UNHCR: AMBITIOUS AGENDA OUTLINED BY NEW HIGH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 001523

SIPDIS

USEU FOR MEZNAR, USUN FOR MALY, POSTS FOR REFCOORDS. ROME
FOR FODAG.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2007
TAGS: PREF UNHCR
SUBJECT: UNHCR: AMBITIOUS AGENDA OUTLINED BY NEW HIGH
COMMISSIONER

REF: A. GENEVA 1380


B. GENEVA 1454

Classified By: AMBASSADOR KEVIN E. MOLEY, 1.4 B AND D


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Moley paid a courtesy call on
Antonio Guterres June 14, the eve of Guterres' assumption of
post as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR.) On June 17, Guterres met with a larger group in an
informal session of UNHCR's Executive Committee (ExCom). In
both venues, Guterres came across as energetic, well-briefed
on UNHCR issues, and particularly concerned about recent
incidents of refoulement (Burundi, Kyrgyzstan, and possibly
the Dominican Republic.) In the meeting with Moley, Guterres
was dismissive of the short-sightedness and sclerosis of
Western European countries and their fear of immigration; he
spoke of asylum as a core strength of democracies; and he
demonstrated a willingness to engage former high-level
colleagues on UNHCR's issues. In the ExCom meeting, Guterres
focused on three choices facing the organization: improving
transparency; closing the gap between protection and
operations as well as between HQ and the field; and
clarifying UNHCR's position on internally displaced persons.
He raised refugee food needs in both meetings. Guterres is
looking forward to his late June trip to New York and
Washington. End Summary.

Rwanda/Burundi: Puzzling...
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2. (C) Guterres expressed frustration at Rwanda and Burundi's
bilateral agreement to refoul asylum seekers. He said it was
puzzling that things ended so negatively, as initial UNHCR
soundings of the two governments (reftels) had been positive.
Guterres expressed appreciation for supportive diplomatic
efforts by the U.S. and by ECHO's Louis Michel. He placed
the blame squarely on President Kagame, saying it was clear
he was angry and wanted it solved. He said those refouled
probably did not face grave harm, but he promised UNHCR's
continued protection efforts nonetheless. He concluded that
UNHCR needed to continue to work with both countries. It
would strive to maintain working relations while still
condemning what had transpired. In his June 17 remarks (and
in direct conversation with the Rwandan Ambassador
afterwards),he was straightforward in disagreeing with
Rwanda's interpretation of events but concluded by expressing
appreciation for Rwanda's and Burundi's record as refugee
hosts.

...And a Worrying Part of a Trend Against Asylum?
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3. (C) More worrying, Guterres said, would be indications
that recent events in Burundi, Kyrgyzstan and the Dominican
Republic reflected a global weakening of asylum. Guterres
acknowledged that the Kyrgyz government had said the
refoulement of four Uzbek asylum-seekers shouldn't have
happened and had reaffirmed its commitment to the 1951
convention. However, he said the situation there continued
to worry UNHCR. In the Dominican Republic, some 4,000
Haitians had been returned in recent days. While Guterres
acknowledged most of the Haitians probably were not refugees,
he regretted that UNHCR had not been able to establish
whether there were unaddressed protection concerns.
Discussing democratic values, he asserted that states'
security agendas and need to manage border controls were best
balanced by strong support for well-administered asylum
systems. He added that refugees and asylum seekers in most
cases were fleeing non-democratic systems and that UNHCR's
work with refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)
sometimes made a difference in countries struggling to become
democracies. He described as short-sighted many "sclerotic"
European countries' refusal to recognize the value of asylum
and migration. He asked the U.S. to play a role in
mobilizing consciousness and reaffirming the importance of
asylum.

Upcoming Travel to Uganda, U.S., and Libya
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4. (C) Guterres confirmed his plan to travel to Uganda for
World Refugee Day (June 20.) He will spend a day and night
with UNHCR staff in the field, to better understand their
working challenges. He has decided against a rumored trip to
Addis Ababa, but will attend an African Union (AU) Summit in
Tripoli in early July -- primarily to seize the opportunity
to meet with a range of African leaders. Sandwiched between
these two Africa trips will be a June 27-July 1 U.S. visit.
In New York, he will check in with the Secretary-General and
other senior UN staff; in Washington, the State Department is
his main focus.

Thoughts on UNHCR
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5. (C) Moley commented that UNHCR is looking for stability
and leadership. Guterres will find the U.S. a supportive
friend, which appreciates hearing about problems and how we
can be helpful. Guterres agreed the organization needs
stability. There currently are too many "pilots" and
"initiatives." He feels the need to address outstanding
items, such as a proposal to create an Assistant High
Commissioner for Protection, and to stay abreast of the
broader UN reform discussion, but he does not intend to
launch any new UNHCR initiatives. "The focus must be on
consolidation and implementation."


6. (C) Guterres said he wanted a transparent and accountable
organization. He mentioned ongoing donor/UNHCR consultations
about the independence of the Inspector-General (I-G) and
said he supported full independence for the I-G and donor
access to investigation findings. He said he'd told the I-G
he didn't want to give him any instructions; he just wanted
reports on results.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
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7. (C) Referring to internal debate about what role UNHCR
should play with IDPs, Guterres said the organization needed
to take a more positive attitude and show a good faith
willingness to cooperate within the UN system. However,
UNHCR would need to identify additional resources to take on
IDP responsibilities and would have to ensure UNHCR's core
mandate for refugees was not neglected. Guterres advocated a
positive approach to the need for protection.

"Devastating" Gaps in Refugee Food
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8. (C) Guterres mentioned UNHCR's close collaboration with
the World Food Program in trying to meet refugee food needs.
He described the system's current incapacity to meet those
needs as the most personally disturbing things he is
encountering in his new job. It wasn't just a question of
nutrition but was directly linked to protection and
development concerns. He said he has already discussed needs
for more food/money with the European Commission and urged
the UK to think about how refugee food needs can be included
in the various G-8 and EU Presidency initiatives. He
committed to raise the issue in his other introductory
meetings (as he did prominently June 17.) Moley and Refugee
Counselor welcomed Guterres' early focus on this issue -- one
the U.S. has been raising for many months.


9. (C) Guterres focused on these same three issues --
internal management, IDPs and food -- in his June 17 remarks
to the ExCom. A copy of his remarks has been faxed to
PRM/MCE.
Moley