UN/IRAQ: APRIL 13 U.S.-UK-UN TRILATERAL MEETING ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000796

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2007
TAGS: PREL UNSC PGOV IZ KU JA
SUBJECT: UN/IRAQ: APRIL 13 U.S.-UK-UN TRILATERAL MEETING ON
UNAMI STAFF AND SECURITY

REF: : A) USUN 576 B) USUN 602 C) BASRA 50

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor William J. Brencick,
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Begin Summary. During the April 13 UN-U.S.-UK
trilateral meeting on UNAMI staff and security, UN
Secretariat staff gave an update on UNAMI staff and security

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concerns, especially in southeast Iraq. They reported
requests to the Brazilian and Turkish Missions for a
dedicated aircraft for UNAMI and continued, fruitful
discussions about some aviation support with the Japanese.
Kuwait has ratified the Status of Mission of Agreement (SOMA)
for the UN, and U/SYG Guehenno will brief the UNSC on the
February assessment mission to the Iraq-Kuwait border. End
Summary.

UN Staff and Security
--------------


2. (U) Staff Numbers: Department of Political Affairs (DPA)
Iraq deskoff Darko Mocibob provided updated numbers of UN
international staff in Iraq: in Baghdad, there are 80
civilian staff, 133 in the Guard Unit, and 21 personal
security detail (PSD) guards; there are 12 in Basra and 4 in
Erbil. The current total of UN staff - civilian and military
- in Iraq is 250.


3. (C) Mocibob and Vince Kennedy from the Department of
Safety and Security (DSS) expressed concern about the
increased number of recent security incidents, which they
said were 3-4 times more frequent this week than each of the
last few weeks, and especially about security in southeast
Iraq. They queried whether there was a particular trigger
for the UK staff drawdown. (ref C).

Dedicated Aircraft
--------------


4. (U) The UN delivered a note verbale to the Brazilian and
Turkish Missions requesting a dedicated aircraft for UNAMI.
Michael Williams, the Director of the Asia and Pacific
Division (APD) of DPA followed this up in a meeting with the
Turkish MF Iraq Coordinator Celikkol on the latter's recent
visit to New York, and the Turkish Mission has subsequently
sought additional technical details.


5. (C) Mocibob said a joint MFA-MOD team had come from Tokyo
to discuss providing a UNAMI flight once a week to travel
Kuwait-Baghdad-Erbil-Kuwait, but the Japanese have said they
will take a final decision in the context of their broader
decisions about presence and capacity in Iraq. Apparently
the Japanese asked Mocibob whether this additional flight
would be sufficient for SYG Annan to expand the UN presence
in Erbil. Mocibob said he could not be certain, but it would
certainly help. According to Mocibob, the Japanese said they
will need the MNF-I command to approve the Japanese
commitment of its aircraft to UNAMI, and initial reactions
have been positive from the UK, but negative from the U.S.

Kuwait Issues
--------------


6. (U) Mocibob reported that after lengthy delay, the
Kuwaiti Parliament has ratified the Status of Mission
Agreement (SOMA) with the UN. UN officials in Kuwait are
crediting the February border assessment mission as the
Kuwaitis' motivation.


7. (U) DPKO's Eliza Kimball said U/SYG Guehenno would brief
the UNSC April 17 on the February assessment mission. She
said that he would anticipate a request for MNF security
assistance when he discusses preliminary plans for an October
mission to renovate the border posts. U.S./UK PolOffs
reminded Kimball and DSS that an early, formal request for
such assistance would be needed. Vince Kennedy said we
should have a request by late April.
BOLTON