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DE RUCNDT #0679/01 1941051
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131051Z JUL 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6905
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000679 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF, IO, PM, USUN/W 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM MARR MOPS KPKO UNSC SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: UNSC ADOPTS STATEMENT SUPPORTING TFG, 
LEAVES DOOR OPEN ON SANCTIONS 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: On July 9, Security Council members 
adopted a UK-drafted Presidential Statement (PRST) that 
largely tracks a recent African Union communiqu condemning 
recent 
attacks on the Somali Transitional Federal Government 
(TFG) and expressing concern about Eritrea's support for 
extremists in Somalia.  The PRST expresses a Security Council 
intent to "consider expeditiously" action against parties 
working to undermine the peace process in Somalia and 
reiterates support for the Djibouti Peace Process.  Under 
Secretary General (U/SYG) for Political Affairs Pascoe 
called for heightened international community support for 
the TFG and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). 
Under Secretary General (U/SYG) for Field Support Malcorra 
reported on UN progress in providing logistical support 
for AMISOM in spite of the escalation in hostilities, and 
called for a longer-term approach to funding the AU 
mission.  Calling the security situation "very critical," 
Somali PermRep Duale pleaded for additional support for 
both the TFG government and AMISOM.  African Union 
Permanent Observer Ambassador Ratsifandrihamanana read 
excerpts of the AU communiqu calling for sanctions against 
foreign actors providing support to the insurgents and 
asked the Security Council to take action accordingly. 
Ambassador Rice condemned recent military offensives 
against the TFG and called on Eritrea to halt support of 
extremism in Somalia.  Several members of the Council, 
including the UK, Mexico, France, Burkino Faso, Uganda and 
Croatia agreed that the SC should stand ready to take 
further action against individuals or entities carrying out 
attacks.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a July 9 Security Council debate on Somalia, 
U/SYG for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe urged immediate 
action by the international community to, "ensure that the 
TFG does not collapse," in the face of intensifying 
pressure from insurgents backed by foreign fighters who are 
seeking to seize power. He scolded the international 
community for not fulfilling financial pledges made at 
April's Brussels Donors Meeting for Somalia.  He said 
AMISOM needs to reach its full authorized strength of 8,000 
to ensure the TFG's "immediate physical survival." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Pascoe stated that the conflict has resulted in 
1.3 million displaced persons, including 200,000 more since 
the beginning of the recent spate of violence on May 7, 
¶2009.  He called for donors to rapidly fund the UN 
Consolidated Appeal, which has received only 44 percent of 
the US$984 million requested, leaving critical shortfalls in 
health, water, sanitation and security needs. Pascoe 
praised the TFG for its efforts to reach out to opposition 
forces and broaden support including by recently signing an 
agreement with a major religious group in central Somalia. 
He noted President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's pronouncements 
urging Somalis to reject violence and highlighted the TFG's 
transparent and accountable financial management measures, 
which include the creation of a budget to ensure government 
salaries are paid. 
 
¶4. (SBU) U/SYG for Field Support Susana Malcorra briefed 
the Council on the systematic progress being made by her 
department to support AMISOM, in spite of the recent surge 
in violence.  She described the support package's three 
financial prongs -- the UN trust fund, bilateral support, 
and the UN logistical support package - and called on 
Member States and international organizations to redouble 
their efforts to deliver on financial pledges.  Malcorra 
said that the current short-term approach to funding AMISOM 
limits the Mission, and she called for a long-term plan to 
enable AMISOM to fully meet its mandate.  Malcorra said that 
the deployment of international staff in Somalia will be 
instrumental in the delivery of the required level of 
support, but noted that this will be dependent upon the 
security condition.  Malcorra also stated that a draft MOU 
between the UN and the AU regarding support to AMISOM had 
been approved by the UN controller and forwarded to the AU. 
The MOU, she said, would set up a system of informal 
contracts that would enable an accelerated rollout of the 
UN's logistics support package to AMISOM.  She praised 
Kenya for making available port facilities in Mombasa for 
the staging of AMISOM materials. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Somali Ambassador Almi Duale told the Council that 
in spite of the progress made by the TFG, Somalia has 
become, "a safe haven for militants and terrorists who 
continue to obstruct peace efforts and pose a threat," to 
both Somalia and the region.  Duale described the security 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000679  002 OF 003 
 
 
situation as critical, with the aggression of foreign 
fighters and insurgents linked to Al-Qaeda displacing 
hundreds of thousands of civilians from Mogadishu.  Duale 
pointed to his government's recent successes, including 
outreach to opposition and progress on a budget and 
institution building.  He said President Sharif had asked 
the AU to bring AMISOM to its mandated strength of 8,000 
troops in order to accelerate the training of Somali national 
forces.  He ended by requesting that AMISOM become part of 
a UN peacekeeping Mission. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The UK formally introduced a Presidential Statement 
condemning the recent attacks on the Somali Transitional 
Federal Government (TFG), calling for greater international 
support to AMISOM and reiterating support for the Djibouti 
Peace Process, while promising that the Council will 
"consider expeditiously" actions against parties 
undermining the Djibouti Peace Process. On piracy, the UK 
welcomed the work of the International Contact Group, and 
noted its operational contribution to the EU naval mission. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Ambassador Rice condemned the recent military 
offensives against the TFG, noted the influx of foreign 
fighters, and called on the Government of Eritrea to cease 
support of extremists and open a dialogue.  She lauded 
AMISOM's role in stabilizing the security situation in 
Somalia while urging AU states to consider contributing 
peacekeepers and UN member states to extend financial 
support.  She asked the international community to redouble 
its aid efforts to avoid a wider catastrophe, including by 
working to alleviate terrible overcrowding in refugee camps 
in Kenya.  On piracy, she noted the impressive 
international response, underscoring that states victimized 
by piracy should prosecute suspected pirates and refuse to 
offer concessions. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Libya said lack of UN funding for AMISOM and 
international community hesitation to support the TFG had 
encouraged the opposition.  Libya called for the 
transformation of AMISOM into a UN peacekeeping mission as 
soon as possible, and urged international maritime forces 
to combat illegal fishing operations off of Somalia's 
coast.  Speaking in its capacity as Chair of the Somalia 
sanctions committee, Mexico pointed to increasing 
instability in Somalia and said that the Council should 
discuss the African Union's request for a no-fly zone and 
naval blockade, as well as sanctions against involved 
individuals and entities through the UNSCR 1844 process 
and against Eritrea more directly. Turkey offered support 
for the Contact Group and said that implementation of the 
arms embargo on Somalia and the prevention of foreign 
fighters from entering the country were urgent priorities. 
 
¶9.  Russia agreed that the situation in Somalia continued 
to be unstable and said that only comprehensive and 
inclusive action by TFG would succeed.  On piracy, Russia 
encouraged the international community to step up its naval 
escorts, make efforts to destroy the pirates' financing 
mechanisms and bring perpetrators to justice.  China said 
that stabilizing the security situation in Somalia was the 
top priority, asked the UN to boost support for the TFG and 
AMISOM, and exhorted all Horn of Africa countries to use 
their influence to advance the peace process.  China noted 
its logistical support to AMISOM and announced an 
additional $400,000 contribution.  France noted reports 
that foreign fighters, along with Eritrea, are supplying 
the insurgents, and urged the international community to 
continue to provide technical and material assistance to 
the TFG and AMISOM.  France emphasized that, "the culture 
of impunity in Somalia( is a major impediment to peace," 
and stated that French forces have arrested more than 200 
pirates to date.  Austria echoed France's concern about the 
security situation and condemned attacks against 
humanitarian aid workers.  Costa Rica noted its support of 
the Secretary-General's political strategy and welcomed the 
announcement that there would be a UN presence in Mogadishu 
in the near future.  Costa Rica also called on all parties 
to respect international humanitarian law and reiterated 
its support of the Secretary General's political strategy 
for Somalia. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Japan expressed concern about the influx of 
foreign fighters in Somalia and called for urgent action to 
support the Somali government and AMISOM.  Japan said it 
plans to disburse US$ 9 million to the Trust Fund in 
support of AMISOM and said that the force must reach its 
mandated strength of 8,000.  Japan has also sent two 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000679  003 OF 003 
 
 
destroyers and two maritime patrol aircraft to the Gulf of 
Aden as part of broader anti-piracy efforts.  Croatia said 
that it is critical that all stakeholders enter the Djibouti 
peace process and urged parties to respect international 
humanitarian law.  Expressing alarm at the reported 
interference of Eritrea in Somalia, Croatia said that it 
looked forward to the Sanctions Monitoring Group report. 
Burkino Faso called on all countries in the region to 
comply fully with the arms embargo and noted the African 
Union's recent decision calling on the United Nations to 
impose sanctions on individuals and entities opposing the 
Djibouti Agreement.  Burkino Faso said that it supports the 
African Union decision and hopes that the sanctions 
committee will shortly draw up a list of individuals who 
oppose peace in Somalia.  Burkino Faso also called for 
deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission to Somalis. 
Vietnam noted the ongoing violence of Al-Shabaab against 
the TFG and urged member states to fulfill their pledges to 
rebuild Somalia's security forces.  Vietnam welcomed 
pledges of Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria and other AU 
countries that have agreed to contribute troops to 
AMISOM.  Uganda condemned the attacks on the TFG, urged 
support of the Djibouti peace process, and called on the UN 
to continue making the necessary preparations to eventually 
"rehat" AMISOM troops as a UN peacekeeping mission. 
Sweden, on behalf of the European Union, called for an 
immediate cessation of hostilities and asked all parties to 
respect international humanitarian law.  Sweden took note 
of the AU's declaration from Sirte, and called on all 
States to respect the UN arms embargo.  Finally, Sweden 
underscored that the Djibouti process, "remains the best 
hope for peace," and stressed the urgent need for the 
international community to follow up on pledges. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Lila Ratsifandrihamanana, Permanent Observer to 
the African Union Mission, stated that in spite of 
increased attacks, the Djibouti Peace Process had been 
maintained.  She stressed that AMISOM lacked air and 
maritime components, as well as four additional battalions, 
and called on Sierra Leone and Malawi to rapidly deploy 
additional troops.  She read excerpts from the African 
Unions "decision" issued from the Summit in Sirte, 
including a passage asking the Security Council to sanction 
foreign actors providing support to insurgents.  She also 
recalled the AU's request that the SC establish a no-fly 
zone and a blockade of Somalia's sea ports to prevent the 
entry of foreign elements.  Finally, Ratsifandrihamanana 
renewed the AU's request for the UN to reformulate AMISOM 
as a UN peacekeeping mission. 
 
¶12. (U) The Council adopted the UK-drafted PRST as 
S/PRST/2009/19 at the conclusion of the session. 
 
RICE