DISBURSING PLEDGES FOR THE UN PROTECTION FORCE IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 001445 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR PM/RSAT, EUR/RPM, AND EUR/NB E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2014 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL IZ FI SUBJECT: DISBURSING PLEDGES FOR THE UN PROTECTION FORCE IN IRAQ REF: STATE 240281 Classified By: Ambassador Earle I. Mack for Reasons 1.4(B) and (D) ¶1. (C) POL Chief delivered reftel demarche November 10 to Elina Kalkku, Director of the Finnish MFA's Security Policy Unit. Drawing on reftel talking points, he noted that deployment of a Georgian battalion to Iraq for "middle ring" security is imminent, with a Romanian unit likely to follow soon after, but that both deployments are contingent upon the salary support promised by Finland and other EU states. POL Chief said that the UN Comptroller and Legal Advisor apparently are opposed to establishing a UN trust fund to disburse these funds, and urged that the GoF consider disbursing the funds bilaterally, or via a multilateral account set up by the EC or a donor country. ¶2. (C) Kalkku said that according to her understanding, the possibility of a UN trust fund was still a live issue. The Finnish mission to the United Nations has reported that the Asia division of the Secretariat strongly supports the creation of such a fund, and therefore a split-recommendation memo was likely to go forward to the UNSYG for his decision. ¶3. (C) Kalkku -- stressing that this was a preliminary reaction -- said that if the SYG decided against a UN trust fund, the Finns probably could not disburse the money bilaterally in the current calendar year, because it has been obligated under the GoF budget chapter for multilateral assistance. In calendar year 2005, it might be possible to reprogram the money to a bilateral chapter -- but the Finns would much prefer a multilateral fund, rather than having to set up and operate a fund on a national basis. POL Chief recommended that the GoF make clear in New York their preference for a UN trust fund. ¶4. (C) Kalkku asked whether the Georgian deployment is likely to take place before the end of the year. Embassy would appreciate Department's assistance in answering this question. MACK