Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE108939
2009-10-21 19:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

USUN POINTS FOR BRIEFING ON MINURCAT

Tags:  PREF PREL KPKO CD CT 
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OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #8939/01 2941923
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211902Z OCT 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 8254
INFO DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 108939 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL KPKO CD CT
SUBJECT: USUN POINTS FOR BRIEFING ON MINURCAT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 108939

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL KPKO CD CT
SUBJECT: USUN POINTS FOR BRIEFING ON MINURCAT


1. This is an action request. USUN may draw from the points
in paragraph 2 during a briefing in the Security Council on
the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad
(MINURCAT) scheduled for October 22, 2009.


2. I would like to thank A/SYG Mulet for his briefing, and
commend MINURCAT and SRSG Angelo for their efforts to improve
security in eastern Chad. I would like to make four points:
improving security and protection of civilians must be a
priority; relations between Chad and Sudan must be
normalized; the level of cooperation and coordination between
MINURCAT and the AU/UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) should be
increased; and the renewed ethnic violence in northeastern
Central African Republic must be addressed.

--The security and protection of civilians in and around
refugee camps must be MINURCAT's top priority. As President
Obama has stated, the ability of a peacekeeping mission to
protect civilians from physical violence is essential to
earning the trust of the local population. The Government of
Chad's decision to relocate - in part to prevent child
recruitment by armed groups - the Oure Cassoni refugee camp
to a more secure area and away from the volatile border is
commendable. Consistent efforts to improve security in the
camps, including the prevention of child recruitment by armed
rebel groups, is essential in order to improve overall
security for the civilian population. We also welcome
MINURCAT's efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence
(SGBV) in Chad, including the sensitization and outreach
campaigns designed to educate, prevent, and investigate SGBV.
We especially encourage MINURCAT to accelerate its
protection activities by assisting in building the capacity
of the local Chadian judicial system to arrest, prosecute,
and punish perpetrators of SGBV.

--We continue to be encouraged by the performance of the
Dtachement Integr de Securit (DIS) in eastern Chad to
provide protection and security to vulnerable residents,
particularly women. Unfortunately, the DIS is not operating
at full strength or with sufficient equipment. Additional
training is also needed, particularly in the operation of
vehicles, weapons handling, and conducting patrols. In light
of these needs, the United States has again made a
substantial contribution to the donor trust fund used to
support the DIS. We strongly encourage efforts by Member
States to work with MINURCAT to find ways to support the DIS,
whether through the donation of equipment, the provision of
training, or by direct monetary contribution.

--The United States welcomes the recent statements of Chad
and Sudan of their willingness to improve relations, and we
look forward to concrete steps to make this a reality.
Improved relations between the two neighbors are essential in
order to resolve regional insecurity and violence. The
international community must support efforts to establish
better relations between the two countries.

--Increased cooperation and coordination between MINURCAT and
UNAMID is a critical element in maximizing the efforts of
both missions to improve security in the region. We welcome
the decision to embed liaison officers in each mission, and
would like additional information about joint cooperative
efforts. Specifically, it would be helpful to include
information in the next Secretary-General's report about the
type and frequency of contact between the two missions, the
specific duties and actions of the liaison officers in those
missions, and examples of information sharing in support of
improved regional security.

--The United States is troubled by the specter of renewed
ethnic violence in northeastern Central African Republic and
by rapidly increasing food shortages that the World Food
Program has predicted could result in famine. MINURCAT must
coordinate with UN missions in the country, such as BONUCA,
and with regional organizations such as MICOPAX to decrease
the level of insecurity in northeastern CAR and to ensure
civilians at risk have access to needed humanitarian
assistance. The extent of this coordination should be
described in the next Secretary-General's report.

--In closing we would like to note our appreciation to the
Government of Chad and the Department of Peacekeeping
Operations (DPKO) for finalizing the Status of Mission
Agreement. We hope DPKO and MINURCAT can now turn their
energies toward obtaining and deploying the required troop
commitments and force enablers to bring MINURCAT up to its
authorized level at the earliest possible time. The United

STATE 00108939 002 OF 002


States stands ready to assist in this effort and strongly
encourages other Member States to provide assistance to
MINURCAT to enable it to reach its full operational
capability.

--Thank you.
CLINTON