SYG BAN ON DRC, KOSOVO, PAKISTAN, FINANCIAL CRISIS

S E C R E T USUN NEW YORK 000971

SIPDIS

S/ES FOR THE SECRETARY, DEPT PLEASE PASS TO TREASURY
SECRETARY PAULSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: SYG BAN ON DRC, KOSOVO, PAKISTAN, FINANCIAL CRISIS
SUMMIT, DOHA FFD CONFERENCE

Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D


1. (S) Ambassador Khalilzad met with United Nations
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon one-on-one early evening
October 22 to discuss DRC, Kosovo, Pakistan, the November 15
Financial Crisis Summit and the upcoming International
Conference on Financing for Development in Doha.


2. (S) DRC: The Secretary General said that he plans to
invite Democratic Republic of the Congo President Joseph
Kabila and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Geneva for a
meeting with him in mid-November to address the recent uptick
in violence and call on the conflicting parties to abide by
previous peace agreements. The meeting will take place on
the sidelines of a retreat being organized by Ban for UN
special envoys.


3. (S) Kosovo: Ambassador Khalilzad raised U.S. concerns
that UN mediator Andrew Ladley had negotiated a four-page
document directly with Belgrade without Kosovar input. Mr.
Ladley informed EU and US representatives that if they and
the Kosovars did not accept the basic elements of the
document, the Secretary General would be forced to "review
his options." Ban was surprised by this news and stated that
Mr. Ladley was not authorized to reconsider the six points.
Ban plans to send a message to Mr. Ladley asking for an
explanation. UNMIK head Lamberto Zanier will meet with
Serbian President Boris Tadic next week to encourage the
Serbs to agree to a deal that the other parties can accept.


4. (S) Pakistan: The Secretary General said that per U.S.
advice he is leaning toward naming Jean Arnault as the point
person on Pakistan, rather than selecting a high level
American for the role. At this point Ban is not thinking of
giving Arnault a formal title, and this would obviate the
need for a resolution. Ban said he would speak with
President Zardari about this idea when he comes for the high
level interfaith dialogue meeting November 12-13.


5. (S) Upcoming Conferences: Ban said that he is
supportive of the November 15 Financial Crisis Summit in
Washington, and would welcome an opportunity to briefly
address the participants on the United Nation's perspective
on the crisis. Regarding the November 29 to December 2 UN
International Conference on Financing for Development in
Doha, Qatar, Ban is planning a preparatory discussion with
key country leaders the day prior to the conference to
brainstorm on methods of encouraging cooperation. French
President Nicolas Sarkozy and Qatar Emir Hamad bin Jassim bin
Jaber Al Thani will both attend, and Ban felt strongly that
at a minimum the U.S. should have cabinet-level
participation. If President Bush can not attend, Ban
suggested Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.
Khalilzad