VZCZCXRO0481
PP RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHPA
DE RUCNDT #0945/01 1302135
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 102135Z MAY 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8971
INFO RUEHZO/OAU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 0844
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 0910
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY 0692
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI PRIORITY 0050
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0431
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0622
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0824
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 0429

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000945 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ER ET PGOV PREL UNSC KPKO
SUBJECT: COUNCIL FAVORS TWO-WEEK ROLLOVER OF UNMEE'S MANDATE 
 
REF: 05/08/2006 BRUNO-DEPARTMENT E-MAIL 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In a May 8 briefing to the Security 
Council, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations 
(DPKO) Assistant-Secretary-General Annabi told Members that 
if the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) were to 
continue its monitoring activities and eventually support 
border demarcation, then its present force size must be 
maintained and it must re-occupy the 18 posts from which it 
was forced by Eritrean restrictions to vacate.  The Greeks 
sought Members' input on a proposal to extend UNMEE's current 
mandate for an additional two weeks to accommodate the May 17 
convening of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC), 
and Members favored this go-slow approach, as they had 
indicated informally to USUN during the week of May 1. 
However, there was support for Ambassador Bolton's analysis 
that 'the time had come' to downsize UNMEE in order to force 
Ethiopia and Eritrea to live up to their obligations under 
UNSCR 1640 (2005).  We expect that the May 10 Experts Meeting 
will produce a text that calls for downsizing after the May 
17 meeting.  END SUMMARY. 
 
DPKO STILL NO HELP ON DOWNSIZING 
¶2. (SBU) In meetings of UNMEE troop-contributing countries 
and of the Security Council, DPKO A/SYG Annabi was 
unambiguous:  UNMEE is needed for demarcation.,  He 
qualified the options for UNMEE,s future as he had presented 
them January 3 by saying they were meant to be responses to 
the negative impact of Eritrean restrictions.  If UNMEE were 
to assist with border demarcation, Annabi said, the ban on 
its freedom of movement would have to be lifted.  In this 
case, the January 3 options would no longer apply.  To 
support demarcation, UNMEE would need both its full 
monitoring capabilities and its original force strength 
restored, Annabi said, and  no option could provide the 
conditions necessary for fulfillment of this aspect of its 
mandate., 
 
GREECE BEGINS CALL FOR TWO-WEEK ROLLOVER 
¶3. (SBU) Greek PR Vassilakis, whose delegation sponsors 
Ethiopia/Eritrea resolutions on the Council, proposed a 
two-week rollover of UNMEE,s mandate until May 30 to allow 
for the May 17 EEBC meeting to take place.  He added that if 
there were no border progress by that date,  the Council 
must take some action,, but he reiterated what Annabi had 
just stated about the options for UNMEE,s reconfiguration, 
especially transformation to an observer mission, being 
insufficient for supporting border demarcation. 
 
¶4. (SBU) While all delegations favored a technical rollover 
this time and agreed UNMEE reconfiguration should come after 
the May 17 EEBC meeting, a growing sense of impatience 
emerged among Members.  Chinese Deputy PR Zhang, for example, 
said China was ready to consider other options for UNMEE,s 
future beyond a technical rollover.  UK PR Jones Parry, as 
his delegation had privately indicated to USUN, noted that 
the Council could not hang on indefinitely before making a 
 fundamental change, to UNMEE,s mandate.  Slovakian PR 
Burian, whose delegation had long favored Option 2 
(relocation of force headquarters and elements to Addis Ababa 
with a liaison office in Asmara), said work needed to be done 
toward such a change.  Even Qatari PR al-Nasser remarked that 
the Council should send a clear message that the parties, 
intransigence must be put off. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Japanese PR Oshima, echoing USUN talking points, 
said UNMEE,s mandate must be  streamlined, to reflect the 
potential progress being made on border demarcation.  Danish 
PR Loj noted that accepting a technical rollover (as her 
delegation indicated it would) could be interpreted as the 
Council,s downplaying the problems between Ethiopia and 
Eritrea, since the SC had not been consistent in its linkage 
of rollovers with EEBC meetings in past resolutions.  She 
urged sustained contingency planning for UNMEE downsizing. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The African delegations were more measured. 
Congolese PR and SC President Ikouebe agreed to the two-week 
rollover but warned that subsequent consideration of UNMEE,s 
mandate should be based on the degree of parties, compliance 
with UNSCR 1640 (2005).  Tanzanian Deputy PR Manongi warned 
that downsizing could negatively impact the humanitarian 
situation in and around the Temporary Security zone (TSZ), 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000945  002 OF 002 
 
 
and must thus be considered carefully. 
 
U.S., FRANCE STILL SUPPORT FORCE REDUCTION 
¶7. (SBU) French PR de La Sabliere got right to the point: 
Given the lack of tangible progress by the parties toward 
demarcation, UNMEE should be downsized to a force of 1,500 
now as a way to increase pressure ahead of the May 17 
meeting.  Ambassador Bolton agreed, adding that reducing the 
scope of the parties,  security blanket, could also 
encourage their compliance with UNSCR 1640.  He urged that 
the Council send an  unmistakable, signal in this 
resolution that UNMEE,s size must be reduced. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Greeks will hold the first Experts Meeting on 
the draft resolution text (contained refmail) May 10; given 
the vast Council support for a two-week rollover, we are 
working with Members to secure language in OP4 that would 
ensure transformation to a force of 1,500 come May 30 by 
linking it to the modest border demarcation progress 
currently underway. 
BOLTON