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