Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE87193
2008-08-13 23:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

TIMOR-LESTE: SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS AND

Tags:  PREL KPKO UNSC TL 
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OO RUEHDT
DE RUEHC #7193 2262338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 132333Z AUG 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 2748
INFO RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI IMMEDIATE 5000
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 2057
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 5555
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON IMMEDIATE 6195
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA IMMEDIATE 0787
UNCLAS STATE 087193 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC TL
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE: SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS AND
CORE GROUP DISCUSSIONS

UNCLAS STATE 087193

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC TL
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE: SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS AND
CORE GROUP DISCUSSIONS


1. The Secretary-General has issued his regular report on
Timor-Leste. The Timor-Leste Core Group will meet on August

15. The Security Council will discuss Timor-Leste at a
luncheon on August 18, followed by consultations on August

19. USUN may draw on the talking points in paragraph 2 for
these discussions.


2. Begin points:

-- We welcome the SYG's report, which covers a period that
could have thrown Timor into chaos. It is a tribute to the
government and people of Timor-Leste, and to the outstanding
support being given by UNMIT and Timor's partners, that this
did not occur. The U.S. joins Timor's many friends in
expressing gratitude that President Ramos-Horta survived the
armed attacks in February.

-- The reanimated dialogue among the various Timorese
political parties is a very positive development. However,
we echo the concern that the SYG expressed in his report that
the emergency measures taken in February must not derail
efforts to build a democratic and professional Timorese
security sector.

-- The U.S. notes that an international prosecutor has been
appointed to assist the Office of the Prosecutor General in
following up the recommendations of the 2006 Commission of
Inquiry (COI). We are concerned that there has been no
apparent progress on the COI cases, and we have heard that
the new prosecutor has been assigned to unrelated work. What
is UNMIT doing to ensure that the Prosecutor General moves
forward on the COI recommendations and that the international
prosecutor is in fact working on these priority cases?

-- The SYG report also mentions an amnesty law under
discussion in Timor-Leste that would reportedly cover all
actors responsible for the 2006 crisis and the violence to
persons and property that followed. If enacted, this law
would undermine accountability, erode confidence in the rule
of law, and exacerbate impunity. What steps has UNMIT taken
to persuade the Timorese leadership not to declare an amnesty
with such potential far-reaching negative consequences for
justice and the rule of law?

-- The report discusses a proposed timetable for the transfer
of policing responsibility from UNMIT to the Timorese
National Police (PNTL). It also identifies five criteria
against which the PNTL's readiness for the resumption of
responsibility will be assessed. The U.S. urges that the
handover of policing responsibility to the PNTL be determined
on the basis of the PNTL's readiness, with the timetable
revised as necessary in light of actual conditions.

-- The U.S. welcomes the Timorese Government's launching of
its 2008 National Priorities (NP) as a potentially effective
means of coordinating and focusing international support for
key social and economic development objectives. Several
areas targeted for increased spending in the recent 2008
supplemental budget, however, were not identified as national
priorities, eroding the relevance and utility of the National
Priorities process. Moreover, several ministries have been
less than whole-hearted participants in the NP process. We
urge UNMIT to work with the Government to ensure that
planning for the 2009 budget is fully incorporated into the
NP process, and that key ministers participate fully in the
process.

-- The recent passage of the 2008 supplemental budget will
result in the rapid expansion of government expenditures.
Given that the GOTL has in the past shown a limited capacity
for properly executing budgets, and the short timetable for
expenditure, we have great concerns about transparency in
government procurement. How is UNMIT supporting the prime
minister's objective of strengthening his government's
ability to fight corruption, and the use of open, transparent
procurement policies and procedures?

End points.
RICE