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Viewing cable 07CAIRO946, SOMALIA: ARAB LEAGUE MEETING CALLS FOR MORE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07CAIRO946 2007-04-02 15:03 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Cairo
VZCZCXRO1931
PP RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHEG #0946 0921503
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021503Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4418
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS CAIRO 000946 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS EG ARABL SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: ARAB LEAGUE MEETING CALLS FOR MORE 
INCLUSIVE POLITICAL PROCESS AND TRANSITION FROM AFRICAN 
UNION TO UNITED NATIONS PEACE-KEEPERS 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please handle accordingly. 
 
1.  (SBU) Arab heads of state met in Riyadh on March 28-29 at 
an annual Arab League summit, where they addressed the 
Arab-Israeli conflict, Darfur, and Somalia, among other 
topics.  On Somalia, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al 
Faisal convened on March 28 an informal meeting that included 
the UN Secretary General, the Arab League Secretary General, 
AU Peace and Security Commission Chair, the EU High 
Commissioner for the Middle East, and the Organization of 
Islamic Conferences Secretary General.  They issued a 
statement on Somalia (text below) which focused on deployment 
of UN peace-keepers in lieu of the current African Union 
operation (AMISOM), as well as on the political 
reconciliation process. 
 
2.  (SBU) During an April 2 debrief on the Riyadh Summit to 
Cairo-based diplomats, Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham 
Youssef said that the March 28 Somalia statement sent a clear 
Arab and international message to the Transitional Federal 
Government (TFG) that the Somali political process must be 
more inclusive to succeed.  The Arab League, he said, 
believes political talks set to begin on April 16 in 
Mogadishu will fail if not made more inclusive.  He also said 
Saudi Arabia is considering hosting a gathering of Somali 
political parties in Jeddah in the near future to resume the 
political process established by the Arab League prior to 
Ethiopia's invasion. 
 
3.  (U) Text of Statement on Somalia, issued at Arab League 
Summit: 
 
Begin text (in English): 
 
Title:  "Informal Meeting on Somalia on the Margins of the 
Arab Summit, Riyadh, March 27, 2007" 
 
His Royal Highness Prince Saud Al-Faysal convened an informal 
meeting that included UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, 
Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) Secretary-General 
Ekmelledin Ihsanoglu, African Union Chairperson Alpha Omar 
Konare, Arab League Secretary-General Amre Moussa, EU High 
Representative for Middle East Affairs Javier Solana, and 
Kenyan FM Raphael Tuju to discuss a coordinated way forward 
on Somalia.  Following a thorough discussion of the issues 
involved, the group came to the following consensus: 
 
The situation in Somalia is becoming increasingly urgent. 
While resolution is first and foremost the responsibility of 
the Somalis themselves, the international community must pay 
close attention at taking early action to assist; 
 
The rapid expansion of AMISOM is essential to provide 
security for the process and allow an early withdrawal of the 
Ethiopian troops.  It is critical to ensure there is no gap 
between the departure of Ethiopian forces and the deployment 
of AMISOM forces; 
 
National reconciliation is key to resolving the crisis and it 
must be inclusive to succeed.  A National Reconciliation 
Conference must be well-prepared and include all relevant 
groups; 
 
Adequate security, conference preparations, and inclusive 
representation are required to achieve progress in the 
process of reconciliation.  The effort that will start on 16 
April and should be the beginning of a process to achieve 
these objectives. 
 
The April 3 Cairo meeting of the Contact Group, plus OIC, can 
start discussion on these issues.  It should develop a 
strategy for promoting an inclusive reconciliation process, 
with a clear timetable to move the process forward quickly. 
 
The progress in Somalia should allow for early action by the 
United Nations Security Council to establish a peacekeeping 
force to replace AMISOM.  Such a mandate would have to be 
carefully written to avoid past mis-steps in Somalia.  Work 
needs to start on training a national security force to bear 
part of the security load. 
 
A solution to the Somalia crisis will take a sustained effort 
by the Somalis and the international community.  Members of 
the group will provide and urge the international community 
to provide sufficient funds if agreement can be reached. 
RICCIARDONE