SUMMARY OF SECRETARY GENERAL'S LUNCH WITH SECURITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000853 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNSC RS GG SO SUBJECT: SUMMARY OF SECRETARY GENERAL'S LUNCH WITH SECURITY COUNCIL AMBASSADORS REF: USUN 845 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. On September 18 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, during his monthly luncheon with Security COUNCIL Ambassadors, discussed the Georgia/UNOMIG mandate renewal (ref),Bolivia, and Democratic Republic of Congo. Although not part of the agenda, France raised the issue of Somalia and piracy, which became a major discussion topic among the group. End Summary. Georgia/UNOMIG -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In addition to the substantive details raised during the luncheon found in reftel, French PermRep Ripert highlighted that the inability to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) would send the wrong message and that the COUNCIL should consider a technical rollover to facilitate the meeting in Geneva in mid-October, part of French President Sarkozy's brokered ceasefire agreement between Russia and Georgia. Ripert also emphasized the need for unimpeded humanitarian access and a broader mission for the UN to investigate Russia's accusations of Georgian HUMAN RIGHTS abuses. BOLIVIA -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Ban raised the issue concerning the violent political standoff in Bolivia and the UN's potential role to defuse the crisis. The discussion was non-controversial, but Costa Rican PermRep Urbina judged that before any UN involvement in the matter, the parties in Bolivia should solve the crisis among themselves, or failing that, the Organization of American States could assist. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The Ambassadors agreed that bilateral engagement from each of the Security COUNCIL member states with the DRC was the best way to approach the political impasse in Kinshasa. SOMALIA AND PIRACY -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The SYG and Security COUNCIL Ambassadors discussed piracy on the Somali coast and the ongoing inability to rein in attacks. They agreed that more needed to be done to combat the piracy, and Ripert announced that his Mission would host a meeting on 19 September to discuss the drafting of a new resolution to address the issue. In response, the Indonesian PermRep Natalegawa noted the parameters of UNSCR 1816 (passed on June 2, 2008 dealing with piracy and its impact on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Somalia) were sufficient. The Ambassadors raised the issue of contingency planning for ship escorts for humanitarian aid as the Canadian force currently operating as escorts will end its mandate at the end of September. Khalilzad