US embassy cable - 04ROME3666

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 003666 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR AF, EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2014 
TAGS: PREL, SO, IT, UN 
SUBJECT: SOMALIA: ITALY SEEKS U.S. PARTICIPATION IN JOINT 
MONITORING COMMITTEE FOR SOMALIA 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Tom Countryman for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) This cable includes a guidance request. Please see 
paragraph 7. 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
2. (C)  Bruno Cabras, MFA Director General for Sub-Saharan 
Africa, requested a meeting with A/DCM on September 21 to 
request U.S. participation in the protocol joint monitoring 
committee designed to support the soon to be formed Somali 
transitional government.  Cabras urged the U.S. to take on a 
leadership role in the committee and requested U.S. support 
for a prominent Italian position.  Cabras also suggested 
forming a troika composed of the U.S., the UK and Italy. 
Embassy requests guidance on how to respond to the MFA's 
solicitation for U.S. participation in the protocol joint 
monitoring committee and troika. End Summary 
 
Joint Protocol 
-------------- 
 
3. (C)  Cabras stated that the national Somali assembly is 
scheduled to select a president on October 27 and a new 
transitional government should be in place soon after. 
According to Cabras, one of the first objectives of the new 
government is to sign a protocol with the international 
community.  This protocol, which is already substantially 
drafted, is made up of three "pillars."  The first pillar 
defines the basic principles that the international community 
expects the Somali government to uphold (respect for human 
rights, rule of law, good governance, religious freedom, 
anti-terrorism etc...).  The second pillar outlines a rapid 
assistance program designed to help the country within the 
next six months and a long-term assistance plan which will be 
initiated through a donors' conference hosted by the 
Italians.  The third pillar "creates a joint monitoring 
committee to oversee the implementation of the protocol." 
According to Cabras, the protocol, and especially the joint 
monitoring committee, would guarantee the Somalis the support 
of the international community while simultaneously allowing 
the international community to keep tabs on the new Somali 
authorities. 
 
Joint Monitoring Committee and Leadership Roles 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
4. (C)  Cabras stated that the international community must 
act fast to set up the committee and decide how it will be 
composed and who will play the leading roles.  He stated that 
the committee would be similar to the overseeing bodies 
formed in the Ivory Coast (Comite de Suivi) and for the Great 
Lakes region (International Support Committee to the 
Transition - CIAT).  Under normal circumstances the UN would 
have a lead role in such a body, but Cabras doubted the UN 
would be interested in taking on this responsibility in 
Somalia.  EU partners are aware of the idea, but he said, the 
bureaucracy involved in identifying a role agreeable to all 
25 members would be too time consuming and thus impractical. 
He stressed Italy's interest in playing a prominent role and 
suggested the possibility of appointing an Italian, 
specifically Mario Raffaelli, a former MFA undersecretary and 
special envoy for the Italian government to Somalia, as 
either a special representative or EU representative.  He 
stated that, besides the Italians, the Europeans with the 
greatest interest in this matter are the British, because of 
Somaliland, and the Swedes, due to the large immigrant Somali 
population in Sweden. 
 
The U.S. Role and Possibly a Troika 
----------------------------------- 
 
5. (C)  Cabras expressed hope that the U.S. would be 
interested in participating in the joint monitoring committee 
and suggested exploring the role of co-chairman for the U.S. 
Cabras also requested U.S. support for a leading Italian 
role, specifically the assignment of Raffaelli to a prominent 
position.  Cabras stated that Italy would also like to 
explore the idea of a troika made up of Italy, the UK and the 
U.S. to take on a role.  He stated that this idea had been 
previously discussed with A/AS Charles Snyder as well as with 
the British.  Cabras was vague as to the role of such a body, 
but suggested that it could serve as the active core of the 
monitoring committee.  It would also provide a level of 
comfort to the British due to their concerns in Somaliland. 
 
Sweden's Role 
------------- 
 
6. (C) According to Cabras, the Swedish government will hold 
 
 
a preparatory meeting in Stockholm on October 29 to finalize 
details regarding the joint monitoring committee.  Cabras 
indicated that regional and international organizations would 
also be invited but that a final determination as to the 
participants was still pending.  He hoped that the U.S. would 
participate in this meeting and take on a leadership role 
along with the Italians. 
 
Embassy Guidance Request 
------------------------ 
 
7. (C)  A/DCM assured Cabras that his message would be 
conveyed to the Department.  Embassy welcomes any further 
knowledge the Department or posts may have on the above 
proposal and requests guidance on how to respond to the MFA 
regarding U.S. interest and possible participation in the 
protocol, the joint monitoring committee and the troika 
concept. 
 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2004ROME03666 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL