SYG BAN BRIEFS UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON OCTOBER 28

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000985

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2019
TAGS: PREL PREF PGOV KPKO OVIP
SUBJECT: SYG BAN BRIEFS UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON OCTOBER 28
KABUL ATTACK

REF: USUN976

Classified By: Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: During a briefing to the UN General
Assembly on October 30, Secretary-General Ban addressed the
October 28 attack in Kabul which killed five and injured nine
UN staff, and discussed the broader implications of the
incident on the near-term safety and security of UN staff in
Afghanistan. Similar to his briefing to the Security Council
the day before, SYG Ban gave an overview of the guesthouse
attack, discussed the possibility of future attacks on UN
staff, and provided ideas on how to improve the security
conditions for UN staff. He detailed the financial support
needed from members to support additional security measures
for UN staff. Ban noted that during the attack the UN sought
assistance from Afghan security forces and "other
international support", which took more than an hour to
arrive. Following Ban's briefing, a number of members made
comments unanimously condemning the attack, providing
condolences, and assuring continued support to the UN in
Afghanistan. End summary.


2. (C) On October 30, Secretary-General Ban briefed the UN
General Assembly in connection with the security situation in
Afghanistan. Similar to his briefing to the Security Council
the day before, SYG Ban addressed members about the October
28 attack in Kabul which killed five and injured nine UN
staff. Ban acknowledged that were it not for the brave
actions of the UN DSS officials who were armed only with
pistols, the attackers armed with suicide vests, automatic
weapons and grenades could have done far more damage. (Note:
The one UN DSS agent killed was an American citizen. End
note.) Ban stated that during the attack the UN repeatedly
sought assistance from Afghan security forces and "other
international support," which took more than an hour to
arrive, and noted that the UN is still "sorting out the
facts" in regards to this "delay." (Note: Unlike Ban's
briefing to the Security Council on October 29, in the
General Assembly briefing he did not mention ISAF directly.
End note.)


3. (C) Ban confirmed that the UN will not abandon its mission
in Afghanistan as a result of the attack; however, he noted
that UN staff not on critical election duties are being asked
to take accrued annual leave and that consolidation of UN
staff residences and work locations is being reviewed with
the UN country team. Ban reiterated that he has convened a
group of UN agency heads to further discuss possible actions
to improve security for UN staff and that these discussions
are on-going. (Note: On the margins of this briefing the
head of UNDSS told Ambassador DiCarlo that he would travel to
Kabul to review security and to make further recommendations
for improvements to SYG Ban. End note.) As he had mentioned
in the Council briefing the day before, Ban reiterated that
President Karzai pledged additional Afghan security support
to the UN.


4. (U) Ban told member states that it is "up to them to back
up the UN staff" with the financial support needed to make
them safer in the field. Unlike the Security Council
briefing, Ban provided concrete requests to the General
Assembly, which included: (1) supplement the UN screening and
access project by $50M, (2) expand spending authority during
times of crisis to a level greater than the current $1M cap,
(3) create a $25M emergency fund, (4) increase UN staff
hardship differentials, (5) establish a $10M family fund to
cover the immediate and long-term needs of family members of
UN staffers killed or wounded.


5. (C) Following Ban's briefing, a number of member states -
UAE, Afghanistan, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, EU, Germany, India,
Norway, Turkey, Republic of Korea, Italy, Pakistan and Iran -
spoke and unanimously condemned the attack, provided
condolences, and assured continued support to UN efforts
through the elections and beyond. All welcomed the SYG's
request for immediate additional support related to security,
although no Members made any firm commitments. The UAE
underscored its assistance in evacuating 27 UN staff to Dubai
for trauma support following the October 28 guesthouse
attack. Egypt asked how the UN can strengthen its
coordination with Afghan security forces and ISAF to better
protect UN staff. Germany asked if the UN needed protections
in Afghanistan similar to that provided by MNF-I in Iraq.
Turkey reminded members that in the coming days it will take
over ISAF command in Kabul and will increase its troop
numbers in Afghanistan. The Republic of Korea announced its
decision to increase the number of civilian workers and to
open a PRT in Afghanistan.

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