VZCZCXYZ0030
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0589/01 1842205
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 022205Z JUL 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4542
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 1719
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA IMMEDIATE 1444
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI IMMEDIATE 0103

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000589 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM ETTC DTFN UNSC SO
SUBJECT: UN/SOMALIA SANCTIONS: NEW SANCTIONS MONITORING 
GROUP BRIEFS COMMITTEE 
 
Classified By: Minister-Counselor Jeffrey DeLaurentis for reasons 1.4 ( 
b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C)  This is an action request.  See para 9. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Summary:  The newly reestablished Monitoring Group 
on Somalia briefed the Somalia Committee on how they plan to 
implement their mandate.  Matt Bryden, coordinator of the 
group, spoke about recent trends, the ongoing peace process, 
and the recent escalation of violence.  He stressed that the 
group would seek to continue the work begun in the previous 
group's report, focusing on issues such as arms transfers, 
piracy, and illicit financial transactions.  The group will 
travel to the region on July 2 to begin their work.  After 
the briefing, the Committee discussed the issue of specific 
targeted measures against individuals or entities who block 
the peace process or breach the arms embargo.  Delegations 
were instructed to submit recommendations to the Committee by 
July 3.  The Committee will then compile and finalize 
recommendations before providing them to the Security Council 
by the July 14 deadline.  End summary. 
 
Somalia Monitoring Group: Shifting Situation on the Ground 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶3.  (C)  The Somalia Sanctions Committee welcomed the 
Monitoring Group on Somalia, which was reestablished by the 
SYG pursuant to UNSCR 1811 (2008).  The four-member team, 
consisting of Matt Bryden (Coordinator), Gilbert Charles 
Barthe, Charles M. Lengalenga, and Ignatius Yaw 
Kwantwi-Mensah, briefed the Committee on recent trends in 
Somalia and how they plan to address their mandate.  Bryden 
highlighted the political and military dimensions, focusing 
on the ongoing peace process and the escalation of violence 
in some parts of Somalia.  He noted the appearance of new 
armed groups and the splintering of existing ones.  He 
praised the report of the previous monitoring group for its 
comprehensiveness and stressed that the new group's approach 
would be one of continuity.  Bryden said their goal is to 
pick up on existing themes and address some of the 
outstanding issues.  They will travel to Nairobi next week to 
begin their work. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Barthe, a Swiss customs expert, focused on the 
group's work tracing weapons and identifying missiles seized 
by insurgents.  He said the group would examine training and 
logistical support to the security sector, ensuring that such 
programs follow established exemptions.  Kwantwi-Mensah, a 
Ghanaian arms and transport expert, spoke about maritime 
issues and the need to address piracy and armed robbery at 
sea.  Lengalenga, a Zambian finance expert, said that the 
group would examine both internal and external funding for 
the insurgency.  He noted reports that "quite a bit" of 
Somali currency has been printed outside the country and that 
some parties aligned with the TFG might be participating in 
such activity.  Lengalenga also said that the monitoring 
group would explore whether and to what extent NGOs and 
charities are involved in unauthorized activities.  He 
reported that the group will also monitor multilateral and 
bilateral aid flows in order to expose those that are 
diverting aid for their own purposes. 
 
¶5.  (C)  Bryden conveyed the need to ensure that states are 
aware of possible exemptions and that eligible activities are 
not reported as violations because of procedural flaws or 
ambiguities.  Bryden observed that the TFG does not 
explicitly have an exemption but must understand how to 
assist in monitoring and preventing violations.  He 
acknowledged the security challenges of operating in Somalia 
and emphasized that the group will try to travel as much as 
possible in country. 
 
¶6.  (C)  France, Russia, Belgium, Italy, and Burkina Faso all 
expressed their support for the monitoring group.  France 
emphasized that protection for vessels transporting food and 
other humanitarian shipments should not be considered a 
violation of the embargo.  (Note:  There was no discussion of 
the June 13 letter sent by the Somali PermRep conveying the 
TFG's "strongest objection" to Bryden's appointment as 
coordinator.  End Note.) 
 
Committee Will Send Recommendations on Targeted Sanctions 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶7.  (C)  After the briefing by the new monitoring group, the 
Committee discussed the issue of specific targeted measures 
against individuals or entities who block the peace process 
or breach the arms embargo.  Pursuant to paragraphs 6 and 7 
of UNSCR 1814 (2008), the Committee was instructed to provide 
 
 
recommendations on such measures by July 14.  The UK was 
joined by Russia in emphasizing that the Committee was 
instructed to recommend the types of measures that might be 
applied rather than identifying a specific list of 
individuals or entities.  The Committee could, the UK noted, 
compile such a list at a later date, but the UK would not 
want those who have participated in the peace process to be 
specifically targeted. 
 
¶8.  (C)  France reiterated that it was more than prepared to 
begin discussions on individual sanctions and stressed that 
it should be done in close cooperation with the SRSG.  Russia 
concurred that the Committee should consult with the SRSG 
because the primary negotiator would have useful advice about 
the timing of such measures and their impact on the peace 
process.  Italy mentioned that targeted sanctions have 
typically consisted of travel restrictions and the freezing 
of assets, but that there might be specific recommendations 
from the main mediator.  The chair instructed delegations to 
get instructions from their capitals and send recommendations 
in writing to the chair or Committee secretary by July 3 at 
4:00 p.m. 
 
¶9.  (C)  Action Request: USUN requests Department guidance on 
recommendations the Committee should make to the Council on 
whether to impose targeted sanctions on individuals or 
entities who block the peace process or breach the arms 
embargo.  End Action Request. 
Khalilzad