GUIDANCE FOR JULY 9 SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON

UNCLAS STATE 072704 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PARM UNSC AF SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR JULY 9 SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON AFGHANISTAN ¶1. ACTION REQUEST: USUN is instructed to draw from the points in para 2 below to respond to the report on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA),which will be presented to the UN Security COUNCIL by Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Kai Eide on Wednesday, July 9, 2008. Para 3 contains "if asked/if raised" talking points on civilian casualties. End Action Request. ¶2. Begin points: I would like to thank SRSG Kai Eide for his briefing this afternoon. And on behalf of the United States, I would like to thank him and the staff of UNAMA for their hard work and dedication to improving the lives of the Afghan people and helping Afghanistan succeed. At the recent Paris Conference, the Final Declaration of the three co-chairs -- the SYG, the President of France, and the President of Afghanistan -- affirmed strong support for the expanded role of the SRSG and UNAMA to lead coordination of international efforts, as well as coordination between the Afghan Government and the international community. Today, I would like to make five points: -- First, we need to present a common front against extremists, as well as against corruption and narcotics trafficking. We are deeply troubled by the increasing violence in Afghanistan. As the Secretary General,s report indicated, May 2008 recorded the highest number of security incidents in the country since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001. These attacks are becoming increasingly complex and coordinated. Insurgent and terrorists have grown more effective and more aggressive, most recently in the cowardly and despicable attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul. The international community must support not only increased security efforts, but also a broad interagency approach that includes infrastructure improvement, foreign investment, and economic incentives. Progress in all these areas is critical to the legitimacy of the Afghan Government and ultimately to our stabilization operations. -- Second, the implementation and success of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS),which connects the government to every level of the Afghan people, will require a strengthened partnership between Afghanistan and the international community, with the SRSG and UNAMA playing a crucial role. The launch of this National Development Strategy at Paris means that some eighty international stakeholders are now engaged in an Afghan-led coordinated effort to implement a roadmap for activities in three broad areas: security; governance, rule of law, and HUMAN rights; and economic and social development. -- Third, we fully agree with the SRSG's conclusion that elections are a key priority and an important measure of Afghanistan's democratic progress. The Afghan Independent Election Commission is the lead coordinating body for the August 2009 Presidential and Provincial COUNCIL elections and the summer 2010 parliamentary elections. We strongly urge SRSG Eide to work closely with President Karzai and UNDP to relieve pressing issues of voter registration and passage of a new election law. -- Fourth, UNAMA will play an essential role in ensuring that the commitments made at the Paris Conference are met. The countries that met at Paris committed themselves not only to provide greater resources to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, but to make provision of these resources more transparent, accountable, and effective. We welcome the fact that they all committed to more local procurement and capacity-building and to ensuring that the benefits of development can reach all provinces equitably. For UNAMA to play this role, it will require greater resources so that SRSG Eide will have the tools to do his job, aid can actually reach the Afghan people, and the donor countries can get the greatest value added for their contributions. We concur with the Secretary General,s recommendation that UNAMA expand its presence throughout Afghanistan with the opening of six new provincial offices in the next 12 months. We strongly support SRSG Eide,s drive to increase the capacity and effectiveness of UNAMA in a number of key areas through staffing increases and possible structural changes, consist with an integrated approach that ensures all UN and international efforts are properly coordinated. -- Fifth, Afghanistan's neighbors have an important role to play in supporting the Afghan government's efforts to secure its borders. UNSC resolution 1806 highlights UNAMA,s role in supporting regional cooperation and the SRSG has been active in this area. -- Today marks a time to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the people of Afghanistan. The United States will continue to work closely with our partners on these issues until the Afghan people can live in stability, prosperity, and democracy. ¶3. (If asked/if raised) Civilian Casualties: -- Coalition forces killed more than a dozen militants following an attack on a combat outpost in Nuristan Province yesterday evening. Ground forces at the combat outpost observed militants firing at friendly positions. Ground forces defended themselves with small arms fire. The insurgents then entered two vehicles and began traveling away from the firing position. Ground forces called in coalition helicopters in support. -- The helicopter crews coordinated with ground forces to positively identify the militants' vehicles. The helicopters then destroyed the two vehicles, killing more than a dozen militants. The attack helicopter engaged no other targets. -- There are no official reports of non-combatant injuries or casualties. We are aware through media reports that there are allegations of civilian casualties. we are engaging with Afghan officials on this matter. RICE