VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: MONUC MANDATE RENEWAL

UNCLAS STATE 169393

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CG PREL UNSC
SUBJECT: VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: MONUC MANDATE RENEWAL


1. (U) ACTION REQUEST: USUN is instructed to vote in
favor of the mandate resolution for the UN Mission in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. The text of the resolution
is listed in paragraph 2.


2. (U) Begin text:

The Security Council,

Recalling its resolutions and the statements of its
President concerning the Democratic Republic of Congo, in
particular resolution 1756 (2007),

Reaffirming its commitment to respect the sovereignty,
territorial integrity and political independence of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Reaffirming its commitment to continue to contribute to
the consolidation of peace and stability in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo in the post-transition period, in
particular through the United Nations Organization Mission
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC),

Underscoring the long-term sustained efforts needed from
the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and
its international partners to consolidate democracy, and
promote the rule of law, good governance, recovery and
development,

Stressing the primary responsibility of the Government of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo for ensuring security
in its territory and protecting its civilians with respect
for the rule of law, human rights and international
humanitarian law,

Expressing its grave concern at the continued presence of
foreign and Congolese armed groups and militias in the
eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
including the Forces Democratique de Liberation du Rwanda
(FDLR) ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the dissident militia of
Laurent Nkunda, which has resulted in a serious security
and humanitarian crisis particularly in North Kivu,

Expressing in particular its deep concern at the
humanitarian consequences of the recent fighting between
the dissident militia of Laurent Nkunda and the Armed
Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC),
and recalling that a comprehensive approach is needed to
tackle the crisis in the Kivus including efforts to
address the presence of all armed groups and militias, to
end impunity and to promote reconciliation, social
cohesion, recovery and development in the region,

Commending MONUC and the Congolese authorities for the
substantial progress towards carrying out the disarmament,
demobilization and reintegration of combatants in the
district of Ituri, which helped to stabilize security
conditions in that part of the country,

Commending the joint efforts of the Governments of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of
Rwanda to address their common security concerns through
dialogue and cooperation, welcoming in particular the
joint communiqu on a common approach to end the threat
posed to peace and stability in both countries and the
Great Lakes region, signed in Nairobi on 9 November 2007 (S/2007
/679),which is an important milestone towards the
definitive settlement of the problem of illegal armed
groups in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, and expressing its appreciation for the ongoing
efforts undertaken in this respect by the
Secretary-General, his Special Representative and

SIPDIS
Assistant Secretary-General Menkerios,

Also commending the joint efforts of the Governments of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of
Uganda to address the continued presence of the Lord's
Resistance ARMY LRA) in eastern Congo, welcoming in
particular the Summit in Ngurdoto, Tanzania, between
President Kabila and President Museveni on 8 September
2007,

Commending also the efforts of the Government of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries of
the region to solve their common security concerns, and
welcoming the Conclusions of the high-level meeting of the
Tripartite Plus Joint Commission held in Addis Ababa on 4
and 5 December 2007,

Recalling its resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and
security, its resolution 1502 (2003) on the Protection of
United Nations personnel, associated personnel and
humanitarian personnel in conflict zones, its resolution
1612 (2005) on children in armed conflict and its
resolution 1674 (2006) on the protection of civilians in
armed conflicts,

Deploring again the persistence of violations of human
rights and international humanitarian law in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular those
carried out by the FDLR, ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the
dissident militia of Laurent Nkunda, as well as other
militias and armed groups and elements of the FARDC, the
Congolese National Police (PNC) and other security and
intelligence services, and stressing the urgent need for
those responsible for these crimes to be brought to
justice,

Condemning in particular sexual violence perpetrated by
militias and armed groups as well as elements of the
FARDC, the PNC and other security and intelligence
services, stressing the urgent need for the Government of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in cooperation with
MONUC and other relevant actors, to end such violence and
bring the perpetrators, as well as the senior commanders
under whom they serve, to justice, and calling on Member
States to assist in this regard and to continue to provide
medical, humanitarian and other assistance to the victims,

Recalling the conclusions of the Security Council Working
Group on Children and Armed Conflict pertaining to parties
in the armed conflict of the Democratic
Republic of Congo (S/AC.51/2007/17 of 25 October 2007),

Welcoming MONUC's policy to promote and protect the rights
of women and to take into account gender considerations as
set out in its resolution 1325 (2000) as a cross-cutting
issue throughout its mandate and to keep the Council
informed,

Urging all States, especially those in the region,
including the Democratic Republic of the Congo itself, to
take the appropriate steps to end the illegal trade in
natural resources,

Declaring its determination to continue to monitor closely
the implementation of the arms embargo and other measures
set out by its resolutions,

Recalling the importance of elections, including the
forthcoming local elections, for the longer-term
restoration of peace and stability, national
reconciliation and establishment of the rule of law in the
Democratic Republic of Congo,

Recalling also the importance of urgently carrying out
security sector reform for the long-term stabilization of
the Democratic Republic of Congo,

Taking note of the twenty-fourth report of the
Secretary-General on MONUC dated 14 November 2007 (S/2007

SIPDIS
/671) and of its recommendations,

Determining that the situation in the Democratic Republic
of the Congo continues to pose a threat to international
peace and security in the region,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United
Nations,


1. Decides to extend the mandate and capacity of MONUC, as
set out in resolution 1756, until 31 December 2008 and
authorizes the continuation until that date of up to
17,030 military personnel, 760 military observers, 391
police personnel and 6 formed police units comprising up
to 125 personnel each;


2. Requests MONUC to attach the highest priority to
addressing the crisis in the Kivus in all its dimensions,
in particular through the protection of civilians and
support for the implementation of the Nairobi Joint
Communiqu;


3. Demands that the militias and armed groups that are
still present in the eastern part of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, in particular the FDLR,
ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the dissident militia of Laurent
Nkunda and the LRA, lay down their arms and engage
voluntarily and without any further delay or preconditions
in their demobilization, repatriation, resettlement, and
reintegration, as appropriate, stresses the need to ensure
that those militias and armed groups do not receive any
support for their illegal activities, and also demands,
recalling its resolution 1698 (2006) that all armed
groups, in particular the forces of Laurent Nkunda and the
FDLR, immediately stop recruiting and using children and
release all children associated with them;


4. Urges the Government of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo to address the crisis in the Kivus in a
comprehensive way, including through promptly convening
the Round Table on peace, security and development in the
Kivus;


5. Encourages MONUC, in accordance with its mandate and
emphasizing that the protection of civilians must be given
priority in decisions about the use of available capacity
and resources, to use all necessary means, within the
limits of its capacity and in the areas where its units
are deployed, to support the FARDC integrated brigades
with a view to disarming the recalcitrant foreign and
Congolese armed groups, in particular the FDLR,
ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the dissident militia of Laurent
Nkunda, in order to ensure their participation in the
disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement
and reintegration processes, as appropriate;


6. Requests the Secretary-General to report by 31 March
2008 on how MONUC could further support FARDC or take
other measures in dealing with illegal foreign and
Congolese armed groups;


7. Emphasizes that such operations by the FARDC should be
planned jointly with MONUC and in accordance with
international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law
and should include appropriate measures to protect
civilians, and requests the Secretary-General to include
in his reports to the Council an assessment of the
measures taken to protect civilians;


8. Recalls MONUC's mandate to use all necessary means to
protect civilians under imminent threat of physical
violence, particularly in the Kivus;


9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to use its
good offices in facilitating a political solution to
address the underlying causes of the crisis in the Kivus,
in close consultation with the Government of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Governments of the
region and other regional and international partners;


10. Calls on the Governments of the Democratic Republic of
Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, as a matter of urgency,
to fully implement their commitments under the Nairobi
Joint Communiqu, and to continue to cooperate to solve
their common security concerns;


11. Calls on the Governments of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo and the Republic of Uganda to fully implement
their commitments under the Ngurdoto Agreement and to
continue to cooperate to solve their common security
concerns;


12. Welcomes the letters of the Secretary-General dates 11
October and 30 November 2007 (S/2007/694) with respect to
assistance by MONUC to the Congolese authorities in the
organization, preparation, and conduct of local elections,
and requests MONUC, consistent with its existing mandate,
to begin to provide the assistance described in these
letters and expresses its intention to further consider
the issue by the end of January 2008;


13. Calls on the Congolese authorities to intensify as a
matter of urgency their efforts to reform the security
sector, including the army, the police and the justice
sector, encourages in particular the development of a
comprehensive plan and timelines for the reform of the
army, invites the Congolese government to hold as soon as
possible the planned round table on security sector reform
and urges international partners to support this
endeavour;


14. Underlines the importance of the support MONUC is
providing, in close cooperation with the Congolese
authorities, the United Nations Country Team and donors,
to the strengthening of democratic institutions and the
rule of law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and
calls upon the Congolese authorities to take full
advantage of the assistance offered by MONUC and other
international partners in these respects;


15. Reiterates its call upon the Congolese authorities to
put an end to impunity, by bringing to justice without
delay perpetrators of grave violations of human rights and
of international humanitarian law, with special attention
to those responsible for recruitment and use of children
as well as for grave violations against women and
children, in particular sexual violence, to fully support
the human rights mapping exercise initiated in the country
by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to
establish a vetting mechanism to take into account when
they select candidates for official positions, including
key posts in the armed forces, national police and other
security services, the candidates' past actions in terms
of respect for international humanitarian law and human
rights;


16. Recalls MONUC's mandate to assist in the promotion and
protection of human rights, investigate human rights
violations with a view to putting an end to impunity,
assist in the development and implementation of a
transitional justice strategy, and cooperate in national
and international efforts to bring to justice perpetrators
of grave violations of human rights and international
humanitarian law;


17. Reaffirms the obligation of all parties to comply
fully with the relevant rules and principles of
international humanitarian law relating to the protection
of humanitarian and United Nations personnel, and also
demands that all parties concerned grant immediate, full
and unimpeded access by humanitarian personnel to all
persons in need of assistance, as provided for in
applicable international law;


18. Requests MONUC, in view of the scale and severity of
sexual violence committed especially by armed elements in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to undertake a
thorough review of its efforts to prevent and respond to
sexual violence, and to pursue a comprehensive
mission-wide strategy, in close cooperation with the
United Nations Country Team and other partners, to
strengthen prevention, protection, and response to sexual
violence, including through training for the Congolese
security forces in accordance with its mandate, and to
regularly report, including in a separate annex if
necessary, on actions taken in this regard, including
factual data and trend analyses of the problem;


19. Encourages MONUC to enhance its interaction with the
civilian population, in particular internally displaced
persons, to raise awareness about its mandate and
activities;


20. Takes note of the benchmarks presented by the
Secretary-General for a future gradual drawdown of MONUC,

SIPDIS
encourages MONUC to focus the activities of all its
components on helping the Congolese authorities to achieve
those benchmarks, and requests the Secretary-General to
further develop the benchmarks and to report regularly to
the Council on the progress made in this regard, including
on the application of the United Nations integrated
missions planning process (IMPP);


21. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to report
regularly, and at least every three months, on the
situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on
MONUC's activities, including on the issues referred to in
paragraphs 7, 18, and 20 above.


22. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

End text.


3. (U) The Department expresses its appreciation for
Mission's support.


4. (U) Please contact Greg Pollock, IO/PSC at 202-736-7789
with any additional questions or concerns.
RICE