Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KATHMANDU615
2007-03-22 11:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
UNMIN CHIEF MARTIN ASKS FOR U.S. HELP WITH HIS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000615
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV UN NP
SUBJECT: UNMIN CHIEF MARTIN ASKS FOR U.S. HELP WITH HIS
BUDGET
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000615
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV UN NP
SUBJECT: UNMIN CHIEF MARTIN ASKS FOR U.S. HELP WITH HIS
BUDGET
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Summary
--------------
1. (C) In a recent meeting with the Ambassador, UN Mission in
Nepal (UNMIN) Chief Ian Martin asked for U.S. assistance in
restoring cuts the UN's Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budget Questions (ACABQ) had made in UNMIN's budget. The
cuts would eliminate nearly half of UNMIN's planned civil
affairs officers in the field. Martin suggested, and Tamrat
Samuel from the UN Department of Political Affairs in New
York seconded, that the cuts could come from elsewhere in
UNMIN's budget and asked for U.S. support in the Fifth
Committee to have the posts restored. The Ambassador
recognized the importance of UNMIN field deployment and
agreed to ask Washington to support the request.
Martin Concerned About Cuts In UNMIN's Draft Budget
-------------- --------------
2. (C) Ian Martin, the UN Secretary-General's Personal
Representative and head of the United Nations Mission in
Nepal, recently asked the Ambassador for U.S. help in having
certain cuts in UNMIN's budget restored. Martin's original
funding request had been for USD 91,523,300. After a meeting
in New York of the ACABQ, which Martin had attended, the
Advisory Committee had recommended a total that was
approximately USD 3 million less (USD 88,822,000). Overall,
Martin said he was pleased with the budget. He recognized it
was the job of the ACABQ to find savings. His difficulty was
with the Advisory Committee's decision to cut the number of
civil affairs officers in the field from 25 to 10. Martin
stated he knew that he did not need to convince the
Ambassador of the importance of UNMIN having a robust
presence in the field as Nepal prepared for Constituent
Assembly elections.
U.S. Help Requested
--------------
3. (C) The UNMIN Chief suggested, and Tamrat Samuel from the
UN Department of Political Affairs in New York (who was
present along with Martin's political advisor John Norris)
seconded, that the cuts could come out of other areas of
UNMIN's proposed budget. He planned to pass on several
suggestions in that regard, to include elimination of certain
office equipment, to UN Headquarters. In the meantime, he
requested that the Ambassador convey Martin's concern about
the cuts and resulting limits on UNMIN field deployment to
the Department. Martin noted that the U.S. was represented
in the Fifth Committee, which was charged with reviewing the
ACABQ decision. The Ambassador agreed that maximizing UNMIN
field deployment was important to the ongoing peace process
and agreed to convey the request.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) Mission Kathmandu understands that the Fifth
Committee is favorably inclined toward Martin's proposals,
which would field as many UNMIN personnel as possible. A
robust UNMIN presence on the ground is a critical element of
UN support to Nepal's peace process.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV UN NP
SUBJECT: UNMIN CHIEF MARTIN ASKS FOR U.S. HELP WITH HIS
BUDGET
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Summary
--------------
1. (C) In a recent meeting with the Ambassador, UN Mission in
Nepal (UNMIN) Chief Ian Martin asked for U.S. assistance in
restoring cuts the UN's Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budget Questions (ACABQ) had made in UNMIN's budget. The
cuts would eliminate nearly half of UNMIN's planned civil
affairs officers in the field. Martin suggested, and Tamrat
Samuel from the UN Department of Political Affairs in New
York seconded, that the cuts could come from elsewhere in
UNMIN's budget and asked for U.S. support in the Fifth
Committee to have the posts restored. The Ambassador
recognized the importance of UNMIN field deployment and
agreed to ask Washington to support the request.
Martin Concerned About Cuts In UNMIN's Draft Budget
-------------- --------------
2. (C) Ian Martin, the UN Secretary-General's Personal
Representative and head of the United Nations Mission in
Nepal, recently asked the Ambassador for U.S. help in having
certain cuts in UNMIN's budget restored. Martin's original
funding request had been for USD 91,523,300. After a meeting
in New York of the ACABQ, which Martin had attended, the
Advisory Committee had recommended a total that was
approximately USD 3 million less (USD 88,822,000). Overall,
Martin said he was pleased with the budget. He recognized it
was the job of the ACABQ to find savings. His difficulty was
with the Advisory Committee's decision to cut the number of
civil affairs officers in the field from 25 to 10. Martin
stated he knew that he did not need to convince the
Ambassador of the importance of UNMIN having a robust
presence in the field as Nepal prepared for Constituent
Assembly elections.
U.S. Help Requested
--------------
3. (C) The UNMIN Chief suggested, and Tamrat Samuel from the
UN Department of Political Affairs in New York (who was
present along with Martin's political advisor John Norris)
seconded, that the cuts could come out of other areas of
UNMIN's proposed budget. He planned to pass on several
suggestions in that regard, to include elimination of certain
office equipment, to UN Headquarters. In the meantime, he
requested that the Ambassador convey Martin's concern about
the cuts and resulting limits on UNMIN field deployment to
the Department. Martin noted that the U.S. was represented
in the Fifth Committee, which was charged with reviewing the
ACABQ decision. The Ambassador agreed that maximizing UNMIN
field deployment was important to the ongoing peace process
and agreed to convey the request.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) Mission Kathmandu understands that the Fifth
Committee is favorably inclined toward Martin's proposals,
which would field as many UNMIN personnel as possible. A
robust UNMIN presence on the ground is a critical element of
UN support to Nepal's peace process.
MORIARTY