or under attack.  It also 
calls on flag 
states to provide guidance and training to vessel crews on 
avoidance, evasion, 
and defensive techniques; and on ships to avoid the area 
whenever possible. 
 
-- For Embassy Tallinn:  We commend Estonia's action to 
utilize NATO channels to 
approach individual Allies for assistance and to draw all 
Allies' attention to a 
situation with security implications for all. 
 
--  We are prepared to join you in encouraging NATO to review 
the issue of piracy, 
looking at the specific situation of the territorial waters 
of Somalia as well as 
the potential for NATO action elsewhere and/or in other 
circumstances. 
 
--  We believe the North Atlantic Council should consider how 
NATO might assume a 
more robust role in combating piracy or, at a minimum, 
establish a standing mechanism 
for providing assistance to Allies and partners that lack the 
capabilities and resources 
to respond themselves to acts of piracy. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  For info addressees:  If you are approached by your 
host government 
regarding the MV Lehmann Timber, immediately report this fact 
to Washington 
and seek Department guidance as to how to respond. 
 
¶5. (U)  This message has been coordinated with DOD, NSC/HSCF 
and additional 
offices in the interagency.  Questions concerning this action 
request should 
be directed to Mr. Robert Gilchrist, DOS Office Director for 
Nordic and Baltic 
Affairs, at GilchristRS@state.gov or (202) 647-6556. 
RICE