VZCZCXRO2514
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUCNDT #0435 0671828
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081828Z MAR 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8206
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0498
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3// IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5/DDPMAW// IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5/UNMA// IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITEHOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCJACC/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000435 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC PGOV IZ KU
SUBJECT: UN/IRAQ: ASSESSMENT MISSION FOR KUWAIT BORDER 
MAINTENANCE 
 
REF: KUWAIT 659 
 
¶1.  Begin Summary.  USUN met March 2 with Department of 
Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) official Eliza Kimball, who 
had just returned from Kuwait.  Kimball reported on the 
February mission of four UN staff to assess the Iraq-Kuwait 
border posts, consistent with reftel.  This assessment 
mission was intended to precede a full-scale mission to 
maintain the border posts.  Kimball expects the maintenance 
mission to begin o/a November 1 and to last approximately six 
weeks.  The UN will develop a detailed request for MNF 
security assistance that will be formally provided to USUN. 
DPKO will discuss funding for the maintenance mission with 
the Iraqi and Kuwaiti Missions, but prefers that the two 
missions share the costs equally.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  Kimball said the assessment had been satisfactorily 
concluded.  She noted that 105 of the 106 border posts were 
fully assessed.  Border post 105 was assessed but from afar. 
The assessment team, which included Iraqis and Kuwaitis as 
well as four UN staff from headquarters, could not access the 
border post from the Kuwaiti side of the border and did not 
have appropriate security for cross-border movements. 
 
¶3.  Kimball anticipated that the maintenance project would 
begin early November.  In advance, DPKO will draft a concept 
of operations and consult with the Iraqis and Kuwaitis on it. 
 DPKO will contract out the bulk of the work and anticipates 
several months to comply with UN contracting procedures. 
DPKO will also work with the Department of Safety and 
Security (DSS) to determine security requirements and a 
request for MNF assistance.  The bulk of personnel at the 
border will be private contractors, who would presumably have 
their own contract security, but Kimball expects one or two 
UN staff also to supervise the project and be present at the 
border.  The UN will want MNF security for these staff, and 
Kimball said the Kuwaitis would also want this MNF 
assistance.  The current estimate is of a six-week project. 
USUN will forward to Washington a formal request for security 
assistance once the UN provides it. 
 
¶4.  According to UNSCR 706 (1991) and an exchange of letters 
between the SYG and the UNSC President endorsing the SYG's 
report (S/22558), the Kuwaitis and Iraqis should share the 
costs of the Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission. 
DPKO and the Kuwaitis have suggested that it is also 
reasonable for the two governments to share the costs of 
subsequent maintenance.  Kimball argues that this arrangement 
is consistent with precedent and also guards against future 
Iraqi accusations that the border maintenance project somehow 
served Kuwaiti interests.   The Kuwaiti DCM Mansour 
al-Otaibi, in a separate conversation with PolOff, said his 
government would pay 50 percent of the project costs, but 
would like the Iraqis to pay the other 50 percent.  In 
previous conversations on the subject, the Iraqis at the New 
York Mission have said they do not have instructions on this 
point from Baghdad.  This issue does not have to be decided 
immediately, but the UN will need to know where funds are 
coming from before they enter into a contract for the 
November maintenance mission.  (Comment: USUN will encourage 
DPKO to work with the Iraqi and Kuwaiti Missions to reach a 
mutually agreeable solution.  One possibility may be for the 
Iraqis to use escrowed Oil-for-Food monies to pay their share 
of the UN mission.  End Comment.) 
BOLTON