Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08USUNNEWYORK813
2008-09-10 22:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USUN New York
Cable title:
LIBERIA: UNMIL DRAWDOWN - GETTING THE PACE RIGHT
how-toVZCZCXRO0097 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUCNDT #0813 2542245 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 102245Z SEP 08 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4925 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000813
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPKO UNSC LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: UNMIL DRAWDOWN - GETTING THE PACE RIGHT
REF: STATE 95744
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000813
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPKO UNSC LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: UNMIL DRAWDOWN - GETTING THE PACE RIGHT
REF: STATE 95744
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In consultations on September 9, a majority
of Security Council members favored the Secretary-General's
recommendation for a modestly accelerated drawdown of the
military component of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and
the additional deployment of two formed police units (FPUs)
to support peace and stability in the country. France argued
for further cuts in military forces and requested a technical
briefing from DPKO to investigate this possibility.
Following the meeting, USUN circulated a draft resolution
incorporating the SYG's suggestions and extending UNMIL's
mandate. End summary.
2. (SBU) In Security Council closed consultations on
September 9, UNMIL SRSG Ellen Margrethe Loj focused on the
fragility of recent gains in Liberia. She said the
government and international community are "starting from
scratch," forced to build new institutions from the ground up
rather than rehabilitate existing ones. She discussed
threats to Liberia's security at length, including recent
incidents of mob violence, the destabilizing factor of mass
unemployment (particularly among youth),widespread rape and
gender-based violence and violence linked to illegal rubber
tapping and exploitation of natural resources. The SRSG then
detailed the Secretary-General's proposal for adjusting the
pace of UNMIL's drawdown by accelerating the withdrawal of
military forces (from the 500 envisioned by the SYG in August
2007 to 1,460 in the present report) but bolstering the
international police presence through the deployment of two
additional FPUs. She said that as the Liberian National
Police is an unarmed force, UNMIL's military capabilities are
called upon daily in order to help maintain stability in the
country.
Ten members support SYG's plan
--------------
3. (SBU) Amb. DiCarlo spoke directly afterwards, voicing her
support for the SYG's plan and stating that UNMIL's drawdown
must be linked to Liberia's ability to provide for its own
security. In her second intervention, she noted U.S.
bilateral security assistance to Liberia and stressed the
continuing need for UNMIL's military forces in order to
respond to incidents of mob violence including attacks on
UNMIL. South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam and Burkina Faso
said they fully supported the SYG's recommendation, as did
the Libyan PermRep, who praised the SYG's "cautious
approach." Belgium said that the SYG's drawdown plan was
"adequate," while Croatia supported the SYG's plan for a
gradual drawdown linked to benchmarks. China said that
Liberia was still in the "initial phase of peaceful
reconstruction" and that it supported the SYG's plan. Panama
said it trusted the SYG's judgment and reminded members to
take UNMIL's regional responsibilities into account before
rushing to recommend an overly quick drawdown.
Four line up against, one is "flexible"
--------------
4. (SBU) France led the charge for a faster drawdown of
UNMIL's military forces, arguing that the SYG's request for
more police units indicated that the main threats faced by
Liberia were of a civil rather than military nature. French
PR Ripert said that the SC needed to take into account the
overall peacekeeping situation, including UNAMID in Darfur
"where civilians are still being attacked" and MONUC in DRC,
"a country twenty times larger than Liberia." France
requested a technical meeting of military experts in order to
discuss the possibility of further cuts in UNMIL's military
forces. (NOTE: The French later specified to USUN that they
believe either the military drawdown should be doubled or the
renewal period of UNMIL should be reduced from one year to
six months. End note.) The UK and Italy supported
consideration of a more rapid drawdown, while Costa Rica
backed France's call for an acceleration in the withdrawal of
military units. Russian DPR Dolgov called for "more decisive
action" from the Security Council, but officials at the
Russian mission later confirmed that Russia is "flexible" on
the timetable for UNMIL's drawdown.
Khalilzad
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPKO UNSC LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: UNMIL DRAWDOWN - GETTING THE PACE RIGHT
REF: STATE 95744
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In consultations on September 9, a majority
of Security Council members favored the Secretary-General's
recommendation for a modestly accelerated drawdown of the
military component of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and
the additional deployment of two formed police units (FPUs)
to support peace and stability in the country. France argued
for further cuts in military forces and requested a technical
briefing from DPKO to investigate this possibility.
Following the meeting, USUN circulated a draft resolution
incorporating the SYG's suggestions and extending UNMIL's
mandate. End summary.
2. (SBU) In Security Council closed consultations on
September 9, UNMIL SRSG Ellen Margrethe Loj focused on the
fragility of recent gains in Liberia. She said the
government and international community are "starting from
scratch," forced to build new institutions from the ground up
rather than rehabilitate existing ones. She discussed
threats to Liberia's security at length, including recent
incidents of mob violence, the destabilizing factor of mass
unemployment (particularly among youth),widespread rape and
gender-based violence and violence linked to illegal rubber
tapping and exploitation of natural resources. The SRSG then
detailed the Secretary-General's proposal for adjusting the
pace of UNMIL's drawdown by accelerating the withdrawal of
military forces (from the 500 envisioned by the SYG in August
2007 to 1,460 in the present report) but bolstering the
international police presence through the deployment of two
additional FPUs. She said that as the Liberian National
Police is an unarmed force, UNMIL's military capabilities are
called upon daily in order to help maintain stability in the
country.
Ten members support SYG's plan
--------------
3. (SBU) Amb. DiCarlo spoke directly afterwards, voicing her
support for the SYG's plan and stating that UNMIL's drawdown
must be linked to Liberia's ability to provide for its own
security. In her second intervention, she noted U.S.
bilateral security assistance to Liberia and stressed the
continuing need for UNMIL's military forces in order to
respond to incidents of mob violence including attacks on
UNMIL. South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam and Burkina Faso
said they fully supported the SYG's recommendation, as did
the Libyan PermRep, who praised the SYG's "cautious
approach." Belgium said that the SYG's drawdown plan was
"adequate," while Croatia supported the SYG's plan for a
gradual drawdown linked to benchmarks. China said that
Liberia was still in the "initial phase of peaceful
reconstruction" and that it supported the SYG's plan. Panama
said it trusted the SYG's judgment and reminded members to
take UNMIL's regional responsibilities into account before
rushing to recommend an overly quick drawdown.
Four line up against, one is "flexible"
--------------
4. (SBU) France led the charge for a faster drawdown of
UNMIL's military forces, arguing that the SYG's request for
more police units indicated that the main threats faced by
Liberia were of a civil rather than military nature. French
PR Ripert said that the SC needed to take into account the
overall peacekeeping situation, including UNAMID in Darfur
"where civilians are still being attacked" and MONUC in DRC,
"a country twenty times larger than Liberia." France
requested a technical meeting of military experts in order to
discuss the possibility of further cuts in UNMIL's military
forces. (NOTE: The French later specified to USUN that they
believe either the military drawdown should be doubled or the
renewal period of UNMIL should be reduced from one year to
six months. End note.) The UK and Italy supported
consideration of a more rapid drawdown, while Costa Rica
backed France's call for an acceleration in the withdrawal of
military units. Russian DPR Dolgov called for "more decisive
action" from the Security Council, but officials at the
Russian mission later confirmed that Russia is "flexible" on
the timetable for UNMIL's drawdown.
Khalilzad