Global Policy Forum

The U.N. Security Council condemned the "significant increase" in the flow of weapons to and through Somalia in violation of a 1992 arms embargo and voted unanimously to keep monitoring weapons trafficking in the poor and lawless Horn of Africa nation.

The council's quick approval of a new monitoring group Wednesday came as the United States consulted council members on another resolution that would lift the arms embargo for a regional force to help promote dialogue between the weak U.N.-backed transitional government and the Islamic group that controls much of southern Somalia. Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned on one another. A government was formed with the help of the U.N. two years ago, but has struggled to assert its authority. Islamic militants, meanwhile, have been rising up since June and now control the capital and most of the country's south.

The resolution adopted Wednesday asked Secretary-General Kofi Annan to re-establish within 30 day a monitoring group which will continue to investigate violations of the arms embargo for a six-month period. The last monitoring group — a Belgian, an American, a Kenyan and a Colombian — issued a controversial report earlier this month accusing 10 countries of providing weapons, money and training to rival sides in Somalia. Many of those named denied any involvement and complained about being on the list.

Experts and diplomats questioned some of the report's allegations. In particular, critics questioned the finding that 720 Somali mercenaries fought alongside Hezbollah in its July battle with Israel and that Iran shipped arms to Somalia's Islamic militants in return for access to uranium mines. There are fears that Somalia could become a proxy battleground for neighboring Ethiopia and Eritrea, which broke away from Ethiopia in a 1961-91 civil war and fought another 1998-2000 border war with its rival. Eritrea supports the Islamic militia, while Ethiopia backs the interim government.

A confidential U.N. report obtained recently by The Associated Press said 6,000-8,000 Ethiopian troops were in Somalia or along the border. It also said 2,000 soldiers from Eritrea were inside Somalia. Eritrea denies having any troops in Somalia, while Ethiopia insists it has sent only a few hundred advisers. Wednesday's resolution did not make any allegations of sanctions violations. It condemned "the significant increase in the flow of weapons and ammunition supplies to and through Somalia, which constitutes a violation of the arms embargo and a serious threat to peace and stability in Somalia."

The council also reiterated "its insistence that all member states, in particular those in the region, should refrain from any action in contravention of the arms embargo and should take all necessary steps to hold violators accountable." Richard Grenell, spokesman for the U.S. Mission, said the resolution the United States is working on is in response to a recommendation from the group monitoring the arms embargo supporting the deployment of a regional force. The United States supports the proposal by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a seven-nation East African group, to deploy an African force in Somalia, he said.

The force, totaling a battalion or two, would train and protect the transitional government, based in Baidoa. The goal is to establish a balance in Somalia that would convince the Islamists that a military victory is impossible, thus creating conditions for a negotiated settlement between the two, council diplomats said. "We strongly believe that a sustainable solution for Somalia should be based on credible dialogue between the transitional government and the Union of Islamic Courts," he said.

To ensure that the force's aim is promoting peace, diplomats said the European Union has proposed amendments that would bar any of Somalia's neighbors from participating in the force. That would prohibit participation by troops from Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya — but not Uganda which is the only country thus far to volunteer troops. The Europeans also want the force to be authorized for a limited period of time, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the U.S. draft has not been finalized. "We're going to remain engaged to prevent any escalation of tensions in Somalia which could lead to a wider regional conflict, and the deployment of this regional force is a step to ensure this doesn't happen," Grenell said.

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