VZCZCXRO8719
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #8768/01 2092327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 282311Z JUL 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 7009
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 078768 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM PHSA EWWT KCRM SO XA XW
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: TALKING POINTS FOR UNSC JULY 29 BRIEFING 
AND CONSULTATIONS 
 
¶1.  USUN may draw from the talking points in paragraph 2 for 
the UN Security Council's July 29 briefing and consultations 
on Somalia. 
 
¶2.  Begin talking points: 
 
--  Thank you, Mr. President.  Let me thank Special 
Representative Ould-Abdallah for his briefing, and Omaar of 
Somalia for his informative update on the situation in 
Somalia. 
 
--  The United States believes that the key to long-term 
peace and stability in Somalia lies in the establishment of 
effective governance based on a process of inclusive 
political dialogue and reconciliation between the 
Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and others committed to 
peace. 
 
--  The United States condemns in the strongest terms the 
continuing military offensives against the TFG which are 
designed to undermine the TFG,s legitimate authority under 
the Transitional Federal Charter by force.  The international 
community must stand united with the TFG against the 
extremists who continue to sow violence in Somalia, including 
al-Shabaab and Hisb,ul Islam. 
 
--  The United States further condemns al-Shabaab,s July 20 
raids and forced closure of the UNDP, UNDSS and UNPOS offices 
in Wajid and Baidoa, during which communications equipment, 
automobiles and supplies were looted, as well as its May 17 
raid on the UNICEF compound in Jowhar town, which remains 
occupied by the militia. We strongly condemn all attacks upon 
AMISOM, including the heinous February 22nd al-Shabaab 
terrorist attack that killed 11 Burundian peacekeepers.  In 
addition, AMISOM peacekeepers are constantly in danger of 
ambush and mortar attacks. 
 
--  We are particularly concerned by the SRSG,s reports that 
al-Shabaab is recruiting foreign fighters and collaborating 
with al-Qaeda to topple the TFG.  In its drive to forcibly 
gain power, al-Shaabab has even recruited Somali children to 
take up arms.  They and other extremists have ratcheted up 
bomb attacks and augmented targeted assassinations to spread 
fear in a futile attempt to intimidate the Somali people into 
submission.  The recent violence by extremists not only in 
Mogadishu, but also the renewed fighting in the central 
regions of Somalia is very troubling. 
 
--  After two decades of fighting, the time has come to stop 
the cycle of violence in Somalia.  We must not allow hardened 
terrorists the opportunity to overthrow the transitional 
government and use Somali territory as an incubator for 
future terrorist attacks.  The current situation is a threat 
to the long-suffering people of Somalia, a threat to the 
region, and a threat to the world. 
 
--  We echo the SRSG,s call to donors for urgent military 
and financial support to the TFG and AMISOM.  Supporting 
AMISOM should be central to the international community,s 
strategy of stabilizing Mogadishu and supporting the Somali 
peace process.  The United States thanks AMISOM for its brave 
and critical work in the face of continuing assaults, and we 
urge donors to fulfill the pledges made at the April security 
conference in Brussels to address the continuing threat to 
regional stability posed by extremists.  AMISOM remains well 
below its mandated force strength of 8,000.  The United 
States urges the states of the African Union to contribute 
forces to the mission, and will support additional troop 
contributions approved by the AU. 
 
--  We are deeply concerned about the worsening humanitarian 
situation in Somalia, including the estimated 200,000 people 
who had recently returned to Mogadishu, only to again be 
displaced when the fighting began anew.  The violence makes 
critical food and other humanitarian assistance more 
challenging, and sometimes impossible, to distribute to the 
3.2 million Somalis who require it.  The United States 
deplores violence against humanitarian agencies and staff, in 
particular the May raid on the UNICEF compound which 
destroyed thousands of vaccines intended for Somali women and 
children; nutritional supplements intended for the most 
vulnerable women and children were also looted by al-Shabaab. 
 
--  The United States is committed to addressing the 
humanitarian situation, and remains the largest bilateral 
donor of humanitarian assistance to Somalia, having provided 
nearly $149 million in food and non-food emergency assistance 
 
STATE 00078768  002 OF 002 
 
 
since the start of our current fiscal year.  We urge the 
international community to contribute to the Consolidated 
Appeal for Somalia.  Contributions as of June 30 cover only 
44 percent of the US$ 984 million requested. 
 
--  In spite of these challenges, the United States is 
encouraged by President Sheikh Sharif Sheik Ahmed,s 
continuing efforts to reach out to opposition groups that 
wish to join the national reconciliation process, and we 
welcome the TFG,s Declaration of Cooperation with the Ahlu 
Sunnah Wal Jama,a.  We also welcome the TFG,s 
institution-building efforts, as well as steps taken to hold 
Parliamentary and Cabinet sessions despite increasing attacks 
in Mogadishu. 
 
--  We remain deeply concerned by reports from the UNSC 
Somalia Sanctions Committee s Monitoring Group that Eritrea 
has provided funding, weapons, and training to armed 
insurgent groups operating in Somalia. 
 
--  The United States has repeatedly expressed a  willingness 
to engage the Eritrean government, should Eritrea cease its 
destabilizing activities in the Horn of Africa. We point out, 
however, that this opportunity for dialogue is not open-ended. 
 
--  On piracy, we regret reports by the International 
Maritime Bureau that the rate of piracy incidents more than 
doubled in the first six months of 2009 compared to the same 
time last year.  States affected by piracy, whether the state 
of flag registry, owner of vessels , or home of crew, should 
favorably consider prosecuting suspected pirates. Piracy is 
without question a symptom of as well as a contributing 
factor to the instability and insecurity in Somalia; without 
stability in Somalia, there can be no durable resolution of 
the piracy problem.  We welcome efforts by naval coalitions 
to enhance the safety of shipping routes in the Gulf of Aden, 
which have contributed to a decrease in the rate of 
successful hijackings. 
 
--  Paying ransom perpetuates acts of piracy.  The United 
States does not offer concessions to hostage-takers, whether 
they are driven by political or financial motives.  We 
encourage other states to take a similar position.  We remain 
interested in forming a group of so called, &no concession8 
states to work together to slow the rise of piracy off the 
Somali coast. 
 
--  We call on all Somali stakeholders to abide by the 
provisions of the Djibouti Agreement that led to the creation 
of the TFG and support its implementation.  The people of 
Somalia have suffered for too long. 
 
End Points. 
CLINTON