US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA825

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000825 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2015 
TAGS: PREL, SO, CA, FAC 
SUBJECT: CANADA: RESPONSE TO SOMALIA - IGAD DEPLOYMENT PLAN 
DEMARCHE 
 
REF: STATE 047850 
 
Classified By: POL M/C Brian Flora, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche concerning the 
possible deployment of troops by the Intergovernmental 
Authority on Development (IGAD) in Somalia to Jamieson 
Weetman, Somalia desk officer at Foreign Affairs Canada 
(FAC), on March 17.  Weetman thanked us for the points, and 
indicated that FAC generally shared our concerns about the 
IGAD deployment.  In particular, he cited FAC's concerns 
about the presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia as part of 
the IGAD deployment. 
 
2.  (C) Continuing, Weetman referenced the March 3 public 
statement on Somalia made by A/S Richard Boucher, which 
Weetman said was consistent with FAC's position on the need 
for restoration of governance in Somalia.  However, he said 
that Somalia was not a high priority for Canada at this time, 
and FAC would not be making any public statements on the IGAD 
deployment issue. 
 
3.  (C) Weetman indicated that he would pass the demarche to 
FAC's Somalia watcher at their embassy in Nairobi, and would 
advise us if FAC had any more information to report. 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
DICKSON