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UNCLAS STATE 085758 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
ADDIS ABABA FOR AU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT MARR PGOV PHSA PHUM PREL SO
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST:  MOVING BEYOND MEMBERSHIP IN THE 
CONTACT GROUP FOR PIRACY OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA 
 
REF: STATE 66632 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  See paragraph 6. 
 
----------------- 
OBJECTIVE 
----------------- 
 
¶2.  Post,s objective is to inform participants in the 
Contact Group for Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) of 
USG views and intentions articulated in paragraph 6 with 
regard to expanding participation in the CGPCS. 
 
------------------ 
REPORTING 
------------------ 
 
¶3.   Posts are requested to report only unfavorable reactions 
by host governments, and should address questions related to 
the intent or scope of this formulation, to PM/PPA Donna 
Hopkins (hopkinsdl@state.sgov.gov and David 
Foran(forandm@state.sgov.gov ).  The USG position articulated 
in this demarche is informed by posts, responses to reftel, 
which sought other CGPCS participant nations, views on 
expanding participation in the CGPCS. 
 
---------------------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------------------- 
 
¶4.   In New York City on January 14, 2009, representatives of 
28 countries and six international organizations agreed to 
form the Contact Group for Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. 
The inaugural communiqu stated that "The CGPCS offers 
participation to any nation or international organization 
making a tangible contribution to the counter-piracy effort, 
or any country significantly affected by piracy off the coast 
of Somalia."  No process or mechanism was agreed upon by 
which aspirant countries might seek to participate in CGPCS 
plenary and working group meetings.  The lack of an agreed 
accession process has forestalled the subsequent inclusion of 
several other countries that clearly meet the criteria for 
participation.  In addition, developments subsequent to the 
January 14 plenary have clearly shown that tangible 
contributions are not limited to the provision of military 
forces to the counter-piracy effort, and the May 29 plenary 
communique explicitly acknowledged that "the CGPCS is a group 
of countries and organizations with a common interest in 
eliminating the scourge of piracy from the Gulf of Aden and 
Somali Basin.  Different countries will choose to contribute 
to efforts to eliminate piracy in different ways.  Some might 
be able to contribute naval assets to patrol in the region; 
others might prosecute suspected pirates in their national 
courts, while still others might choose to contribute to the 
anti-piracy international trust fund or assist with capacity 
building efforts in the region.  Since all countries bear the 
burden of piracy, the Contact Group encourages all countries 
to participate through material contributions in any way that 
they can." 
¶5.  The United States believes that participation by any 
country or international organization desiring to participate 
and able to contribute in any tangible way to the 
international effort to combat piracy is a net gain for our 
collective efforts, and that the CGPCS deliberations should 
not be impeded by unrelated political issues.  Unfortunately, 
Turkey objected to membership for the Republic of Cyprus, and 
Greece objected to the admission of any new member unless 
Cyprus were allowed to participate.  USG discussions with the 
governments of Turkey and Greece indicate that the most 
efficacious solution to this impasse is to open participation 
in the Contact Group to any UN member nation. 
--------------------- 
USG POSITION 
---------------------- 
 
¶6.   Posts are requested to deliver the following message to 
host governments. 
 
The United States explicitly desires to move from the concept 
of "membership" in the CGPCS to one of "participation." 
Therefore, the United States wishes to make known our intent 
to open all CGPCS fora chaired by the United States to any UN 
member state wishing to participate, with an important 
caveat.  It would be inappropriate to engage in CGPCS fora 
with any nation subject to country-specific measures imposed 
by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 
maritime-related misconduct (smuggling, trafficking, piracy 
or related crimes) or subject to UNSC resolutions authorizing 
inspection of maritime cargo related to proliferation 
activities or other criminal activity.   Iran, North Korea, 
and Somalia are currently subject to such sanctions; however, 
the United States will continue to encourage the 
participation of Somalia, which is both the primary source 
and a major victim of piracy in the region, and whose 
inclusion in the CGPCS is critical to the efforts of the 
CGPCS to combat piracy in the region.  While the United 
States recognizes that other chairs may not agree with this 
approach, we will continue to advocate to other chairs for 
participation by any country that meets the above criteria. 
We anticipate that Japan, which will chair the fourth CGPCS 
plenary in New York City on September 10, will apply the same 
criteria. 
CLINTON