Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07STATE144973
2007-10-16 22:54:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

GUIDANCE FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE UN

Tags:  PREL KCRS EUN UNGA UNSC ECOSOC UN 
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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #4973 2892303
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 162254Z OCT 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION COLLECTIVE
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0000
RUEHFN/AMEMBASSY FREETOWN 0000
UNCLAS STATE 144973 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KCRS EUN UNGA UNSC ECOSOC UN
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE UN
PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT

UNCLAS STATE 144973

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KCRS EUN UNGA UNSC ECOSOC UN
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE UN
PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT


1. PURPOSE: This is an action request. The Department
asks USUN to draw upon the themes and talking points stated
in paragraph 2 for the UN Security Council debate on the UN
Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) Annual Report on 17 October

2007.


2. THEMES AND TALKING POINTS:

The United States continues to believe strongly in the
importance of a successful UN Peacebuilding Commission.
Preventing reversion to conflict in post-conflict states
through sustainable peacebuilding is in all of our interests.
Peacebuilding saves lives, resources, and promotes the human
rights and democratic ideals espoused by the United Nations.
We view the PBC as a key part of the UN's peacebuilding
architecture to achieve these important ends.

We welcome the first Annual Report of the PBC. We appreciate
the accomplishments that the PBC has achieved during the
difficult early days of establishing a new institution. We
recognize that these are the first steps toward achieving
coordinated peacebuilding that produces tangible and
sustainable results.

--------------
Integrated Peacebuilding Strategies
--------------

We see the PBC's efforts on the Integrated Peacebuilding
Strategies for the first countries under the PBC's review -
Sierra Leone and Burundi - as a valuable exercise in
promoting better dialogue among their governments, civil
society, the international community, and other relevant
actors. Providing a spotlight on peacebuilding issues in
itself promotes the political will to address them. We look
forward to seeing this will and these strategies translated
into concrete programs and institutions that tangibly serve
the people of Burundi and Sierra Leone and form the
foundation for healthy, peaceful societies in these states.

We believe that tracking and monitoring mechanisms for
integrated peacebuilding in countries under PBC review can be
helpful in identifying gaps with precision and allow for
resources to be marshaled to fill those gaps. We reiterate
the importance of avoiding duplication of efforts and see an
effective tracking and monitoring mechanism as a way to
ensure that such duplication does not occur, while also

seeing that needs are met and progress is achieved. PBC
tracking and monitoring should be a part of existing programs
whenever possible and should not place an additional burden
on either the national government nor the UN country team.
We believe that international non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) with expertise in a particular gap should be recruited
to address that gap and that the private sector, including
international corporations, should be sought to sponsor
projects, including those by local NGOs, which can also fill
gaps.

In addition, we would support the utilization by the PBC of a
roster of experts who can also assist in peacebuilding,
drawing on existing initiatives and in coordination with
efforts of other peacebuilding-related offices in the UN
system. Our own experts in peacebuilding in the office of
the Coordinator for Reconstruction & Stabilization stand
ready to work with the PBC and related offices and are
prepared to explore opportunities for closer engagement,
including in such areas as cross-training, personnel
exchanges, and other forms of cooperative activity that can
add value to the work of the PBC and that help to ensure that
our teams can work together effectively and efficiently.

--------------
Peacebuilding Fund
--------------

While the United States is not yet a contributor to the
Peacebuilding Fund, we will assess the Fund's performance as
seen in its first year of operation. We are particularly
interested in the sustainability of the initial projects
funded by the PBF, and in this regard, urge the
Secretary-General to consider commissioning an independent

SIPDIS
evaluation of the PBF.

--------------
Political Focal Point in the UN System
--------------

We see the PBC as having a unique niche in the UN system -
the focal point for garnering long-term political will from
the international community and coordinating long-term
efforts to ensure sustainable peacebuilding. We therefore
wish to see the role of the PBC strengthened in the UN
system. We look forward to stronger engagement by the PBC
with the UN Security Council, General Assembly, and the
Economic and Social Council. The PBC may issue short
statements on emerging peacebuilding crises and act as an
early warning device for the Security Council, for example.
The Security Council could also query the PBC specific
matters on particular countries as a way to promote dialogue
and coordinated action on peacebuilding.

We value the views of all PBC members and particularly seek
the input of countries that have themselves survived conflict
and know firsthand how to implement peacebuilding. We
appreciate the work of the PBC's Working Group on Lessons
Learned, chaired by El Salvador, in which the experiences of
post-conflict countries are drawn upon to accumulate best
peacebuilding practices. The PBC must also coordinate
effectively with the many other parts of the UN that have
expertise in peacebuilding-related activities.

--------------
The PBC's Future Agenda
--------------

We look forward to discussion of the PBC's future agenda and
capacity to take on new countries. At this early stage of
the PBC's development, we want to be sure that the PBC does
not over-extend itself and instead has solid successes with a
realistic agenda derived from judicious consideration of the
many post-conflict countries that could benefit from PBC
review. Sustainable peacebuilding is the logical extension
of the goals of peacekeeping. As we gradually build up the
experience and capacity of the PBC, we should consider how
the PBC can assist countries with UN peacekeeping missions
that are winding down to ensure that their peacebuilding
phase is sustained and successful.

In addition, we look forward to considering new modes of PBC
engagement, tailored to the needs of particular countries and
to allow more efficient use of PBC resources, consistent with
the goals of the PBC.

We look forward to working closely with the PBC in its
efforts to carry out its important mission.


3. POINT-OF-CONTACT: Grace M. Kang IO/PSC, 202-736-7735.
RICE