Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE14578
2009-02-18 00:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:
FEBRUARY 19, 2009 SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO4889 PP RUEHDT RUEHTRO DE RUEHC #4578/01 0490057 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P R 180041Z FEB 09 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4896 INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 5461
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 014578
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO TT
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 19, 2009 SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS
ON UNMIT
(U) USUN may draw from the following building blocks during
UN Security Council consultations on the UN Integrated
Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) scheduled for February 19,
2009. Department requests that post reclear the final
statement if it is significantly and substantively different
than the building blocks below.
Begin building blocks.
We warmly welcome President Jose Ramos-Horta, and
congratulate him, Prime Minister Gusmao, and the political
leadership, state institutions, and the Timorese people, for
their courage in restoring peace and stability to the
country. We congratulate all of them for the significant
progress they have made since the crisis in 2006 and the
events of February 11, 2008, in which there were attempts to
take the lives of both Prime Minister Gusmao and President
Ramos-Horta.
The United States also commends the advances that
President Ramos-Horta and the Timorese government have made
in creating opportunities for all political parties to make
significant contributions to areas of national interest. We
are confident that such positive involvement will continue.
I must echo the sentiments the Special Representative
of the Secretary-General (SRSG),Atul Khare, made to my
colleagues in Washington when he emphasized that it is time
for the Timorese to take control of and address the
underlying causes of the issues that bring instability to
Timor-Leste. This must be done through promotion of a
culture of democratic values, including the development of
compromise solutions, accountability, and transparency.
Security sector reform (SSR) is a primary issue that
must be addressed. Timor-Leste has taken positive steps
forward, and must continue with the momentum of reform. The
National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) and UNMIT police must
strengthen cooperation and constructive engagement,
particularly as the PNTL gradually resumes policing
responsibilities. The United States also encourages
stakeholders to carry on efforts to increase the
effectiveness of the PNTL.
Likewise, Timorese leadership must clarify roles and
responsibilities between the Timor-Leste Defense Force
(F-FDTL) and the PNTL, including defining a meaningful role
for military forces in a peacetime setting, and determining
what types of police units would be most effective in the
country. Augmented civilian oversight and accountability
mechanisms are vital to both security institutions.
The responsibility and independence of the judiciary
is critical to sustained progress in Timor-Leste. The
Timorese must persist in their fight for justice, and
establish a system of accountability for criminal offenses.
Equally important, Timorese must take strong action
against the culture of impunity in order to achieve true and
meaningful reconciliation. We consequently believe that the
leadership in Timor-Leste should continue to pursue
accountability for criminal offenses committed during the
2006 crisis.
We maintain our support for the efforts of the
Secretary-General and the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in their promotion of a coordinated
approach to justice sector reform, based on an independent
needs assessment.
The United States expresses concern over the increase
in poverty in Timor-Leste, as noted in the report of the
Secretary-General, and agrees with stakeholders that
implementation by Timorese leadership of rural development
policies and targeted programs aimed at reducing poverty
levels and lowering the unemployment rate are critical.
The United States encourages the international
community to assist the Government of Timor-Leste with local
elections, currently planned for this year. The United
States also encourages UNMIT to support this effort, acting
within its mandate.
We welcome the return of a substantial number of
internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes. We are
optimistic that the Timorese will continue the process of
STATE 00014578 002 OF 002
reintegration into their communities. However, we remain
concerned about those IDPs who are unwelcome or otherwise
unable to return to their communities of origin, as well as
those who claim they have no communities to return to. We
urge the Timorese to find sustainable solutions for these
vulnerable citizens. Furthermore, we encourage the Timorese
to closely monitor the status of returned IDPs in the coming
months as their resettlement funds are depleted.
The United States stresses its support for the efforts
of the Government of Timor-Leste in developing a national
gender equality policy and strategy, which we believe is a
key to success in Timorese society.
We encourage the Government of Timor-Leste to consider
peacebuilding capacities in areas such as IDP integration,
employment and empowerment, and socio-economic development.
The United States welcomes the February 4 report of the
Secretary-General, and acknowledges the work done by the
Secretary-General, the Government of Timor-Leste, the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General and UNMIT, as well as
the international community in developing a medium-term
strategy and establishing benchmarks for measuring and
tracking progress in Timor-Leste.
Finally, the United States would like to commend
Timor-Leste for its advancements and its achievements, and
would like to recognize the hard work of Special
Representative of the Secretary-General, Atul Khare, the
dedicated UNMIT staff who serve alongside him, and the UN
Country Team for their efforts. We also would like to pay
tribute to the bilateral and multilateral partners for the
positive impacts they have made in Timor-Leste, and the
international security forces who work diligently to maintain
law and stability.
End building blocks.
CLINTON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO TT
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 19, 2009 SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS
ON UNMIT
(U) USUN may draw from the following building blocks during
UN Security Council consultations on the UN Integrated
Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) scheduled for February 19,
2009. Department requests that post reclear the final
statement if it is significantly and substantively different
than the building blocks below.
Begin building blocks.
We warmly welcome President Jose Ramos-Horta, and
congratulate him, Prime Minister Gusmao, and the political
leadership, state institutions, and the Timorese people, for
their courage in restoring peace and stability to the
country. We congratulate all of them for the significant
progress they have made since the crisis in 2006 and the
events of February 11, 2008, in which there were attempts to
take the lives of both Prime Minister Gusmao and President
Ramos-Horta.
The United States also commends the advances that
President Ramos-Horta and the Timorese government have made
in creating opportunities for all political parties to make
significant contributions to areas of national interest. We
are confident that such positive involvement will continue.
I must echo the sentiments the Special Representative
of the Secretary-General (SRSG),Atul Khare, made to my
colleagues in Washington when he emphasized that it is time
for the Timorese to take control of and address the
underlying causes of the issues that bring instability to
Timor-Leste. This must be done through promotion of a
culture of democratic values, including the development of
compromise solutions, accountability, and transparency.
Security sector reform (SSR) is a primary issue that
must be addressed. Timor-Leste has taken positive steps
forward, and must continue with the momentum of reform. The
National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) and UNMIT police must
strengthen cooperation and constructive engagement,
particularly as the PNTL gradually resumes policing
responsibilities. The United States also encourages
stakeholders to carry on efforts to increase the
effectiveness of the PNTL.
Likewise, Timorese leadership must clarify roles and
responsibilities between the Timor-Leste Defense Force
(F-FDTL) and the PNTL, including defining a meaningful role
for military forces in a peacetime setting, and determining
what types of police units would be most effective in the
country. Augmented civilian oversight and accountability
mechanisms are vital to both security institutions.
The responsibility and independence of the judiciary
is critical to sustained progress in Timor-Leste. The
Timorese must persist in their fight for justice, and
establish a system of accountability for criminal offenses.
Equally important, Timorese must take strong action
against the culture of impunity in order to achieve true and
meaningful reconciliation. We consequently believe that the
leadership in Timor-Leste should continue to pursue
accountability for criminal offenses committed during the
2006 crisis.
We maintain our support for the efforts of the
Secretary-General and the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in their promotion of a coordinated
approach to justice sector reform, based on an independent
needs assessment.
The United States expresses concern over the increase
in poverty in Timor-Leste, as noted in the report of the
Secretary-General, and agrees with stakeholders that
implementation by Timorese leadership of rural development
policies and targeted programs aimed at reducing poverty
levels and lowering the unemployment rate are critical.
The United States encourages the international
community to assist the Government of Timor-Leste with local
elections, currently planned for this year. The United
States also encourages UNMIT to support this effort, acting
within its mandate.
We welcome the return of a substantial number of
internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes. We are
optimistic that the Timorese will continue the process of
STATE 00014578 002 OF 002
reintegration into their communities. However, we remain
concerned about those IDPs who are unwelcome or otherwise
unable to return to their communities of origin, as well as
those who claim they have no communities to return to. We
urge the Timorese to find sustainable solutions for these
vulnerable citizens. Furthermore, we encourage the Timorese
to closely monitor the status of returned IDPs in the coming
months as their resettlement funds are depleted.
The United States stresses its support for the efforts
of the Government of Timor-Leste in developing a national
gender equality policy and strategy, which we believe is a
key to success in Timorese society.
We encourage the Government of Timor-Leste to consider
peacebuilding capacities in areas such as IDP integration,
employment and empowerment, and socio-economic development.
The United States welcomes the February 4 report of the
Secretary-General, and acknowledges the work done by the
Secretary-General, the Government of Timor-Leste, the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General and UNMIT, as well as
the international community in developing a medium-term
strategy and establishing benchmarks for measuring and
tracking progress in Timor-Leste.
Finally, the United States would like to commend
Timor-Leste for its advancements and its achievements, and
would like to recognize the hard work of Special
Representative of the Secretary-General, Atul Khare, the
dedicated UNMIT staff who serve alongside him, and the UN
Country Team for their efforts. We also would like to pay
tribute to the bilateral and multilateral partners for the
positive impacts they have made in Timor-Leste, and the
international security forces who work diligently to maintain
law and stability.
End building blocks.
CLINTON