VZCZCXRO7398
RR RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1604/01 2081610
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271610Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0500
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 001604 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR MARR SOCI SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - PUNTLAND PRESIDENT DETERMINED TO PUSH 
FOR GREATER AUTONOMY 
 
REF: NAIROBI 1474 
 
¶1.    (SBU) Summary: Puntland President "Faroole," during a 
July 23 meeting with Somalia Unit Poloff, remained 
noncommittal about a possible meeting with Transitional 
Federal Government (TFG) President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed 
and repeatedly signaled his intention to work toward greater 
Puntland autonomy. (Note:  Contacts, including TFG Prime 
Minister Sharmarke, have told  us that "Faroole" had agreed 
to discuss the deployment of Ethiopian-trained troops from 
Puntland to Mogadishu in support of the TFG. End Note.) 
"Faroole" told us he had little confidence in the TFG 
President and Prime Minister" and remained skeptical of the 
TFG's commitment to federalism. "Faroole" has hired a K 
Street lobbying firm and appears to be stepping up attempts 
to broker international agreements outside TFG channels. We 
are encouraging "Faroole" to meet with President Sharif to 
discuss a number of contentious issues, including security 
cooperation and resource control. While "Faroole" has made 
some overtures to the TFG, we believe that a meeting between 
"Faroole" and Sheikh Sharif is more likely to occur as a 
result of sustained pressure by the international community. 
End summary. 
 
Statements of Support Appear Hollow 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a July 23 meeting in Dubai with Somalia Unit 
Poloff, Puntland President Abdirahman Mohammed Mohamud 
"Faroole" appeared to back away from his earlier support for 
closer cooperation with the Transitional Federal Government 
(TFG). "Faroole's" statements of support for the TFG appeared 
especially hollow against the backdrop of his criticism of 
TFG leadership during the July 23 meeting and his reluctance 
to commit to meet with TFG President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh 
Ahmed.  "Faroole" told us that a proposed August meeting with 
President Sharif was under consideration but that nothing had 
been agreed. (Note: Contacts, including TFG Prime Minister 
Sharmarke and Somali Ambassador to Kenya "Americo," have told 
 us that "Faroole" had agreed to an early-August meeting in 
order to discuss the deployment of Ethiopian-trained troops 
from Puntland to Mogadishu in support of the TFG.  TFG and 
business community contacts indicated that a major sticking 
point of this proposal was where the talks would take place. 
Many TFG leaders viewed "Faroole's" efforts to secure a 
third-country venue as a ploy by "Faroole" to position 
himself as President Sharif's equivalent.)  "Faroole" said 
that he supported the TFG, but had little confidence in 
either the TFG President or Prime Minister because of their 
lack of experience. 
 
¶3. (SBU) As he has in other conversations, "Faroole" remained 
skeptical of the TFG's commitment to federalism.  He fingered 
TFG Deputy Prime Minister Sharif Hassan as an obstacle to 
Puntland - southern Somalia relations, and cited the process 
used to expand the TFG parliament as an example. "Faroole," 
who views Somali politics through a Darod/Harti clan lens, 
insisted that the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia 
(ARS) should have consulted Puntland during the Djibouti 
process about the Darod/Harti representatives it added to the 
expanded parliament. (Note: It is difficult to overstate the 
degree to which "Faroole" interprets events in the light of 
clan politics. The Puntland President devoted almost an hour 
of his meeting with Somalia Unit Poloff to a "history" of the 
Darod/Harti settlement of Mogadishu.  His version of events 
is accepted by no historian or analyst of Somalia.) 
 
Resource Control A Key Issue 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU)    Control of Puntland's resources will most likely 
be one of the greatest hurdles to closer Puntland - southern 
Somalia cooperation. One example: "Faroole" expressed 
frustration with his inability to gain access to Italian 
funds outside of central TFG mechanisms. "Faroole" alleged 
that the TFG Prime Minister and President had told the 
Italians that resources intended for Puntland must be 
coordinated by the TFG. "Faroole" told Poloff that he did not 
trust the TFG to distribute funds: "am I supposed to ask 
Sharif's permission for every little thing?" he asked. 
"Faroole," via a K Street lobbying firm he has hired to 
represent Puntland, is using resource disputes to defend his 
unwillingness to talk to TFG officials. One protracted issue 
remains oil contracts in Puntland. Several TFG contacts tell 
us the TFG is willing to negotiate a percentage of any 
potential profits from Puntland oil exploration if "Faroole" 
will agree to honor oil contracts that pre-date the Somali 
 
NAIROBI 00001604  002 OF 002 
 
 
civil war. "Faroole," however, claimed he had the right to 
negotiate new contracts directly with foreign companies. 
Similar issues were raised over Puntland's alleged right to 
directly export livestock to Saudi Arabia. 
 
"Faroole" and the Puntland Development 
Office; Full Court Press 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU)    "Faroole" is increasingly seeking legitimacy as a 
President in his own right.  He requests presidential-level 
protocol in his international dealings and often attempts to 
broker international agreements outside TFG channels. The TFG 
Consul General in Dubai told us that "Faroole" had requested 
and was refused presidential treatment and protocol by the 
UAE government during a recent visit to Dubai. Additionally, 
the Puntland Development Office was attempting to convince 
the World Bank and African Development Organization leaders 
to visit Puntland August 1 - 4 as part of a Puntland-only 
"re-engagement" strategy. The Puntland Development Office 
contacted Poloff, shortly after the June 23 meeting to make 
an "official request" for the USG to re-deploy one of its 
warships closer to the Puntland coast.  When Poloff suggested 
that "Faroole" speak to President Sharif about the issue, the 
Puntland Development Organization representative replied that 
it would be very "difficult" for "Faroole" to do so because 
of the tension surrounding livestock exports. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) While "Faroole" and his administration have made 
some positive steps in governance, such as agreeing to 
NGO-led mediation on some contentious points during the 
Constitutional drafting process, and have on occasion made 
overtures to the TFG, we believe that these small steps are 
the result of pressure by the international community. We 
will continue to encourage "Faroole" to meet with Sheikh 
Sharif, preferably in Somalia, to discuss issues of security 
cooperation and resource control. Additionally, we predict 
sustained pressure on "Faroole" will be necessary to ensure 
momentum toward a national referendum of the new Puntland 
constitution (reftel), an issue "Faroole" was already backing 
away from during the July 23 meeting. 
SLUTZ