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.

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DRAW DOWN
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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.

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NEGATIVE IMPACT ON IRAQ
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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.

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ACTION REQUEST
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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