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OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #4593/01 3511155
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O 171155Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8542
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC//NSC// IMMEDIATE
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0557
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0170

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004593 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2016 
TAGS: PREL KDEM PHUM IO IZ
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR DEMARCH ON UNAMI DRAWDOWN 
 
REF: A. BAGHDAD 4422 
 
     ¶B. BAGHDAD 4581 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) This is an Action Request for the Department.  See 
paras 7 and 8. 
 
¶2. (C) SUMMARY: UN Special Representative to the Secretary 
General (SRSG) Ashraf Qazi sent a cable on November 27 to HQ 
UN which recommended a major reduction of staff in Iraq. 
Under this recommendation, which was quickly approved based 
on security concerns, the United Nations Assistance Mission 
Iraq (UNAMI) has already begun a staff transfer to Amman, 
Jordan, and Kuwait City, Kuwait.  Our understanding is that 
this draw down will reduce their overall manning in Iraq by 
approximately 40 percent.  U.S. Embassy Baghdad believes this 
reduction sends the wrong message to the Iraqi people, the 
Iraqi government, the NGO community and our coalition 
partners in Iraqi.  We also believe this draw down will 
significantly impact UNAMI's ability to remain effectively 
engaged in Iraq at a critical time.  Embassy requests the 
Department -- through a proposed demarche to be delivered by 
USUN -- express its strongest concerns to HQ UN over this 
staff reduction and urge the UN to revise or reverse this 
decision.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------- 
THE DRAW DOWN AS WE UNDERSTAND IT 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) SRSG Qazi sent a cable to Headquarters UN on November 
27 recommending that UNAMI staffing in Iraq be reduced from 
95 to 55 positions as soon as possible.  We have been told 
that under this recommendation, which was quickly approved, 
these 40 positions and their incumbents would be moved to 
Amman, Jordan, and Kuwait City, Kuwait, where they could 
continue to support UNAMI's efforts remotely.  This 
realignment has already begun and is expected to be complete 
in coming weeks. UNAMI currently has 91 staff members in 
country, of which about 36 will depart.  This represents a 
40% reduction of in-country staff. 
 
¶4. (C) We have been told the recommendation for the staff 
realignment was based on security concerns, specifically, the 
lack of hard cover protection from indirect fire over UNAMI's 
housing compound.  Deputy SRSG Michael von der Schulenburg 
stated to US Embassy officials on December 12 that it would 
cost an estimated 33 million USD to construct overhead 
protection for the housing trailers occupied by UNAMI staff, 
and this was a major factor in their decision to draw down. 
Schulenburg characterized the draw down as temporary, saying 
it would last until the security situation stabilizes or the 
housing protection issue is resolved.  He hinted that there 
was some flexibility in the manning and that it would be 
re-evaluated in approximately four months. 
 
----------------------------- 
THE DRAWDOWN'S IMPACT IN IRAQ 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The UN decision to draw down in Baghdad jeopardizes 
the UN's ability to carry out needed projects in Iraq and has 
already begun to have an impact.  For example, the reduction 
in UNAMI's constitutional review team -- which has gone from 
three Baghdad-based staff members to one -- has negatively 
and visibly led to diminished UN engagement in advising the 
Iraqi Council of Representatives on Constitutional review. 
We are also concerned about planned cuts in personnel working 
on the political team, which is going from nine to three 
Baghdad-based personnel.  This team has been a consistent 
advocate for national dialogue and legislative engagement. 
The human rights team has similarly been reduced, from three 
to two Baghdad-based staff members, and we understand there 
are planned reductions in many other key offices. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Even prior to these cuts, the UN was operating in 
Baghdad at a level much lower than circumstances require -- 
for instance, there has been no UNHCR international 
representative in a country with one of the highest number of 
Internally Displace Persons in the world.  UN staff working 
in Amman cannot engage Iraqi government officials, members of 
parliament, or key nongovernmental players in Iraq in a 
sufficiently sustained manner to influence events in this 
rapidly changing political environment. 
 
-------------- 
Action Request 
-------------- 
 
BAGHDAD 00004593  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Taking into consideration these concerns with regard 
to the UNAMI drawdown, post requests the Department instruct 
USUN to demarche the UNSYG or other appropriate high level UN 
official, taking into consideration the following points: 
 
-- We are strongly concerned about the UN decision to draw 
down UNAMI staff posted in Baghdad by approximately 40 
percent; 
 
-- The decision, which was taken without external 
consultation, took the U.S. and others in the international 
community by surprise.  It comes at an important juncture in 
international efforts to help Iraqis reduce violence and 
undertake National Reconciliation; 
 
-- Without a robust presence in Baghdad, we are concerned 
that the UN will not be able to respond dynamically to 
rapidly changing circumstances in Iraq or engage in a 
sustained manner with key Iraqi decision-makers; 
 
-- 2007 will be a critical year in the development of Iraqi 
Democracy, with key decisions to be made on the final status 
of Kirkuk, the review of the constitution, and the role of 
provincial governments.  There is also a strong possibility 
of referenda on Kirkuk and constitutional review, as well as 
a new round of elections for provincial councils.  The 
decision to reduce UN staff will impede the international 
community's ability to assist Iraq in meeting these 
challenges; 
 
-- In a broader sense, the decision to draw down UNAMI in 
Baghdad could also be interpreted as a significant lessoning 
of the UN's commitment to the Iraqi government and citizens 
who are struggling in Iraq for freedom from oppression and to 
establish security.  It sends a signal to the rest of the 
international community that the UN sees efforts in Iraq as 
too tough or difficult to resolve; 
 
-- We understand the fundamental importance of security for 
international personnel working in Iraq.  We, ourselves, take 
numerous measures to lessen the risk presented to staff 
serving in Iraq.  However, as we all take steps to improve 
security, we cannot in the interim lessen our commitment to 
the Iraqi government or people; 
 
-- We strongly urge the UN to reverse the decision to draw 
down the staff of UNAMI in Baghdad, and to take every step to 
ensure full staffing as you make those security upgrades you 
deem feasible.  Resuming fully UNAMI operations in Iraq's 
capital would indicate to Iraqis and the world the commitment 
of the UN to Iraq's democracy; 
 
-- We would hope the UN would further consider taking steps 
to actually increase its presence in Baghdad, perhaps through 
the positioning of permanent international staff from UNHCR 
or other key agencies under represented or not represented at 
all in Iraq. 
 
¶8. (C) Post requests the Department consider seeking support 
from other Coalition governments, including through 
requesting they also demarche the UN at a high level on this 
issue. 
KHALILZAD