VZCZCXRO1228
OO RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUCNDT #2215/01 3391510
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051510Z DEC 06 ZDK
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0867
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DOD WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 002215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL IZ UNSC
SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES MNF-I 
ROLLOVER 
 
USUN NEW Y 00002215  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (U) On November 28, the UN Security Council unanimously 
adopted Resolution 1723, extending for twelve months the 
mandate of the Multinational Forces in Iraq (MNF-I), the 
Development Fund for Iraq and the International Advisory and 
Monitoring Board.  The text of UNSCR 1734 is at para 2, 
Ambassador Bolton,s intervention is at para 3 and highlights 
of other interventions are at para 4. 
 
¶2. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF RESOLUTION 1723 
 
PP1.  The Security Council, 
 
PP2.   Welcoming the formation of a national unity government 
in Iraq with a detailed political, economic and security 
program and a strong national reconciliation agenda and 
looking forward to the day Iraqi forces assume full 
responsibility for the maintenance of security and stability 
in their country, thus allowing the completion of the 
multinational force mandate and the end of its presence in 
Iraq, 
 
PP3.   Welcoming the progress made to date in the training 
and equipping of Iraqi security forces as well as in the 
transfer of security responsibilities to those forces in 
Muthanna and Dhi Qar provinces and looking forward to the 
continuation of that process during 2007, 
 
PP4.   Recalling all of its previous relevant resolutions on 
Iraq, 
 
PP5.   Reaffirming the independence, sovereignty, unity, and 
territorial integrity of Iraq, 
 
PP6.   Reaffirming also the right of the Iraqi people freely 
to determine their own political future and control their own 
natural resources, 
 
PP7.   Welcoming the continuing work of the Government of 
Iraq towards a federal, democratic, pluralistic, and unified 
Iraq, in which there is full respect for human rights, 
 
PP8.  Welcoming the vital role played by the Government of 
Iraq in continuing to promote national dialogue and 
reconciliation in pursuit of an atmosphere in which 
sectarianism is totally rejected, including the National 
Reconciliation Plan announced by Iraqi Prime Minister 
al-Maliki, stressing the importance of the rapid 
implementation of the plan, and reaffirming the willingness 
of the international community to work closely with the 
Government of Iraq to assist these reconciliation efforts, 
 
PP9.   Recognizing the International Compact with Iraq, an 
initiative of the Government of Iraq to create a new 
partnership with the international community and to build a 
strong framework for Iraq's continued political, security and 
economic transformation and integration into the regional and 
global economy, and welcoming the important role that the 
United Nations is playing by jointly chairing the Compact 
with the Government of Iraq, 
 
PP10.  Calling upon the international community, particularly 
countries in the region and Iraq's neighbors, to support the 
Iraqi people in their pursuit of peace, stability, security, 
democracy, and prosperity, and noting that the successful 
implementation of this resolution will contribute to regional 
stability, 
 
PP11.  Demanding those who use violence in an attempt to 
subvert the political process should lay down their arms and 
participate in the political process, and encouraging the 
Government of Iraq to continue to engage with all those who 
renounce violence, 
 
PP12.  Reaffirming that acts of terrorism must not be allowed 
to disrupt Iraq's political and economic transition, and 
further reaffirming the obligations of Member States under 
resolution 1618 (2005) of 4 August 2005 and other relevant 
resolutions and international conventions with respect, inter 
alia, to terrorist activities in and from Iraq or against its 
citizens, 
 
PP13.  Recognizing the request conveyed in the letter of 11 
November 2006 from the Prime Minister of Iraq to the 
President of the Council, which is annexed to this 
resolution, to retain the presence of the multinational force 
in Iraq, and affirming the common goals therein:  Iraqi 
assumption of recruiting, training, equipping, and arming of 
the Iraqi Security Forces; Iraqi assumption of command and 
control over Iraqi forces; and the transfer of responsibility 
for security to the Government of Iraq, 
 
USUN NEW Y 00002215  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
PP14.  Recognizing the importance of consent of the sovereign 
Government of Iraq for the presence of the multinational 
force and of close coordination and partnership between the 
multinational force and that government, 
 
PP15.  Welcoming the willingness of the multinational force 
to continue efforts to contribute to the maintenance of 
security and stability in Iraq, including participating in 
the provision of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance, 
as described in the letter of 17 November 2006 from the 
United States Secretary of State to the President of the 
Council, which is annexed to this resolution, 
 
PP16.  Recognizing the tasks and arrangements set out in 
letters annexed to resolution 1546 (2004) of 8 June 2004 and 
the cooperative implementation by the Government of Iraq and 
the multinational force of those arrangements, 
 
PP17.  Affirming the importance for all forces promoting the 
maintenance of security and stability in Iraq to act in 
accordance with international law, including obligations 
under international humanitarian law, and to cooperate with 
the relevant international organizations, and welcoming their 
commitments in this regard, 
 
PP18.  Recalling the establishment of the United Nations 
Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) on 14 August 2003, and 
affirming that the United Nations should continue to play a 
leading role in assisting the Iraqi people and government 
with further political and economic development, including 
advising and supporting the Government of Iraq, providing 
strong support in developing the International Compact with 
Iraq, contributing to coordination and delivery of 
reconstruction, development and humanitarian assistance, and 
promoting the protection of human rights, national 
reconciliation, as well as judicial and legal reform in order 
to strengthen the rule of law in Iraq, 
 
PP19.  Recognizing that international support for security 
and stability is essential to the well-being of the people of 
Iraq as well as the ability of all concerned, including the 
United Nations, to carry out their work on behalf of the 
people of Iraq, and expressing appreciation for Member State 
contributions in this regard under resolution 1483  (2003), 
resolution 1511 (2003), resolution 1546 (2004) and resolution 
1637 (2005), 
 
PP20.  Recognizing that the Government of Iraq will continue 
to have the primary role in coordinating international 
assistance to Iraq and reaffirming the importance of 
international assistance and development of the Iraqi economy 
and the importance of coordinated donor assistance, 
 
PP21.  Recognizing the significant role of the Development 
Fund for Iraq and the International Advisory and Monitoring 
Board in helping the Government of Iraq to ensure that Iraq's 
resources are being used transparently and equitably for the 
benefit of the people of Iraq, 
 
PP22.  Stressing the responsibility of the Iraqi authorities 
to undertake all appropriate steps to prevent attacks on the 
diplomatic personnel accredited in Iraq in accordance with 
the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, 
 
PP23.  Determining that the situation in Iraq continues to 
constitute a threat to international peace and security, 
 
PP24.  Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United 
Nations, 
 
OP1.  Notes that the presence of the multinational force in 
Iraq is at the request of the Government of Iraq and 
reaffirms the authorization for the multinational force as 
set forth in resolution 1546 (2004) and decides to extend the 
mandate of the multinational force as set forth in that 
resolution until 31 December 2007, taking into consideration 
the Iraqi Prime Minister's letter dated 11 November 2006 and 
the United States Secretary of State's letter dated 17 
November 2006; 
 
OP2. Decides further that the mandate for the multinational 
force shall be reviewed at the request of the Government of 
Iraq or no later than 15 June 2007, and declares that it will 
terminate this mandate earlier if requested by the Government 
of Iraq; 
 
OP3. Decides to extend until 31 December 2007 the 
arrangements established in paragraph 20 of resolution 1483 
(2003) for the depositing into the Development Fund for Iraq 
 
USUN NEW Y 00002215  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
of proceeds from export sales of petroleum, petroleum 
products, and natural gas and the arrangements referred to in 
paragraph 12 of resolution 1483 (2003) and paragraph 24 of 
resolution 1546 (2004) for the monitoring of the Development 
Fund for Iraq by the International Advisory and Monitoring 
Board; 
 
OP4.  Decides further that the provisions in the above 
paragraph for the deposit of proceeds into the Development 
Fund for Iraq and for the role of the International Advisory 
and Monitoring Board shall be reviewed at the request of the 
Government of Iraq or no later than 15 June 2007; 
 
OP5. Requests that the Secretary-General continue to report 
to the Council on UNAMI operations in Iraq on a quarterly 
basis; 
 
OP6. Requests that the United States, on behalf of the 
multinational force, continue to report to the Council on the 
efforts and progress of this force on a quarterly basis; 
 
OP7.  Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. 
 
¶3. (U) Begin text of the Explanation of Vote. 
 
The United States notes the request of the Iraqi government 
for the continuing support of the Multinational Force in Iraq 
in helping it face the current security challenges and 
welcomes the Security Council's speedy adoption of this 
resolution to extend for an additional 12 months the mandate 
set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1546, as well as 
the arrangements for the Development Fund for Iraq and the 
International Advisory and Monitoring Board.  The MNF-I 
continues to play a vital role in the security and stability 
of Iraq.  It is also working in close partnership with the 
Iraqi government toward the development of Iraq's ability to 
assume responsibility for the country's security.  The United 
States remains committed to a unified, democratic and 
prosperous Iraq and looks forward to the continued 
cooperation of the international community in support of 
Iraq's future. 
 
¶4. (U) Following Ambassador Bolton,s intervention at para 3, 
UK PermRep Jones-Parry delivered the following statement: 
"The resolution we have adopted today is a unanimous response 
by the Security Council to a request from the Government of 
Iraq.  This resolution extends for 12 months the 
Multinational Force mandate on the terms set out in 
resolution 1546.  As with resolution 1647, this resolution 
comes with the important assurances that the Iraqi government 
may, at any time, seek a review of the arrangements or the 
termination of the MNF mandate.  The United Kingdom will 
continue working in close partnership with the Iraqi 
government, both bilaterally and as a contributor to the 
Multinational Force.  We will continue to assist in the 
progressive transfer of security responsibilities to the 
Iraqi security forces as soon as possible.  The Multinational 
Force has already been able to hand over two provinces, Al 
Muthanna and Dhi Qar, to Iraqi control during this summer. 
Conditions permitting, we look forward to notable progress in 
the next year."  The Russian PermRep took the floor, and said 
Russia supported the text, although it noted two basic 
concerns.  First, Russia emphasized the importance of 
providing security for accredited diplomatic personnel. 
Second, the UNSCR did not adequately reflect the importance 
of the political process, especially recent meetings of 
regional groups like the League of Arab States in Cairo in 
2005 and Sharm-el Sheikh in 2004.  The Russian PermRep 
characterized the situation in Iraq as "complex" and called 
for renewed efforts at national reconciliation.  France was 
the last to speak.  The French Deputy PermRep said France 
supported the technical rollover of the MNF-I mandate, and 
expressed concern over the worsening security situation.  He 
said France supported a "clear horizon for withdrawal" and 
was pleased that French concerns were taken into account in 
the text.  He reiterated Russia,s call for a focus on 
political reconciliation, and said France supported the 
Sharm-el Sheikh and Cairo meetings. 
BOLTON