GOP CONCERNED BY POSSIBLE UN MANDATE REVIEW OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 011431 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2016 TAGS: PK PREL UNSC KPKO KUNR SUBJECT: GOP CONCERNED BY POSSIBLE UN MANDATE REVIEW OF UNMOGIP Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) This cable has an action request; please see paragraph 5. ¶2. (C) On June 16, MFA Additional Secretary (UN & Policy Planning) Tariq Osman Haider convened Ambassador to express the Government of Pakistan's (GOP) concern that the U.S. had included the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) as an example of mandates that meet the criteria of the Ad Hoc Committee on Mandate Review for Phase I review. Haider cited a June 7 paper that circulated by Ad Hoc Committee co-chairs (U.S. and Slovakia) proposing0 five criteria for determining which mandates should be selected for Phase I review. Haider said that the GOP was very surprised that the U.S. had included UNMOGIP as an example of a mandate meeting the paper's proposed criteria, given UNMOGIP's political sensitivity and peace-and-security mission. Emphasizing the importance that Pakistan places on UNMOGIP, he predicted that any hint that the mission's mandate might be reviewed would prompted a negative reaction in the region and could adversely affect the Indo-Pak peace process. Reminding Ambassador that the GOP has specifically underlined UNMOGIP's importance to senior USG officials during the April 2005 Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C., Haider asked directly whether the mission's inclusion in the co-chair's paper was intended as a signal from the U.S. Why, he queried, chose UNMOGIP over hundreds of other mandates for Phase I review? ¶3. (C) Noting that he was not/not aware of the either the co-chair's paper or any reference in it to UNMOGIP, Ambassador opined that there appeared nothing untoward in the suggestion that UNMOGIP might qualify for Phase I mandate review under the criteria proposed in the paper. As the UNSC and its Ad Hoc Committee intend for the mandate review to be all-inclusive, there is nothing sinister about selecting UNMOGIP or any other mandate that meet the criteria for review. UNSC review does not have a pre-determined outcome: some mandates may receive ringing endorsements from the Council, while Council members may determine that others ought not be renewed because of duplication, inefficiency, etc. Assuring Haider that the U.S. is fully aware of both the political sensitivity of UNMOGIP and the significance it has for the region, Ambassador said that he would ensure that both Department officials in Washington and at USUN were apprised of Pakistan's concerns. ¶4. (C) Note: Quickly responding to post's request, IO and USUN have forwarded the co-chair's paper and background material regarding UNMOGIP's inclusion as an example of a mandate fitting the Phase I review criteria. Post understands from these materials that the political sensitivity of UNMOGIP will exclude the mission from full Phase I mandate review, although the Council will likely request a technical briefing on UNMOGIP administration and operations. End note. ¶5. (C) Comment and Action Request: The prospect of a mandate review is a particularly neuralgic issue for the GOP; any suggestion that the UNSC might be seriously considering any change to the UNMOGIP mandate would prompt strong public reaction here. Post requests Department provide talking points soonest responding to the MFA's concerns and reassuring the GOP that any review of UNMOGIP will be limited to a technical briefing to the UNSC. CROCKER