This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 001523 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USEU FOR MEZNAR, USUN FOR MALY, POSTS FOR REFCOORDS. ROME 
FOR FODAG. 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2007 
TAGS: PREF UNHCR
SUBJECT: UNHCR: AMBITIOUS AGENDA OUTLINED BY NEW HIGH 
COMMISSIONER 
 
REF: A. GENEVA 1380 
 
     ¶B. GENEVA 1454 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR KEVIN E. MOLEY, 1.4 B AND D 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  Ambassador Moley paid a courtesy call on 
Antonio Guterres June 14, the eve of Guterres' assumption of 
post as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
(UNHCR.)  On June 17, Guterres met with a larger group in an 
informal session of UNHCR's Executive Committee (ExCom).  In 
both venues, Guterres came across as energetic, well-briefed 
on UNHCR issues, and particularly concerned about recent 
incidents of refoulement (Burundi, Kyrgyzstan, and possibly 
the Dominican Republic.)  In the meeting with Moley, Guterres 
was dismissive of the short-sightedness and sclerosis of 
Western European countries and their fear of immigration; he 
spoke of asylum as a core strength of democracies; and he 
demonstrated a willingness to engage former high-level 
colleagues on UNHCR's issues.  In the ExCom meeting, Guterres 
focused on three choices facing the organization: improving 
transparency; closing the gap between protection and 
operations as well as between HQ and the field; and 
clarifying UNHCR's position on internally displaced persons. 
He raised refugee food needs in both meetings.  Guterres is 
looking forward to his late June trip to New York and 
Washington.  End Summary. 
 
Rwanda/Burundi: Puzzling... 
---------- ---------- --- 
 
¶2. (C) Guterres expressed frustration at Rwanda and Burundi's 
bilateral agreement to refoul asylum seekers.  He said it was 
puzzling that things ended so negatively, as initial UNHCR 
soundings of the two governments (reftels) had been positive. 
 Guterres expressed appreciation for supportive diplomatic 
efforts by the U.S. and by ECHO's Louis Michel.  He placed 
the blame squarely on President Kagame, saying it was clear 
he was angry and wanted it solved.  He said those refouled 
probably did not face grave harm, but he promised UNHCR's 
continued protection efforts nonetheless.  He concluded that 
UNHCR needed to continue to work with both countries.  It 
would strive to maintain working relations while still 
condemning what had transpired.  In his June 17 remarks (and 
in direct conversation with the Rwandan Ambassador 
afterwards), he was straightforward in disagreeing with 
Rwanda's interpretation of events but concluded by expressing 
appreciation for Rwanda's and Burundi's record as refugee 
hosts. 
 
...And a Worrying Part of a Trend Against Asylum? 
--------------- ---------------- --------------- 
 
¶3. (C) More worrying, Guterres said, would be indications 
that recent events in Burundi, Kyrgyzstan and the Dominican 
Republic reflected a global weakening of asylum.  Guterres 
acknowledged that the Kyrgyz government had said the 
refoulement of four Uzbek asylum-seekers shouldn't have 
happened and had reaffirmed its commitment to the 1951 
convention.  However, he said the situation there continued 
to worry UNHCR.  In the Dominican Republic, some 4,000 
Haitians had been returned in recent days.  While Guterres 
acknowledged most of the Haitians probably were not refugees, 
he regretted that UNHCR had not been able to establish 
whether there were unaddressed protection concerns. 
Discussing democratic values, he asserted that states' 
security agendas and need to manage border controls were best 
balanced by strong support for well-administered asylum 
systems.  He added that refugees and asylum seekers in most 
cases were fleeing non-democratic systems and that UNHCR's 
work with refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) 
sometimes made a difference in countries struggling to become 
democracies.  He described as short-sighted many "sclerotic" 
European countries' refusal to recognize the value of asylum 
and migration.  He asked the U.S. to play a role in 
mobilizing consciousness and reaffirming the importance of 
asylum. 
 
Upcoming Travel to Uganda, U.S., and Libya 
------------------ -------------------- - 
 
¶4. (C)  Guterres confirmed his plan to travel to Uganda for 
World Refugee Day (June 20.)  He will spend a day and night 
with UNHCR staff in the field, to better understand their 
working challenges.  He has decided against a rumored trip to 
Addis Ababa, but will attend an African Union (AU) Summit in 
Tripoli in early July -- primarily to seize the opportunity 
to meet with a range of African leaders.  Sandwiched between 
these two Africa trips will be a June 27-July 1 U.S.  visit. 
In New York, he will check in with the Secretary-General and 
other senior UN staff; in Washington, the State Department is 
his main focus. 
 
Thoughts on UNHCR 
------------- -- 
 
¶5. (C)  Moley commented that UNHCR is looking for stability 
and leadership.  Guterres will find the U.S. a supportive 
friend, which appreciates hearing about problems and how we 
can be helpful.  Guterres agreed the organization needs 
stability.  There currently are too many "pilots" and 
"initiatives."  He feels the need to address outstanding 
items, such as a proposal to create an Assistant High 
Commissioner for Protection, and to stay abreast of the 
broader UN reform discussion, but he does not intend to 
launch any new UNHCR initiatives.  "The focus must be on 
consolidation and implementation." 
 
¶6. (C)  Guterres said he wanted a transparent and accountable 
organization.  He mentioned ongoing donor/UNHCR consultations 
about the independence of the Inspector-General (I-G) and 
said he supported full independence for the I-G and donor 
access to investigation findings.  He said he'd told the I-G 
he didn't want to give him any instructions; he just wanted 
reports on results. 
 
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) 
---------------------- ----------- 
 
¶7. (C)  Referring to internal debate about what role UNHCR 
should play with IDPs, Guterres said the organization needed 
to take a more positive attitude and show a good faith 
willingness to cooperate within the UN system.  However, 
UNHCR would need to identify additional resources to take on 
IDP responsibilities and would have to ensure UNHCR's core 
mandate for refugees was not neglected.  Guterres advocated a 
positive approach to the need for protection. 
 
"Devastating" Gaps in Refugee Food 
----------- --------------- ------ 
 
¶8. (C)  Guterres mentioned UNHCR's close collaboration with 
the World Food Program in trying to meet refugee food needs. 
He described the system's current incapacity to meet those 
needs as the most personally disturbing things he is 
encountering in his new job.  It wasn't just a question of 
nutrition but was directly linked to protection and 
development concerns.  He said he has already discussed needs 
for more food/money with the European Commission and urged 
the UK to think about how refugee food needs can be included 
in the various G-8 and EU Presidency initiatives.  He 
committed to raise the issue in his other introductory 
meetings (as he did prominently June 17.)  Moley and Refugee 
Counselor welcomed Guterres' early focus on this issue -- one 
the U.S. has been raising for many months. 
 
¶9. (C) Guterres focused on these same three issues -- 
internal management, IDPs and food -- in his June 17 remarks 
to the ExCom.  A copy of his remarks has been faxed to 
PRM/MCE. 
Moley