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Viewing cable 08STATE32527, SOMALIA- TALKING POINTS FOR MARCH 31 ARRIA STYLE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08STATE32527 2008-03-28 22:27 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Secretary of State
VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #2527 0882232
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 282227Z MAR 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS STATE 032527 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM PHSA EWWT KCRM SO XA XW
SUBJECT: SOMALIA- TALKING POINTS FOR MARCH 31 ARRIA STYLE 
MEETING ON SOMALIA 
 
1.  This is an action message.  See paragraph 2. 
 
2.  USUN is instructed to draw from the following talking 
points for the March 31 Arria style meeting on Somalia. 
 
Begin points: 
 
-- The United States would like to thank the UK Permanent 
Mission for organizing this Arria-style meeting.  We would 
also like to thank all the NGOs and UN organizations that 
have participated today for their briefings on the 
humanitarian crisis in Somalia. 
 
-- The United States is extremely concerned about this 
situation.  In February 2008, the UN Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO) Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) for 
Somalia reported that nearly 2 million people are in need 
of humanitarian assistance.  This is an increase of nearly a 
million people over the prior year.  There are an 
estimated one million internally displaced persons in Somalia 
with an additional 335,000 Somali refugees in 
neighboring countries of asylum.  Clearly the situation in 
Somalia is beyond desperate and requires critical support 
from the international community. 
 
-- For its part, the United States will continue to do all it 
can to help alleviate the suffering of the Somali 
people.  In Fiscal Year 2007 and to date in FY 2008, the 
United States Government has provided more than $143 
million for emergency food assistance; health; nutrition; 
agriculture and food security; livelihoods; coordination; 
protection; water, sanitation and hygiene programs, as well 
as peacebuilding activities; refugee and victim of conflict 
assistance; and air operations.  But this, of course, is more 
than just a figure to those receiving the support 
from groups like your's.  Here are some of the programs we 
are supporting: 
 
- In response to critical emergency health and protection 
needs due to fighting and displacement, the USG supports 
the International Committee of the Red Cross efforts to help 
shore up the struggling health care sector.  The ICRC works 
through the Sudanese Red Crescent to provide basic health 
services at 25 clinics in central and southern Somalia, 
which serve over 260,000 people. The ICRC also provides 
surgical support teams and medical equipment at the 
Keysayney and Medina hospitals in Mogadishu. 
 
- We also have provided this year $1.2 million for: critical 
nutrition programs targeting conflict and 
drought-affected populations;nutrition monitoring, reporting, 
and information-sharing for improved 
coordination of response efforts. 
 
- In response to water shortages and to combat cases of acute 
watery diarrhea, the United States Government is 
supporting Mercy Corps and UNICEF efforts to improve access 
to safe drinking water and sanitation and hygiene 
facilities countrywide. 
 
- The USG is assisting Mercy Corps to provide psycho-social 
support services and child-friendly spaces, and funding 
UNICEF's protection activities for conflict-affected 
populations. 
 
-- In Somalia the humanitarian crisis is inextricably linked 
to the political and security situation.  Innocent 
civilians are often caught in the middle of violence, 
resulting in deaths, injuries, displaced populations, and 
disruption of commerce.  The United States, therefore, agrees 
with the recommendation of the UN Strategic 
Assessment for Somalia that political, security, and 
programmatic efforts of the UN should be coordinated and 
well organized with the immediate goal to suspend the vicious 
cycle of violence, reprisals, and death that have 
characterized the past few decades in Somalia. 
 
-- The United States fully supports the efforts of the Somali 
Prime Minister Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein and of the 
Special Representative of the Secretary General Ahmedou Ould 
Abdallah to reach out to talk to members of the 
opposition.  As more members of the opposition lay down their 
arms and agree to work within a peaceful political 
process, civilian casualties will be reduced, people will 
return to their homes, commerce can 
be reestablished, children can go back to schools, and 
efforts on reconciliation and reconstruction can resume. 
 
-- The United States supports the relocation of the UN 
Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), as well as other 
essential members of the UN Country Team (UNCT) from Kenya to 
Somalia as soon as possible.  While the situation does 
not currently allow for the relocation of UNPOS personnel, 
the Department of Safety and Security (DSS) should start 
the planning for the relocation of UNPOS to Somalia.  The 
return of UNPOS and UNCT elements to Somalia will have a 
positive impact on the humanitarian situation in Somalia and 
help to reduce layers of bureaucracy that are impeding 
quick decision making and knowledge of on the ground 
activities. 
 
-- The deployment of a UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia 
would also help the humanitarian situation in 
Somalia.  The UN has produced four scenarios for greater UN 
involvement in Somalia's security. However, only one 
scenario would call for a UN PKO.  While we understand the 
difficulties developing contingency planning for a PKO 
when security realities on the ground are so unstable and 
unpredictable, it is not realistic for the UN to wait for 
the "ideal" security conditions or until all or even a vast 
majority of the parties have agreed to a political 
power-sharing agreement to plan for a UN PKO.  The people of 
Somalia can not wait any longer for the UN to take a 
leadership role in the security of Somalia. 
 
-- The United States will continue to call on the 
international community to do all it can to bolster 
AMISOM.  For our part, we are providing over half of the 
funding for the operation.  We commend the brave Ugandan 
and Burundian forces for their professional and dedicated 
efforts to bring peace and stability to Somalia.  We call 
on all AU countries that have pledged forces to deploy as 
soon as possible.  Additional support is necessary to 
maintain and expand the existing force in Mogadishu.  We call 
on the international community to fund AMISOM fully 
so that the AU can expedite the deployment of additional 
forces and properly address the stability mission in 
Somalia. 
RICE