Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USUNNEWYORK1033
2009-11-13 22:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:  

AMB RICE MEETS SPECIAL ENVOY TO PAKISTAN RIPERT

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER PREF EAID PK 
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PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #1033 3172243
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 132243Z NOV 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7616
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2588
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0317
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001033 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PREF EAID PK
SUBJECT: AMB RICE MEETS SPECIAL ENVOY TO PAKISTAN RIPERT

REF: ISLAMABAD 02696

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001033

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PREF EAID PK
SUBJECT: AMB RICE MEETS SPECIAL ENVOY TO PAKISTAN RIPERT

REF: ISLAMABAD 02696


1. (C) SUMMARY: Jean-Maurice Ripert met with Ambassador Rice
after returning from his initial trip to Pakistan in his new
capacity as UN Special Envoy for Assistance. His opening
words to Ambassador Rice: "It doesn't go well." He met with
a weaker government and more dire security situation than he
had anticipated. Ripert confirmed his need for additional
staff to support his mission, especially if he is to take on
the additional role of coordinating the Friends of Democratic
Pakistan (FODP) duties, following the recent resignation of
Jean Arnault. Ripert is concerned that international donors
want the UN to work on long-term, root cause economic
development and rule of law issues, while Pakistani officials
have stressed the need for the UN to stay squarely focused on
shorter-term humanitarian assistance. End Summary.


2. (C) On November 11, Ambassador Rice met with Jean-Maurice
Ripert, the newly appointed Special Envoy for Assistance to
Pakistan. His first trip to Pakistan in his new capacity
took place in late October, and he had returned to New York
this week for consultations. His opening words to Ambassador
Rice were "It doesn't go well." In rapid-fire succession
Ripert detailed that the Pakistani government is weak, shaky
and directionless, with the President facing legal charges
soon; the military is bombing villages causing extreme human
rights concerns; and, the "security situation is disastrous."



3. (C) Concerned by the security situation he experienced
during his first trip to Pakistan, he stressed the immediate
need for the UN to "completely rethink" its security posture
in Pakistan, noting that unlike UN missions in Afghanistan
and Iraq, there is no international security force to assist
in Pakistan. He questioned the UN's ability to orchestrate
and finance the security arrangements needed in Pakistan to
provide for UN staff safety.


4. (SBU) With weariness, saying he had worked the last month
"alone with my three cell phones and piles of papers," Ripert
stressed that he needs staff, especially in light of the
likely addition of the FODP duties to his terms of reference.
Ripert suggested the addition of two deputies at the D-1 or
D-2 level - one to focus on donor coordination and one on
FODP - and additional support staff for a total
Islamabad-based office of 5-10 persons. He specifically
requested a human rights staffer given the ongoing "internal
police actions." Ripert stressed the need for quality people
over quantity and lamented that the UN hiring process will be
slow. Rice recommended that Ripert make his needs for
additional staffing clearly known to SYG Ban and promised
strong USG backing.


5. (SBU) As a result of Jean Arnault's decision to resign as
Special Advisor to the FODP, Ripert expressed his willingness
to take on this responsibility, if the U.S. wished him to do
so. He noted, "there is coherence to adding this duty to the
Special Envoy's overall role," but emphasized that the FODP
is not a UN-led institution, but rather a political group
co-chaired by the U.S., UK and Pakistan.


6. (SBU) Ripert reported that the 2010 UN humanitarian appeal
for Pakistan will be greater than $750 million and will
included recovery and reconstruction projects. In his initial
meetings with Pakistani officials, they stressed the need for
tangible reconstruction projects such as schools and health
clinics. Ripert briefly registered his dismay at the low
level of UN and World Bank coordination and noted that the
Bank's multi-donor trust fund is "not fully functional." He
also noted the need for future planning of long-term recovery
and post conflict projects, such as economic development and
rule of law. Ripert recognizes that international donors
will be reluctant to support a UN mission without a long-term
plan; unfortunately, however, his initial interactions with
Pakistani officials showed their strong preference to keep
the UN focused on humanitarian assistance.
Rice