SRSG EIDE MEETS WITH AMBASSADOR RICE

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000642

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC AF
SUBJECT: SRSG EIDE MEETS WITH AMBASSADOR RICE

Classified By: AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D


1. (C) SRSG Kai Eide met briefly with Ambassador Rice on June
29, in advance of his June 30 briefing to the Security
Council on UNAMA/Afghanistan. Eide previewed his
intervention. First, he will focus on planning for elections
while also rejecting the accusation of "foreign
interference." (In a private one-on-one with Ambassador
Rice, Eide expressed grave concern that some influential
foreign officials were in fact putting their hands on the
electoral scales.) He will also touch upon aid
effectiveness, donor coordination, the regional dimension,
the goal of announcing benchmarks at the next quarterly
report and more resources for UNAMA. Ambassador Rice said
the U.S. would be supportive of Eide and UNAMA, and noted
that in the coming weeks the U.S. would work with Council
members to adopt a Presidential Statement on the Afghanistan
elections and funding for UNAMA.


2. (C) Eide said he would clearly describe the "very
promising developments" in Afghanistan. He said there were
many examples of all actors doing a much better job. He said
he would also praise General McChrystal,s recent statement
that U.S. and NATO forces needed to undertake a fundamental
shift in Afghanistan, from conventional warfare to protecting
civilians.
RICE