VZCZCXRO6056
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHMO #3755 3641340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291340Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1369
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0451
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS MOSCOW 003755 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ADDIS PLEASE PASS TO USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO SO ET RS
SUBJECT: GOR SUPPORTS UNSC RESOLUTION ON SOMALIA BUT 
OPPOSES A DEFINITIVE PKO STARTING DATE 
 
REF: STATE 134229 
 
¶1.  (U)  This message is sensitive but unclassified, and is 
not meant for Internet distribution. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Per reftel request, Poloff discussed the draft 
Security Council resolution on establishing a peacekeeping 
mission in Somalia with MFA Department of International 
Organizations First Secretary Sergey Zhdanov, and sought the 
GOR's support for the resolution.  Zhdanov indicated that 
this redraft was much improved and more balanced in approach 
than the original version.  The GOR particularly supported 
the proposal to establish a trust fund to provide financial 
support to the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and 
to hold a donors conference to solicit contributions to the 
fund. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  However, Zhdanov stated that the GOR was not in 
favor of setting a definitive starting date of June 1, 2009 
for the United Nations Mission in Somalia (UNMISON), and 
instead preferred the more flexible language "at an 
appropriate time" contained in the British and French 
counter-proposal.  While understanding and sharing the U.S. 
concern about a possible security vacuum in Somalia, the GOR 
believed that the first order of business should be to 
support fully the African Union mission already on the 
ground, so as to send a positive signal that the 
international community and the Security Council would not 
abandon the African peacekeepers.  Zhdanov took note of our 
assurance to make every effort to support additional 
deployment under AMISOM in preparation for its eventual 
"rehatting," but expressed concern that the transition 
process would not be conclude by June 1 and that the security 
situation in Somalia would not be sufficiently conducive to a 
switch to a UN mandate at that time.  As an aside, he noted 
that the proposed 10,000 troop level was probably too low to 
tackle the full spectrum of challenges in Somalia, but too 
high considering the previous peacekeeping failures in that 
country. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Nevertheless, Zhdanov indicated that Russia was 
supportive of adopting a Security Council resolution on 
Somalia before the new year that demonstrated strong support 
for the AU mission and confirmed the Security Council's 
willingness to continue to work on an eventual "rehatting" to 
a UN mandate. 
RUBIN