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OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
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O 071639Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0259
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS NAIROBI 001433 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/PD AND A/S CARSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GH DJ ET KDEM KE KPAO PREL SO
SUBJECT: POSITIVE REACTION TO A/S CARSON'S JULY 4 PRESS 
CONFERENCE 
 
¶1. Summary:  Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie 
Carson held a press conference for international, Somali and 
Kenyan press in Nairobi on July 4.  Most of the questions 
focused on current events and U.S. policy in Somalia, 
although A/S Carson also spent considerable time discussing 
good governance in Africa.  Coverage of the event was 
positive.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------- 
Somalia, Good Governance, 
and POTUS Visit to Ghana 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson 
held a press conference for international, Somali and Kenyan 
media on July 4 in Nairobi.  The questions focused mostly on 
U.S. policy toward Somalia, good governance in Africa, and 
the alleged message to the Government of Kenya sent by 
President Obama's visit to Ghana.  Post has transmitted 
separately to AF a transcript and compilation of the coverage. 
 
¶3. Somali media focused on U.S. assistance to, and policy 
toward Somalia, and Ethiopia's involvement in Somalia.  Horn 
Afrik noted increased levels of U.S. assistance, including 
the recently-reported U.S.-supplied military materiel to the 
Transitional Federal Government (TFG).  Horn Afrik also 
reported that A/S Carson said the U.S. would "never" send 
forces into Somalia.  The A/S had stated only that there were 
currently no plans for a U.S. military presence in Somalia. 
Shabelle Media and allpuntland.com highlighted A/S Carson's 
statement that Somalia's regional neighbors, with the 
exception of Ethiopia, should explore ways to assist Somalia. 
 A/S Carson said the involvement of Ethiopia's troops might 
be counterproductive.  Radio Simba focused on the pending 
deployment to the African Union Mission to Somalia of a third 
battalion from Burundi. 
 
¶4. Kenyan media outlets, including "The Nation," The 
Standard," and "The Kenya Times," focused on A/S Carson's 
comments about President Obama's travel to Ghana.  Although 
A/S Carson went to great lengths to reject the suggestion the 
President made Ghana his first stop in sub-Saharan Africa 
because of Kenya's reform agenda shortcomings, "The Times" 
reported that A/S Carson's comments directly impugned Kenya. 
"The Nation" noted A/S Carson's very positive comments on 
Ghana's democratic momentum.  "The Standard" and "The Nation" 
also published lengthy articles on the A/S's Somalia-related 
statements, noting U.S. support for the TFG. 
 
¶5. Among the international press who attended, Xinhua's 
lengthy article focused on U.S. military assistance, but also 
highlighted A/S Carson's remarks about Eritrean support for 
Somali extremists.  Reuters ran two articles on their 
website, one focused on President Obama's visit to Ghana and 
what it allegedly meant for Kenya, and the other on Somalia, 
highlighting A/S Carson's comment that Ethiopia should not 
send troops to Somalia. 
RANNEBERGER