Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08USUNNEWYORK558
2008-06-24 21:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:
UN PLANS TO LET GO WESTERN SAHARA ENVOY VAN WALSUM
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUCNDT #0558 1762128 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 242128Z JUN 08 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4486 INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS IMMEDIATE 1623 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 1269 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID IMMEDIATE 6316 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 1208 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT IMMEDIATE 0112 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT IMMEDIATE 1245 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA IMMEDIATE 0512
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000558
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2013
TAGS: PREL UNSC AG MO WS
SUBJECT: UN PLANS TO LET GO WESTERN SAHARA ENVOY VAN WALSUM
Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro Wolff for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000558
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2013
TAGS: PREL UNSC AG MO WS
SUBJECT: UN PLANS TO LET GO WESTERN SAHARA ENVOY VAN WALSUM
Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro Wolff for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) UN DPA U/SYG Lynn Pascoe provided Amb Wolff June 24
with an update on the UN approach to the Western Sahara.
Pascoe said he had collaborated with the SYG's Personal Envoy
for Western Sahara, Peter Van Walsum, on a memo of options
now before SYG Ban. Pascoe said the memo proposed three
alternatives: 1) fire Van Walsum immediately and appoint a
new envoy; 2) wait until Van Walsum's current contract
expires in August and replace him at that time; and 3) invite
the parties to a fifth round of negotiations and if as
expected the Polisario (and Algeria) refuse to participate
then move to relieve Van Walsum of his envoy position.
Pascoe suggested that he and Van Walsum preferred the third
option. It was not clear when SYG Ban would make a decision.
2. (C) Separately, Polisario representative Ahmed Boukhari
told deputy political counselor Molly Phee June 19 that in
May the Polisario had informed MINURSO SRSG Harston that
following the release of Van Walsum's personal assessment of
the situation to the Security Council April 21 favoring
"political reality," the envoy had lost his ability to serve
as an evenhanded mediator in the eyes of the Polisario. In a
subsequent speech to the UNGA decolonization committee in
June, Boukhari publicly stated the Polisario position that
Van Walsum could no longer continue as envoy because he had
abandoned the principles of international legality. Boukhari
told Phee that the Polisario would prefer either a
Scandinavian or American replacement. Boukhari said frankly
that the Polisario believe that the USG is central to
breaking the deadlock in the Security Council. This
assessment explains the earlier Polisario request to meet
directly with Washington policymakers to present the
Polisario perspective, as well as a preference for an
American envoy. Boukhari said, however, that if the USG
insisted on confining the proposed dialogue to a discussion
solely of autonomy then the Polisario leadership is unlikely
to accept the invitation to meet.
Khalilzad
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2013
TAGS: PREL UNSC AG MO WS
SUBJECT: UN PLANS TO LET GO WESTERN SAHARA ENVOY VAN WALSUM
Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro Wolff for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) UN DPA U/SYG Lynn Pascoe provided Amb Wolff June 24
with an update on the UN approach to the Western Sahara.
Pascoe said he had collaborated with the SYG's Personal Envoy
for Western Sahara, Peter Van Walsum, on a memo of options
now before SYG Ban. Pascoe said the memo proposed three
alternatives: 1) fire Van Walsum immediately and appoint a
new envoy; 2) wait until Van Walsum's current contract
expires in August and replace him at that time; and 3) invite
the parties to a fifth round of negotiations and if as
expected the Polisario (and Algeria) refuse to participate
then move to relieve Van Walsum of his envoy position.
Pascoe suggested that he and Van Walsum preferred the third
option. It was not clear when SYG Ban would make a decision.
2. (C) Separately, Polisario representative Ahmed Boukhari
told deputy political counselor Molly Phee June 19 that in
May the Polisario had informed MINURSO SRSG Harston that
following the release of Van Walsum's personal assessment of
the situation to the Security Council April 21 favoring
"political reality," the envoy had lost his ability to serve
as an evenhanded mediator in the eyes of the Polisario. In a
subsequent speech to the UNGA decolonization committee in
June, Boukhari publicly stated the Polisario position that
Van Walsum could no longer continue as envoy because he had
abandoned the principles of international legality. Boukhari
told Phee that the Polisario would prefer either a
Scandinavian or American replacement. Boukhari said frankly
that the Polisario believe that the USG is central to
breaking the deadlock in the Security Council. This
assessment explains the earlier Polisario request to meet
directly with Washington policymakers to present the
Polisario perspective, as well as a preference for an
American envoy. Boukhari said, however, that if the USG
insisted on confining the proposed dialogue to a discussion
solely of autonomy then the Polisario leadership is unlikely
to accept the invitation to meet.
Khalilzad