AMBASSADOR RICE AND UNMIL SRSG LOJ DISCUSS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000278

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC LI XY
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE AND UNMIL SRSG LOJ DISCUSS
CHALLENGES FACING LIBERIA


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)
Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Ellen
Margrethe Loj told Ambassador Rice she believed at least
8,000 troops should remain in Liberia through the 2011
election. Loj cautioned that the French and UK might attempt
to force additional troop reductions through the Security
Council, and Loj was concerned UNMIL's benchmarks could also
be modified. Loj described the external and internal threats
facing Liberia. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) In a meeting with Ambassador Rice on March 16, SRSG
Loj said there was "still a lot to be done" in Liberia. Loj
was worried the French and British might try to push for an
additional UNMIL drawdown below 8,000 troops, even though Loj
believed Liberia needed at least 8,000 troops through the
2011 election. Loj suggested the French and UK may be using
the "window of opportunity" of the U.S. transition to force
Council action on a troop reduction. She also was concerned
UNMIL's benchmarks could be modified (the benchmarks were
created in 2006 and refined in 2007 and in 2008),which would
"move the goalposts" yet again.


3. (SBU) Loj said Liberia required the creation of the
security sector, a new army, and massive infrastructure
development. She anticipated the army, currently with 2,000
people in training, would be ready in 2012. The police, with
3,700 in training, lacked proper equipment, transportation,
and funding, according to Loj.


4. (SBU) Loj said threats to Liberia's peace and security
were both external and internal. Externally, Loj listed the
recent coup in Guinea, the roughly 2,000 armed Ivorian
ex-combatants on the Cote d'Ivoire border, and the numerous
weapons in the region as threats. Internally, Loj warned
that Liberia's former combatants were a concern, since they
were motivated more for financial than political reasons and
thus were easily influenced. Additionally, she cautioned
that former President Charles Taylor (on trial for war crimes
in The Hague) still had vocal supporters in country. She
said Liberians did not trust the police or justice system.


5. (SBU) Politically, SRSG Loj said the opposition was
becoming very aggressive against President Johnson-Sirleaf.
Loj believed Johnson-Sirleaf "now must deliver the peace
dividend," but the president's efforts were hampered by the
global economic crisis, which was affecting Liberia. She
reported unemployment and underemployment affected between 80
to 85 percent of the population, and said foreign investment
was low.


6. (SBU) Ambassador Rice praised SRSG Loj's leadership and
looked forward to supporting UNMIL's efforts during Security
Council consultations on March 19.
Rice