REQUEST FOR DEMARCHE ON FURTHER UNAMI DRAWDOWN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001802 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2017 TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM KDEM IO UN IZ SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR DEMARCHE ON FURTHER UNAMI DRAWDOWN REF: A. 06 BAGHDAD 4593 ¶B. BAGHDAD 1432 ¶C. BAGHDAD 1554 Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) This is an Action Request. See paras 6 and 7. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: In late May 2007 Special Representative to the Secretary General (SRSG) Ashraf Qazi for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) announced wihin his organization the draw down of international UNAMI staff in Baghdad from 55 to 40 positions. The planned assignment of an expatriate UNHCR representative in Baghdad was also put on hold. U.S. Embassy Baghdad believes this draw down, which is in addition to the November 2006 draw down (Ref A),sends the wrong message to the Iraqi people, the Iraqi government, the non-governmental organization (NGO) community and our coalition partners in Iraq. We also believe this draw down will significantly impact UNAMI's ability to remain effectively engaged in Iraq at a critical time. Embassy requests the Department -- through a proposed demarche to be delivered by USUN -- express its strongest concerns to the highest appropriate level of the United Nations Secretariat over this further staff reduction and urge it to reverse this decision and make plans to resume full staffing. Department may also consider demarching Coalition capitals to similarly press the UN to increase UNAMI staffing. End Summary. -------------- DRAW DOWN -------------- ¶3. (C) Deputy SRSG Michael Schulenburg confirmed to poloffs on May 29 that the UNAMI mission will further draw down its staffing level in Baghdad from 55 to 40. This is in addition to the November 2006 draw down from 105 to 55, in which the Deputy SRSG for Humanitarian Affairs, associated staff, and support functions relocated to Amman. SRSG Qazi told the Ambassador on May 25 that the staffing level would be raised to 65 once hardened accommodations are completed. However, even this level remains significantly below the levels of last fall. -------------- NEGATIVE IMPACT ON IRAQ -------------- ¶4. (C) The UN continues to struggle in Iraq (Ref C). The UN decision to draw down in Baghdad jeopardizes the UN's ability to carry out needed projects in Iraq and has already begun to have an impact. For example, after several months of discussions, SRSG Qazi agreed to support the assignment of an expatriate UNHCR officer to Baghdad. This assignment is critical to developing a relationship between UNHCR and the GOI and to effectively address the critical needs of thousands of vulnerable IDPs and refugees inside Iraq. After the announcement of the draw down, the head of the Iraqi unit of the UNHCR office in Amman, Janvier de Riedmatten, told poloff that UNAMI had withdrawn its authorization of the assignment the very day that the designated UNHCR international staff was to leave for Baghdad. ¶5. (C) More fundamentally, UN staff in Amman cannot engage Iraqi government officials, members of parliament, or key non-governmental organizations in Iraq in a sufficiently sustained manner to influence events in this rapidly changing political environment. For example, the UNAMI political section in Baghdad has now been reduced to only three officers, although there is only one political currently on site as others are on travel. Deputy SRSG Schulenburg has argued that UNAMI should undertake a broader mission in Iraq and more aggressively lead efforts for national reconciliation, such as resolving disputed boundaries and promoting democratic processes (Refs B and C). However, the draw down limits such efforts. -------------- ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Taking into consideration these concerns with regard to the UNAMI draw down, post requests the Department instruct USUN to demarche the UNSYG or other appropriate high level UN official, taking into consideration the following points: -- We are strongly concerned about the UN decision to draw down an already reduced UNAMI staff posted in Baghdad to a maximum of 40 positions, and the absence of plans to resume last autumn's full staffing level of 105 positions. BAGHDAD 00001802 002 OF 002 -- This additional draw down decision, which was taken without external consultation, took the U.S. and others in the international community by surprise. It comes at an important juncture in international efforts to help Iraqis reduce violence and progress on National Reconciliation; -- Without a robust presence in Baghdad of the very professional and committed UN international staff who have volunteered to serve at a time and place where they are most needed, we are concerned that the UN will not be able to respond dynamically to rapidly changing circumstances in Iraq or engage in a sustained manner with key Iraqi decision-makers; -- The remainder of 2007 is a critical period in the development of Iraqi democracy and progress on reconciliation, with key decisions to be made on the final status of Kirkuk (the Article 140 referendum),the review of the constitution, passage of an oil law, and preparations for provincial elections. The reduction in UNAMI staff will impede the international community's ability to assist Iraq in meeting these challenges; -- We are further concerned that not authorizing the deployment to Baghdad of a UNHCR expat officer undermines efforts to provide timely protection to thousands of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons and precludes the development of a strengthened relationship between UNHCR and the GOI in Baghdad; -- In a broader sense, the decision to further draw down UNAMI in Baghdad and to not resume full staffing levels could be interpreted as a significant lessening of the UN's commitment to the Iraqi government and citizens who are struggling in Iraq to establish a stable, democratic government. It sends a signal to the rest of the international community that the UN sees efforts in Iraq as too tough or difficult to resolve; -- We understand the fundamental importance for security for international personnel working in Iraq. We, ourselves, take numerous measures to lessen the risk presented to staff serving in Iraq. However, as we all take steps to improve security, we cannot in the interim lessen our commitment to the Iraqi government or people; -- We strongly urge the UN to reverse the decision to draw down the UNAMI staff in Baghdad, to allow the deployment of an expatriate UNHCR officer to Baghdad, and to take every step to ensure full staffing as you make those security upgrades you deem feasible. We would hope the UN would take steps to actually increase its permanent presence in Baghdad back to its autumn 2006 levels of 105 positions. Resuming fully UNAMI operations in Iraq's capital would indicate to Iraqis and the world the commitment of the UN to Iraq's democracy. -- We strongly urge that, if a temporary, short-term reduction of staff is unavoidable, UNAMI will reduce the number of administrative and support staff, rather than officers with substantial portfolios or holding off the deployment of new key personnel. ¶7. (C) Post requests the Department consider seeking support from other Coalition governments, including through requesting they also demarche the UN at a high level on this issue. CROCKER