VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: MINUSTAH RENEWAL

UNCLAS STATE 143859

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: HA KPKO PGOV PREL UNSC
SUBJECT: VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: MINUSTAH RENEWAL


1. ACTION REQUEST: Department instructs USUN to vote in
favor of and co-sponsor the Security Council resolution
contained in para 2 below concerning the extension of the
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
USUN should seek additional guidance if substantive
changes are made to the resolution prior to vote.

End Action request.


2. Begin text of draft resolution:

The Security Council,

PP1 Reaffirming its previous resolutions on Haiti, in
particular its resolutions 1743 (2007),1702 (2006),1658
(2006),1608 (2005),1576 (2004) and 1542 (2004),

PP2 Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty,
independence, territorial integrity and unity of Haiti,

PP3 Welcoming recent steps towards achieving lasting
stability and democracy in Haiti;

PP4 Welcoming the continuing achievements in Haiti's
political process, including through the peaceful holding
on 29 April 2007 of the final round of local and municipal
elections, and noting with satisfaction the number of
women and youth engaged in this process,

PP5 Recognizing the inter-connected nature of the
challenges in Haiti, reaffirming that sustainable progress
on security, rule of law and institutional reform,
national reconciliation, and development are mutually
reinforcing, and welcoming the continuing efforts of the
Government of Haiti and the international community to
address these challenges,

PP6 Recognizing that respect for human rights, due process
and addressing the issue of criminality and putting an end
to impunity are essential to ensuring the rule of law and
security in Haiti,

PP7 Acknowledging significant improvements in the security
situation in recent months but noting that the security
situation remains fragile,

PP8 Emphasizing the importance of cooperation between
Haiti and neighboring and regional states in effectively
managing and securing Haiti's borders, and in line with
the shared interest to secure these borders,

PP9 Underscoring that international illicit trafficking of
drugs and arms continues to affect the stability of Haiti,

PP10 Commending the United Nations Stabilization Mission
in Haiti (MINUSTAH),for continuing to assist the
Government of Haiti to ensure a secure and stable
environment,

PP11 Emphasizing the role of regional organizations in the
ongoing process of stabilization and reconstruction of
Haiti and calling on MINUSTAH to continue to work closely
with the Organization of the American States (OAS) and the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM),

PP12 Stressing the importance of establishing credible,
competent and transparent governance, and encouraging the
Government of Haiti to further strengthen state
institutions,

PP13 Welcoming the initial steps towards establishing a
legislative framework for judicial reform through
collaboration between the legislative and executive
branches,

PP14 Commending the establishment of the Consultative
Commission on Prolonged Pretrial Detention, and expressing
its strong support for further efforts on this issue as
well as in addressing prison overcrowding,

PP15 Calling on the Haitian government, in coordination
with the international community, to advance security
sector reform, in particular by continuing the
implementation of the Haitian National Police (HNP) Reform
Plan, as well as efforts to reform the critical judiciary
and correctional systems,

PP16 Welcoming the support of OAS to update the Haitian
voter registry and calling on the Haitian authorities,
with the continued support of donors and regional
organizations as well as MINUSTAH and the UN system, to
establish permanent and effective electoral institutions,
and to hold elections consistent with Haiti's
constitutional requirements,

PP17 Underlining the need for the quick implementation of
highly effective and visible labor intensive projects that
help create jobs and deliver basic social services,

PP18 Acknowledging the laudable work done by Haitian
authorities and MINUSTAH to respond to the needs of
disaster-affected people, and welcoming future coordinated
actions in this regard,

PP19 Expressing gratitude to the troops and police
personnel of MINUSTAH and to their countries and paying
tribute to those injured or killed in the line of duty,

PP20 Welcoming the Secretary-General's report S/2007/503
of 22 August 2007,

PP21 Determining that the situation in Haiti continues to
constitute a threat to international peace and security in
the region, despite the progress achieved thus far,

PP22 Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United
Nations, as described in section 1 of operative paragraph
7 of resolution 1542 (2004),


1. Decides to extend the mandate of MINUSTAH as contained
in its resolutions 1542 (2004),1608 (2005),1702 (2006)
and 1743 (2007) until 15 October 2008, with the intention
of further renewal;


2. Endorses the Secretary General's recommendation for
reconfiguring the Mission in line with the concepts
outlined in paragraphs 28 and 29 of his report S/2007/503,
taking into account the need to adjust MINUSTAH's
composition and realign its activities to reflect the
changing circumstances and priorities on the ground and
decides that MINUSTAH will consist of a military component
of up to 7,060 troops of all ranks and of a police
component of a total of 2,091 police;


3. Expresses its full support for the Special
Representative of the Secretary General, notably in his
efforts to improve the security situation in close
cooperation with the Government of Haiti, and reaffirms
his authority in the coordination and conduct of all
activities of United Nations agencies, funds, and
programmes in Haiti;


4. Recognizes the ownership and primary responsibility of
the Government and the people of Haiti over all aspects of
the country's stabilization, recognizes the role of
MINUSTAH in supporting the Government's efforts in this
regard, and encourages the Government of Haiti to continue
to take full advantage of international support to enhance
its capacity, which is indispensable for the sustainable
success of MINUSTAH;


5. Reaffirms its call upon MINUSTAH to support the
constitutional and political process under way in Haiti,
including through its good offices and, in cooperation
with the Government of Haiti, to promote all-inclusive
political dialogue and national reconciliation, and to
provide logistical and security assistance for the
upcoming electoral process;


6. Welcomes the continuing contribution of MINUSTAH to
the Government of Haiti's efforts to build institutional
capacity at all levels and calls upon MINUSTAH, consistent
with its mandate, to expand such support to strengthen
self-sustainable state institutions, especially outside
Port-au-Prince, including through the provision of
specialized expertise to key ministries and institutions,
taking into account the ongoing efforts by the Haitian
authorities to fight all forms of crime;


7. Requests that MINUSTAH continue its support of the HNP
as deemed necessary to ensure security in Haiti, and
encourages MINUSTAH and the Government of Haiti to
continue to undertake coordinated deterrent actions to
decrease the level of violence;


8. Welcomes progress in the implementation of the HNP
Reform Plan and requests MINUSTAH to remain engaged in
assisting the Government of Haiti to reform and
restructure the HNP, consistent with its mandate, notably
by supporting the monitoring, mentoring, training, vetting
of police personnel and strengthening of institutional
capacities, while working to recruit sufficient individual
police officers to serve as instructors and mentors of the
HNP, consistent with its overall strategy to progressively
transfer geographic and functional responsibilities to its
Haitian counterparts to facilitate HNP engagement in
conventional law and order duties, in accordance with the
HNP Reform Plan;


9. Invites member states, including neighboring and
regional states, in coordination with MINUSTAH, to engage
with the Government to address cross-border illicit
trafficking of drugs, arms and other illegal activities,
and to contribute to strengthening HNP capacity in these
areas,


10. Requests MINUSTAH to provide technical expertise in
support of the efforts of the Government to pursue a
comprehensive border management approach, with emphasis on
state capacity building, and underlines the need for
coordinated international support for Government efforts
in this area;


11. Recognizes the need for MINUSTAH to establish patrols
along maritime and land border areas in support of border
security activities by the HNP, and encourages MINUSTAH to
continue discussions with the Government of Haiti and
member states to assess the threats along Haiti's land and
maritime borders,


12. Requests the UN country team, and calls upon all
relevant humanitarian and development actors, to
complement security operations undertaken by the
Government of Haiti with the support of MINUSTAH with
activities aimed at effectively improving the living
conditions of the concerned populations and requests
MINUSTAH to continue to implement quick impact projects;


13. Condemns any attack against personnel from MINUSTAH
and demands that no acts of intimidation or violence be
directed against United Nations and associated personnel
or other international and humanitarian organizations
engaged in humanitarian, development or peacekeeping work;


14. Welcomes the steps taken towards the reform of rule of
law institutions, requests MINUSTAH to continue to provide
necessary support in this regard, and encourages the
Haitian authorities to take full advantage of that
support, notably in such areas as restructuring the
Ministry of Justice and Public Security, certifying
magistrates, providing legal aid to the most vulnerable,
and modernizing key legislation;


15. Requests MINUSTAH to continue to pursue its community
violence reduction approach, including through support to
the National Commission on Disarmament, Dismantlement and
Reintegration and concentrating its efforts on labor
intensive projects, the development of a weapons registry,
the revision of current laws on importation and possession
of arms, and reform of the weapons permit system;


16. Reaffirms MINUSTAH's human rights mandate and calls on
the Haitian authorities to continue their efforts to
promote and protect human rights, and calls on MINUSTAH to
continue to provide human rights training to the Haitian
National Police and other relevant institutions, including
the correctional services;


17. Strongly condemns the grave violations against
children affected by armed violence, as well as widespread
rape and other sexual abuse of girls, and requests
MINUSTAH to continue to promote and protect the rights of
women and children as set out in Security Council
resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1612 (2005);


18. Encourages MINUSTAH and the UN Country Team to enhance
their coordination as well as with the various development
actors in Haiti in order to ensure greater efficiency in
development efforts and to address urgent development
problems;


19. Calls on the UN system and the international
community, in particular donor countries and institutions,
in cooperation with the Haitian authorities, to devise and
support a renewed aid coordination system, based on mutual
responsibility, which would focus on immediate needs as
well as on long-term reconstruction and poverty reduction,
and encourages donors to accelerate the disbursement of
their pledges as a contribution to development and
stability in Haiti;


20. Welcomes progress made by MINUSTAH in communications
and public outreach strategy and requests it to continue
these activities;


21. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the
necessary measures to ensure full compliance of all
MINUSTAH personnel with the United Nations zero-tolerance
policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and to keep the
Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries
to ensure that acts involving their personnel are properly
investigated and punished;

22. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the
Council on the implementation of MINUSTAH's mandate
semi-annually and not later than 45 days prior to its
expiration, taking into account a review of the activities
and composition of MINUSTAH, its coordination with the UN
country team and other development actors, a comprehensive
assessment of threats to security in Haiti, and the
development during this mandate period of a consolidation
plan with appropriate benchmarks to measure and track
progress, in consultation with the Haitian government;


23. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

End text of draft resolution.
RICE