UNMIL HEAD SAYS LIBERIAN PEACE IS FRAGILE; FRANCE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000297 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC LI XY SUBJECT: UNMIL HEAD SAYS LIBERIAN PEACE IS FRAGILE; FRANCE CALLS DRAWDOWN PLAN "TIMID" ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: SRSG Loj told the Security Council on March 19 that UNMIL would complete its second drawdown by March 31, reducing troop levels to 10,200. Loj described the numerous external and internal threats facing Liberia. Ambassador Rice strongly supported UNMIL, its plan for troop levels, and the Liberian President's efforts. French PermRep Ripert called UNMIL's methodical drawdown "timid," saying the current plan seemed "excessive." The UK called for "right-sizing" UNMIL. Uganda, Burkina Faso, Libya, Russia, China, Turkey, and Viet Nam supported the current plan. France, Mexico, Austria, and Costa Rica were concerned that Liberia's death penalty law remains on the books. END SUMMARY. SRSG LOJ SAYS ASSESSMENT MISSION WILL GO IN APRIL ¶2. (SBU) Special Representative for the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Coordinator of United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Ellen Margrethe Loj briefed the Security Council on the fragile state of Liberia's peace. She told the Security Council the phase II drawdown called for in SCR 1836 will leave 10,200 troops in country on March 31 (a reduction of 1,460 troops). She reported one of the two additional formed police units (FPUs) authorized by SCR 1836 had arrived, and the other was due to arrive by May. Loj said a technical assessment mission (TAM) would be carried out in April to review the situation on the ground and to evaluate the planned phase III drawdown (which, as currently planned, will decrease troop levels from 10,200 to 8,200 by March 2010). MANY REGIONAL AND INTERNAL RISKS TO LIBERIA'S FRAGILE PEACE ¶3. (SBU) Loj stressed the regional challenges to Liberia's peace, which she said include: the recent coup in Guinea; the instability in Cote d'Ivoire; the rising threat of international drug trafficking through West Africa; and regional arms trafficking. Internal challenges, she said, include ethnic tensions, land ownership disputes, and the lack of public trust in the security sector and rule of law institutions. She noted that violent incidents flare up on short notice, citing the February 27 riots in Gbarnga involving more than 100 people, which required Liberian police and UNMIL military intervention to restore order. Loj believed Liberia's limited national capacity, including its nascent army and ill-equipped police, added to the fragility of its peace. She said planned 2011 elections will be a crucial test for Liberia, and Liberia required continual international support to maintain its stability in its unstable region. Loj praised Liberian President Johnson-Sirleaf for her efforts to rebuild the country. AMBASSADOR RICE STRONGLY OPPOSES DRAWDOWN ACCELERATION ¶4. (SBU) Ambassador Rice stressed the U.S. remains deeply committed to Liberia and to UNMIL. She offered strong support for maintaining UNMIL's present and planned troop levels, saying the UN must avoid any risks to the great gains made in Liberia. She called Liberia a UN success story, and recognized Liberia is, to a large extent, meeting the benchmarks set out for it. Rice said the U.S. has invested $215 million to assist Liberia in building its armed forces and is enhancing bilateral police development efforts. She also underscored the efforts of President Johnson-Sirleaf, praising the president for her exceptional leadership. UGANDA, BURKINA FASO, LIBYA, VIET NAM, TURKEY, RUSSIA, AND CHINA ALSO SUPPORT CURRENT TROOP LEVELS ¶5. (SBU) Ugandan PermRep Rugunda said the troop numbers for both Liberia's army and UNMIL could even be too low, and he warned economizing should not be the determining factor for protecting the country. He supported the current troop numbers and was concerned the security sector could be overwhelmed if any further troop reductions took place. Burkinabe PermRep Kafando stressed Liberia was at a critical juncture, and agreed with Uganda's call not to accelerate UNMIL's troop drawdown. Turkey, Viet Nam, Libya, Russia, and China all supported the existing drawdown schedule. China summed it up by saying "haste makes waste." FRENCH CALL DRAWDOWN PLAN "TIMID" ¶6. (SBU) French PermRep Ripert said the SYG's recent report was "timid," claiming UNMIL should have implemented the next troop reduction immediately. UNMIL's lack of action was contrary to how he believed the Council had instructed UNMIL last September. He said a troop level of 8,200 through the 2011 elections (as recommended in the latest UNMIL report) seemed excessive. Ripert complained it was not the Council's intent to allow a six-month pause between the phase II and phase III drawdowns. (COMMENT: The French points are not/not supported by Council or DPKO agreements. There was no decision for an immediate implementation of phase III and the original drawdown plan allows three months for logistical consolidation between phases, and the deployment and review of an assessment mission, before considering further troop reductions. END COMMENT). UK PUSHES for "RIGHT-SIZING" UNMIL; WANTS REGULAR TECHNICAL MEETINGS ¶7. (SBU) UK PermRep Sawers noted the regional threats, but stressed the "positive trend" Liberia was exhibiting. He said the Council must focus on "right-sizing" UNMIL, and stressed the TAM should look for potential ways to drawdown troop levels. Sawers called for a political and military briefing on the threats facing Liberia. (COMMENT: Regular technical briefings are a part of the new UK vision for how the Council should review all peacekeeping operations. Some in the UN, including SRSG Loj, fear this might be a UK effort to micromanage DPKO's work. END COMMENT). JAPAN STRESSES FOOD SECURITY, GLOBAL VIEW OF PEACEKEEPING ¶8. (SBU) Japanese PermRep Takasu stressed Liberia needed to strengthen its capacity in the security sector. He said the most important issue for any nation was food security, and he was encouraged by the UN's integrated approach to development challenges and food distribution in Liberia. Takasu explained that the UN needed to maximize scarce peacekeeping resources in light of the global demand, while acknowledging the real risks facing Liberia before its 2011 elections. DEATH PENALTY A CONCERN FOR FRANCE, MEXICO, AUSTRIA, AND COSTA RICA ¶9. (SBU) France, Mexico, Austria, Costa Rica all voiced concern regarding Liberia's capital punishment law. France wanted to know why the SYG's report did not address the issue to which Loj replied, "because nothing happened on it during the reporting period." WOLFF