SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS CONTINUED UN ENGAGEMENT

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001054 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC MA XO XW SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS CONTINUED UN ENGAGEMENT IN MADAGASCAR ¶1. (SBU) During Security Council consultations on November 17, UN Mediator Tiebile Drame welcomed the decision of all four major parties to form a transitional Madagascar government during a meeting in Addis Ababa on November 6-7. He noted that only three of the 31 government ministries had yet to be assigned to a party, and said the Malagasy had requested UN assistance during the transition period, particularly with elections and the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission. Drame reported that the UN had already sent its deputy director for electoral assistance to Madagascar to investigate how the UN could best assist. He commented that constant mediation would be required to ensure elections are held, and cautioned that Madagascar's root causes of instability needed to be addressed. ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador DiCarlo thanked Drame for his efforts to bring the parties to this negotiated settlement. She said that the U.S. was encouraged by this consensual agreement and that the focus now must be on implementing the Addis commitments. She was joined by all Council members in praising Drame's work and in encouraging him and the UN to continue efforts to return Madagascar to constitutional order. French Deputy PermRep de Riviere suggested an ad hoc trust fund could be an effective way to offer electoral assistance. ¶3. (SBU) Following the meeting, Austrian PermRep Mayr-Harting, as president of the Council, gave press remarks, agreed to Council members. The remarks, inter alia, encouraged the political actors to rapidly conclude the formation of the government and encouraged the joint mediation team (including the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the UN, and the International Community of la Francophonie) to continue its efforts to help implement the Addis agreement. Wolff