LIBERIA COMMITTEE CHAIR'S TRIP AND FUTURE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000833

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2011
TAGS: ETTC UNSC PREL PGOV LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA COMMITTEE CHAIR'S TRIP AND FUTURE OF
SANCTIONS

Classified By: Classified by Ambassador John R. Bolton,
Permanent Representative, for Reasons 1.4 (B and D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Following her recent visit to Monrovia, the
Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN and Chairman of
the Liberia Sanctions Committee Ellen Loj concluded the
Security Council should send a positive signal to the new
Liberian government during the Council's scheduled June
review of sanctions. The Danish Mission to the UN reported
that President Johnson-Sirleaf seemed resigned to a
continuation of the diamond ban, but is working hard to meet
the criteria to lift the timber ban by June. According to
the Danish Mission, President Johnson-Sirleaf told Loj that
she had no intention of requesting the de-listing of Edwin
Snowe, Jewel Howard Taylor, or other notables on the
sanctions list. But President Johnson-Sirleaf emphasized the
need for more background on the listing justifications in
order to strengthen her defense of the sanctions. Concerning
the arms embargo, Chairman Loj prefers to wait until June to
create an exemption for the Liberian Special Security Service
(SSS),rather than to seek to pass a separate resolution now.
Action request in para 7. END SUMMARY.

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THE NEED FOR A POSITIVE SIGNAL
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2. (C) A Danish Mission official met with USUN on April 18 to
provide a readout of the April 6-9 visit to Monrovia by
Liberia Committee Chairman and Danish PermRep Ellen Margrethe
Loj. Chairman Loj was impressed with the professionalism and
motivation of the new Liberian government, especially
President Johnson-Sirleaf and Finance Minister Sayeh. The
Danish Mission remarked that President Johnson-Sirleaf is
using the timber and diamond criteria in the Security Council
resolutions as benchmarks to help push forward reforms.
Chairman Loj congratulated the Liberians on the progress made
thus far and pressed them to continue needed reforms. The
Danish Mission believes it will be important for the Security
Council to send a positive signal to Liberia during the
scheduled June review of sanctions. Such a signal would
reward President Johnson-Sirleaf for the courageous steps
already taken and would encourage her to continue to take the
tough decisions needed to bring accountability and
transparency to Liberia.


3. (C) According to the Danish Mission, President
Johnson-Sirleaf seemed resigned to a continuation of the
diamond ban after June, but was working hard to meet the
criteria to lift the timber ban. The Danish Mission had
several ideas for Security Council action in June. If the
Liberians met the criteria for either timber or diamonds, the
Council could lift the sanctions. If not, the Council could
suspend the sanctions for a test period, or could extend the
sanctions for only a short time. The Danes judge that any of
these options would send a positive signal to Liberia without
compromising the criteria.

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ASSET FREEZE AND TRAVEL BAN
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4. (C) According to the Danish Mission, President
Johnson-Sirleaf told Loj that she had no intention of
requesting the de-listing of notables on the sanctions list.
Although the continuation of sanctions against individuals
like Edwin Snowe and Jewel Howard Taylor created political
"complexities" for the new Liberian government, the Danish
Mission reported that President Johnson-Sirleaf understood
the necessity to keep them on the sanctions list.
Nevertheless, President Johnson-Sirleaf asked Chairman Loj to
provide her with more information on the listing
justifications in order to bolster the new Liberian
government's defense of the sanctions.

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THE ARMS EMBARGO
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5. (C) USUN explained the need to provide weapons to the
Liberian Special Security Service (SSS),which Diplomatic
Security (DS) is training to provide close protection for
President Johnson-Sirleaf. Current resolutions imposing an
arms embargo do not provide any suitable exemption to enable
the SSS to procure weapons. The Danish Mission understood
the concern and Chairman Loj had discussed the matter during
her visit to Monrovia. Denmark prefers to address the issue
when the Security Council reviews the sanctions in June
(action is required by June 21). If DS prefers to conclude
training the SSS by the beginning of June, thereby

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necessitating a Council exemption earlier, the Danish Chair
suggested moving the Council's consideration of a new
resolution to early June.


6. (C) The Danish told USUN they are reluctant to table a
resolution to amend the arms embargo in April because they
fear the resulting negotiations would open up a wider debate
on sanctions, to include timber and diamonds, issues that
President Johnson-Sirleaf prefers to address in June
following her internal efforts. In addition, the Liberia
Committee's Panel of Experts (PoE) is currently researching
and writing its next report, due to be completed in May,
which will include a section on the arms embargo. Finally,
SRSG Doss told Chairman Loj that he doubted if the Liberian
government could adequately secure and monitor new arms if
the embargo were even partially lifted now.

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ACTION REQUEST
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7. (C) USUN requests Department guidance on how to proceed.
BOLTON