VZCZCXYZ0020
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3750 3572348
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 222341Z DEC 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 4899
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 8799
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 1391
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 6786
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE 0173
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 1946
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 2283
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 4315

UNCLAS STATE 133750 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT KCRM MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER
SUBJECT: INVITATION TO PIRACY CONTACT GROUP PRE-MEETING 
 
REF: A. STATE 133199 
     ¶B. STATE 129941 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. This is an action request.  Per reftel A, Assistant 
Secretary-level officials from 26 states and organizations 
are invited to the inaugural meeting of the Contact Group on 
Somali Piracy (CGSP) on January 13-14, 2009 in New York City. 
 There will be a pre-CGSP meeting on the 13th with eight key 
nations (the United States, France, the United Kingdom, 
Germany, Russia, China, India and Kenya) to ensure support 
for the efforts being advanced through the CGSP.  Posts are 
requested to invite addressees to participate in this 
pre-plenary meeting on the afternoon of January 13 to discuss 
and refine the draft materials to help facilitate reaching a 
consensus by the full Contact Group the following day. 
 
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OBJECTIVE 
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¶2. Request and confirm participation of senior representative 
at a pre-plenary CGSP meeting on the afternoon of January 13. 
 At this meeting we will discuss the draft Agenda, draft 
Statement of Principles, and proposed Work Plan.  We would 
like to reach preliminary consensus on these proposed items 
at this meeting.  We will advise of the meeting location and 
time soonest. 
 
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REPORTING DEADLINE 
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¶3. Please confirm attendance at the CGSP by December 31 per 
reftel A. Posts are requested to additionally include 
attendance confirmation for the pre-plenary meeting on the 
afternoon of January 13. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶4. The Contact Group on Somali Piracy sessions will begin 
with a meeting of the eight key contributors on the afternoon 
of January 13, followed by a reception for all CGSP members 
and observers that evening.  On January 14, meetings will 
commence with a plenary session for the full Contact Group, 
followed by break out/working group meetings.  Venues and 
meeting times in New York for all meetings and events have 
yet to be finalized.  Assistant Secretary for 
Political-Military Affairs Mark Kimmitt will lead the U.S. 
delegation. 
 
¶5. UNSC Resolution 1851 calls for an international 
cooperation mechanism to address piracy off the coast of 
Somalia, authorizes individual states cooperating with the 
Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and at the 
TFG,s request to conduct counter-piracy operations in 
Somalia, and calls for international support to build the 
judicial capacity of regional states to carry out their 
obligations to combat piracy.  The U.S.-led resolution won 
unanimous support, with most Council members saying they had 
voted in favor of the text because they sought robust action 
and welcomed the practical measures contained in the 
resolution. 
 
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POINTS OF CONTACT 
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¶6.  Department POCs are in PM/PPA: David Glancy at (202) 
736-4054, Donna Hopkins at (202) 647-0792, and Evan Foster at 
(202) 647-0336, or via email. 
RICE