VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0841 2622307
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 182307Z SEP 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4968
INFO RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5/UNMA// PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000841 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MOPS PHUM PREL SO UNSC
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: URGENT UN REQUEST FOR FORCE GENERATION 
 
REF: A. SENIOR-FITZGERALD EMAIL (8/27/08) 
     ¶B. USUN 791 
     ¶C. USUN 689 
     ¶D. USUN 668 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 4. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a hastily called September 18 meeting with UNSC 
Milads and 
Political officers, DPKO Military Chief of Staff Col. Ian 
Sinclair (UK) 
requested recommendations from capitals concerning which 
miltarily capable 
nations the Secretary-General should approach to lead and/or 
participate in a 
multinational force that would deploy into Somalia.  This 
request came in 
response to the 4 September 08 Presidential Statement 
(PRST/2008/33) that 
requested the Secretary-General "urgently identify and 
approach States that 
might contribute the financial resources, personnel, 
equipment and services 
required" for potential Somalia stabilization force. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Noting that Council members stated in the PRST that 
each "stands ready 
to support the Secretary-General in this regard," Sinclair 
asked that Council 
members quickly identify appropriate countries with 
sufficient military 
capabilities as described in the Secretariat's August 26 
briefing to the SC 
(Ref. A).  Sinclair stressed that he was not asking members 
to approach 
potential contributors bilaterally, and that Council members' 
suggestions would 
be kept in confidence.  He asked for a response no later than 
Wednesday, 
September 24 at 9am, in order to allow the Secretary-General 
to possibly 
approach potential troop contributing countries on the 
margins of the upcoming 
UNGA high level event. 
 
Comment and action request: 
 
¶4. (SBU) Though Sinclair told the group that his was a 
"military task, not a 
political task," he later admitted privately that DPKO needed 
political cover 
for its force generation efforts, and was making this request 
in order to 
ensure that UNSC members did not feel that certain countries 
were 
inappropriately approached or inappropriately left out.  USUN 
requests 
Department assistance in responding to DPKO's request with a 
vetted list of 
potential contributing countries by close of business on 
Tuesday, September 23. 
Khalilzad