MONUC EXTENDED 5 MONTHS; MANDATE CALLS FOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001159 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM XA UNSC CG RW SUBJECT: MONUC EXTENDED 5 MONTHS; MANDATE CALLS FOR ENFORCING CONDITIONALITY ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Security Council unanimously renewed MONUC's mandate on December 23 for 5 months, with the intention to further extend it an additional 12 months. During Council consultations on December 16, SRSG Doss said the "Kimia II" operations against the FDLR would end in December, and would be followed by a more targeted operation, which included a "clear, hold, build" strategy for former FDLR territories. Doss warned of the volatility in the Kivus, and said "warlordism" could return if the GDRC went after all high-ranking military leaders accused of abuses. The Council agreed that Protection of Civilians was MONUC's top priority. USUN solicited views from the top five troop contributors to MONUC prior to negotiating the new resolution. END SUMMARY. MANDATE EXTENDED 5 MONTHS 12, STRONG CONDITIONALITY ¶2. (SBU) On December 23, the Security Council unanimously renewed the UN Mission in the DRC's (MONUC) mandate until May 31, 2010, with the intention to extend it for an additional 12 months, under SCR 1906. The mandate prioritizes MONUC's tasks, in order, as: (1) protection of civilians (PoC); (2) disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement, and reintegration (DDRRR); and (3) security sector reform (SSR). The mandate, inter alia, conditions MONUC's support to the DRC army (FARDC) on joint planning, especially regarding the protection of civilians, and demands that the GDRC take measures to protect civilians, in furtherance of SCR 1888 (2009). COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS: KIMIA II TO END THIS MONTH... ¶3. (SBU) MONUC Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Alan Doss told the Council in closed consultations on December 16 that the MONUC-supported FARDC "Kimia II" operation against the FDLR would end by December ¶31. "Kimia II" would be followed by a more targeted phase of operations, tentatively entitled "Amani Leo," (Swahili for "Peace Today") to be launched in January. He said MONUC would assist the FARDC in implementing a "clear, hold, build" strategy for areas occupied by the FDLR, then implement an SSR program to build state authority. ...KIVUS COULD "EXPLODE;" IMPUNITY AND BOSCO... ¶4. (SBU) While Doss acknowledged the need to address impunity, especially within the FARDC, he cautioned that the Kivus would "explode" if all military leaders accused of atrocities were removed from command positions. Doss said that he feared new militias or rebel groups would form and "warlordism" could appear. He also noted that International Criminal Court (ICC) indictee Bosco Ntaganda was surrounding himself with supporters and might look to break up CNDP integration if he believed he would be turned over to the ICC. ...DIFFICULTY IMPLEMENTING MARCH 23 AGREEMENTS ¶5. (SBU) Doss said the implementation of the March 23 peace agreements was slowing down. The integration of former CNDP combatants into the FARDC was not moving forward due to, in part, the failure to commission CNDP officers and address rank issues. Doss said additional funding was required to ensure full implementation of the agreements as well as the payment of the new FARDC members. COUNCIL REACTIONS ¶6. (SBU) French PR Araud emphasized that MONUC withdrawal at this time risked undermining the stability of the DRC. He stressed that the Council must prepare for transition, but MONUC could not leave until the DRC had credible state authority. Ambassador DiCarlo stressed the need for accountability at the highest levels of government, and said that conditioning further UN support on adequate protection of civilians is critical if MONUC is to maintain its credibility. Ugandan PR Rugunda seconded DiCarlo's call to expeditiously complete a comprehensive strategic review of MONUC. All Council members, including China, agreed PoC was the top priority for MONUC. NEGOTIATIONS: CHINA'S UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO REPRIORITIZE MONUC ¶7. (SBU) During Council negotiations on the mandate text, China supported prioritizing DDRRR efforts ahead of SSR and PoC, apparently at the behest of the GDRC. Unified Council USUN NEW Y 00001159 002 OF 002 opposition convinced China to withdraw its proposal. USUN OUTREACH TO TOP 5 MONUC TROOP CONTRIBUTORS WARMLY RECEIVED ¶8. (SBU) USUN Military Advisors met with the Uruguayan, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi Military advisors prior to the renewal of the MONUC mandate, and Poloff met with Indian and South African poloffs to solicit their views. All five countries commended the United States on our outreach and for listening to the TCC's input in the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping. The interlocutors welcomed the U.S.'s efforts to solicit feedback from those countries charged with carrying out the mandate. They used the opportunity to state that MONUC had a very aggressive mandate, but does not have the resources to carry it out, specifically air and intelligence assets. RICE