UNSC CONSULTATIONS: LIBERIA AND COTE D'IVOIRE

UNCLAS STATE 065114

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO LI
SUBJECT: UNSC CONSULTATIONS: LIBERIA AND COTE D'IVOIRE

REF: STATE 25568


1. (U) USUN may draw on the points in paragraph 3 for the
June 25 Security Council consultations. We understand that
U/SYG LeRoy will brief on his recent visits to both Liberia
and Cote d'Ivoire, so have included points on both countries.


2. (U) The Secretary-General's June 10 report on Liberia
S/2009/299 includes a summary of the findings of the
Technical Assistance Mission (TAM) that visited Liberia from
April 26 to May 6, and endorses those recommendations. The
TAM concluded that, given the current security situation, the
continuing but still limited progress in developing Liberian
security institutions, and the likely need for UN support for
the 2011 Liberian elections, there could be some small
adjustments to the UNMIL drawdown plan. Specifically, the
TAM recommended moving up to mid-2010 the original December
2010 target date for drawing down UNMIL,s military strength
to 7,952 troops in Liberia and 250 troops in Sierra Leone
(total of 8,202). The TAM also recommended reducing the
number of vehicles and aircraft, as well as further
consolidation of UNMIL locations. The TAM recommended
maintaining police at the current levels. The report took
into account a possible need for UNMIL to temporarily
reinforce UNOCI (with one military company and four
helicopters) a month before the Ivorian elections, currently
scheduled for November 29, 2009, but notes that once UNMIL
has completed the third phase of its drawdown, in May 2010,
it will not have sufficient capacity to reinforce UNOCI (that
is, if the Ivorian elections are postponed again, it may not
be possible for UNMIL to provide additional capacity). The
U.S. supports the Secretary-General's recommendations. A
joint Department of Political Affairs/UN Development Program
electoral needs assessment went to Liberia in May; the
Secretary-General will include recommendations on the UN's
(including UNMIL's) role in the 2011 elections in his
mid-August report. UNMIL's current mandate will expire on
September 30, 2009.


3. (U) Begin points:

-- We thank U/SYG LeRoy for his briefing on his recent visit
to Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire.

-- The U.S. continues to work in close cooperation with the
UN and the Government of Liberia in developing good
governance and a solidly-based Liberian security architecture
which will be sustainable over the long term.

-- We welcome the Secretary-General's recommendations, which
represent a well-informed and thorough review of the
situation on the ground by the Technical Assessment Mission,
as well as by SRSG Loej and her military, political and
civilian advisors.

-- They call for a very slight acceleration in the pace of
phase three of UNMIL's drawdown beyond what the Council
approved last September, moving up the end date by six
months, but clearly endorse the repeated findings of the UN's
experts that we should not take precipitous steps to draw
down more rapidly than is prudent. As we have said before,
crises in Liberia have in the past affected the entire
sub-region, and the United States believes that we should
take the long view, rather than risking the work of years by
too hasty a departure.

-- We also look forward to his recommendations in his next
report on the appropriate role for the UN in the 2011
Liberian elections.

-- We wish to thank the Panel of Experts for its midterm
report recommending several options to further strengthen the
efficacy of the sanctions regime. The United States is
exploring ways we can be responsive to President Sirleaf's
request for support building the GOL's ability to carry out
its assets freeze obligations.

-- The United States commends the invaluable assistance that
UNMIL is providing to the Government of Liberia in
re-establishing proper administration of its natural
resources and authority in mining and forestry areas, and
believes that this help is still needed.

-- In that regard, we welcome the passage by the Liberian
legislature of the "Act Establishing the Liberia Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative."

-- We also wish to express our support for continued
cooperation and collaboration between the Liberia Panel of
Experts and the Cote d'Ivoire Sanctions Committee's Group of
Experts.

-- As the Liberia Panel,s recommended, we encourage the
Government of Liberia to continue to strengthen its internal
controls on diamond mining and trading and to enhance
collaboration with the Kimberley Process and neighboring
countries, to ensure that diamonds from Cote d'Ivoire do not
enter Liberia for subsequent export as Liberian diamonds in
contravention of the Ivorian diamond ban.

-- The United States continues to encourage the Ivorian
parties to carry out their commitments, in order to hold
free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections as scheduled
on November 29. No one can be more weary than the Ivorian
people of the repeated delays and postponements. We urge all
concerned to act in the common interest of their country and
take the steps necessary for Cote d'Ivoire to return to
political stability and prosperity.

-- We thank the men and women of UNMIL and UNOCI for their
continuing dedication and sacrifice.

End points.
CLINTON