VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #9393 3550326
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 210305Z DEC 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0000
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0000
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 0000
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0000

UNCLAS STATE 169393 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CG PREL UNSC
SUBJECT: VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: MONUC MANDATE RENEWAL 
 
¶1. (U) ACTION REQUEST:  USUN is instructed to vote in 
favor of the mandate resolution for the UN Mission in the 
Democratic Republic of Congo. The text of the resolution 
is listed in paragraph 2. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin text: 
 
The Security Council, 
 
Recalling its resolutions and the statements of its 
President concerning the Democratic Republic of Congo, in 
particular resolution 1756 (2007), 
 
Reaffirming its commitment to respect the sovereignty, 
territorial integrity and political independence of the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo, 
 
Reaffirming its commitment to continue to contribute to 
the consolidation of peace and stability in the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo in the post-transition period, in 
particular through the United Nations Organization Mission 
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), 
 
Underscoring the long-term sustained efforts needed from 
the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and 
its international partners to consolidate democracy, and 
promote the rule of law, good governance, recovery and 
development, 
 
Stressing the primary responsibility of the Government of 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo for ensuring security 
in its territory and protecting its civilians with respect 
for the rule of law, human rights and international 
humanitarian law, 
 
Expressing its grave concern at the continued presence of 
foreign and Congolese armed groups and militias in the 
eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 
including the Forces Democratique de Liberation du Rwanda 
(FDLR) ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the dissident militia of 
Laurent Nkunda, which has resulted in a  serious security 
and humanitarian crisis particularly in North Kivu, 
 
Expressing in particular its deep concern at the 
humanitarian consequences of the recent fighting between 
the dissident militia of Laurent Nkunda and the Armed 
Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), 
and recalling that a comprehensive approach is needed to 
tackle the crisis in the Kivus including efforts to 
address the presence of all armed groups and militias, to 
end impunity and to promote reconciliation, social 
cohesion, recovery and development in the region, 
 
Commending MONUC and the Congolese authorities for the 
substantial progress towards carrying out the disarmament, 
demobilization and reintegration of combatants in the 
district of Ituri, which helped to stabilize security 
conditions in that part of the country, 
 
Commending the joint efforts of the Governments of the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of 
Rwanda to address their common security concerns through 
dialogue and cooperation, welcoming in particular the 
joint communiqu on a common approach to end the threat 
posed to peace and stability in both countries and the 
Great Lakes region, signed in Nairobi on 9 November 2007 (S/2007 
/679), which is an important milestone towards the 
definitive settlement of the problem of illegal armed 
groups in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of 
the Congo, and expressing its appreciation for the ongoing 
efforts undertaken in this respect by the 
Secretary-General, his Special Representative and 
 
SIPDIS 
Assistant Secretary-General Menkerios, 
 
Also commending the joint efforts of the Governments of 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of 
Uganda to address the continued presence of the Lord's 
Resistance Army LRA) in eastern Congo, welcoming in 
particular the Summit in Ngurdoto, Tanzania, between 
President Kabila and President Museveni on 8 September 
2007, 
 
Commending also the efforts of the Government of the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries of 
the region to solve their common security concerns, and 
welcoming the Conclusions of the high-level meeting of the 
Tripartite Plus Joint Commission held in Addis Ababa on 4 
and 5 December 2007, 
 
Recalling its resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and 
security, its resolution 1502 (2003) on the Protection of 
United Nations personnel, associated personnel and 
humanitarian personnel in conflict zones, its resolution 
1612 (2005) on children in armed conflict and its 
resolution 1674 (2006) on the protection of civilians in 
armed conflicts, 
 
Deploring again the persistence of violations of human 
rights and international humanitarian law in the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular those 
carried out by the FDLR, ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the 
dissident militia of Laurent Nkunda, as well as other 
militias and armed groups and elements of the FARDC, the 
Congolese National Police (PNC) and other security and 
intelligence services, and stressing the urgent need for 
those responsible for these crimes to be brought to 
justice, 
 
Condemning in particular sexual violence perpetrated by 
militias and armed groups as well as elements of the 
FARDC, the PNC and other security and intelligence 
services, stressing the urgent need for the Government of 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in cooperation with 
MONUC and other relevant actors, to end such violence and 
bring the perpetrators, as well as the senior commanders 
under whom they serve, to justice, and calling on Member 
States to assist in this regard and to continue to provide 
medical, humanitarian and other assistance to the victims, 
 
Recalling the conclusions of the Security Council Working 
Group on Children and Armed Conflict pertaining to parties 
in the armed conflict of the Democratic 
Republic of Congo (S/AC.51/2007/17 of 25 October 2007), 
 
Welcoming MONUC's policy to promote and protect the rights 
of women and to take into account gender considerations as 
set out in its resolution 1325 (2000) as a cross-cutting 
issue throughout its mandate and to keep the Council 
informed, 
 
Urging all States, especially those in the region, 
including the Democratic Republic of the Congo itself, to 
take the appropriate steps to end the illegal trade in 
natural resources, 
 
Declaring its determination to continue to monitor closely 
the implementation of the arms embargo and other measures 
set out by its resolutions, 
 
Recalling the importance of elections, including the 
forthcoming local elections, for the longer-term 
restoration of peace and stability, national 
reconciliation and establishment of the rule of law in the 
Democratic Republic of Congo, 
 
Recalling also the importance of urgently carrying out 
security sector reform for the long-term stabilization of 
the Democratic Republic of Congo, 
 
Taking note of the twenty-fourth report of the 
Secretary-General on MONUC dated 14 November 2007 (S/2007 
 
SIPDIS 
/671) and of its recommendations, 
 
Determining that the situation in the Democratic Republic 
of the Congo continues to pose a threat to international 
peace and security in the region, 
 
Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United 
Nations, 
 
¶1. Decides to extend the mandate and capacity of MONUC, as 
set out in resolution 1756, until 31 December 2008 and 
authorizes the continuation until that date of up to 
17,030 military personnel, 760 military observers, 391 
police personnel and 6 formed police units comprising up 
to 125 personnel each; 
 
¶2. Requests MONUC to attach the highest priority to 
addressing the crisis in the Kivus in all its dimensions, 
in particular through the protection of civilians and 
support for the implementation of the Nairobi Joint 
Communiqu; 
 
¶3. Demands that the militias and armed groups that are 
still present in the eastern part of the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo, in particular the FDLR, 
ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the dissident militia of Laurent 
Nkunda and the LRA, lay down their arms and engage 
voluntarily and without any further delay or preconditions 
in their demobilization, repatriation, resettlement, and 
reintegration, as appropriate, stresses the need to ensure 
that those militias and armed groups do not receive any 
support for their illegal activities, and also demands, 
recalling its resolution 1698 (2006) that all armed 
groups, in particular the forces of Laurent Nkunda and the 
FDLR, immediately stop recruiting and using children and 
release all children associated with them; 
 
¶4. Urges the Government of the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo to address the crisis in the Kivus in a 
comprehensive way, including through promptly convening 
the Round Table on peace, security and development in the 
Kivus; 
 
¶5. Encourages MONUC, in accordance with its mandate and 
emphasizing that the protection of civilians must be given 
priority in decisions about the use of available capacity 
and resources, to use all necessary means, within the 
limits of its capacity and in the areas where its units 
are deployed, to support the FARDC integrated brigades 
with a view to disarming the recalcitrant foreign and 
Congolese armed groups, in particular the FDLR, 
ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the dissident militia of Laurent 
Nkunda, in order to ensure their participation in the 
disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement 
and reintegration processes, as appropriate; 
 
¶6. Requests the Secretary-General to report by 31 March 
2008 on how MONUC could further support FARDC or take 
other measures in dealing with illegal foreign and 
Congolese armed groups; 
 
¶7. Emphasizes that such operations by the FARDC should be 
planned jointly with MONUC and in accordance with 
international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law 
and should include appropriate measures to protect 
civilians, and requests the Secretary-General to include 
in his reports to the Council an assessment of the 
measures taken to protect civilians; 
 
¶8. Recalls MONUC's mandate to use all necessary means to 
protect civilians under imminent threat of physical 
violence, particularly in the Kivus; 
 
¶9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to use its 
good offices in facilitating a political solution to 
address the underlying causes of the crisis in the Kivus, 
in close consultation with the Government of the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Governments of the 
region and other regional and international partners; 
 
¶10. Calls on the Governments of the Democratic Republic of 
Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, as a matter of urgency, 
to fully implement their commitments under the Nairobi 
Joint Communiqu, and to continue to cooperate to solve 
their common security concerns; 
 
¶11. Calls on the Governments of the Democratic Republic of 
the Congo and the Republic of Uganda to fully implement 
their commitments under the Ngurdoto Agreement and to 
continue to cooperate to solve their common security 
concerns; 
 
¶12. Welcomes the letters of the Secretary-General dates 11 
October and 30 November 2007 (S/2007/694) with respect to 
assistance by MONUC to the Congolese authorities in the 
organization, preparation, and conduct of local elections, 
and requests MONUC, consistent with its existing mandate, 
to begin to provide the assistance described in these 
letters and expresses its intention to further consider 
the issue by the end of January 2008; 
 
¶13. Calls on the Congolese authorities to intensify as a 
matter of urgency their efforts to reform the security 
sector, including the army, the police and the justice 
sector, encourages in particular the development of a 
comprehensive plan and timelines for the reform of the 
army, invites the Congolese government to hold as soon as 
possible the planned round table on security sector reform 
and urges international partners to support this 
endeavour; 
 
¶14. Underlines the importance of the support MONUC is 
providing, in close cooperation with the Congolese 
authorities, the United Nations Country Team and donors, 
to the strengthening of democratic institutions and the 
rule of law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and 
calls upon the Congolese authorities to take full 
advantage of the assistance offered by MONUC and other 
international partners in these respects; 
 
¶15. Reiterates its call upon the Congolese authorities to 
put an end to impunity, by bringing to justice without 
delay perpetrators of grave violations of human rights and 
of international humanitarian law, with special attention 
to those responsible for recruitment and use of children 
as well as for grave violations against women and 
children, in particular sexual violence, to fully support 
the human rights mapping exercise initiated in the country 
by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to 
establish a vetting mechanism to take into account when 
they select candidates for official positions, including 
key posts in the armed forces, national police and other 
security services, the candidates' past actions in terms 
of respect for international humanitarian law and human 
rights; 
 
¶16. Recalls MONUC's mandate to assist in the promotion and 
protection of human rights, investigate human rights 
violations with a view to putting an end to impunity, 
assist in the development and implementation of a 
transitional justice strategy, and cooperate in national 
and international efforts to bring to justice perpetrators 
of grave violations of human rights and international 
humanitarian law; 
 
¶17. Reaffirms the obligation of all parties to comply 
fully with the relevant rules and principles of 
international humanitarian law relating to the protection 
of humanitarian and United Nations personnel, and also 
demands that all parties concerned grant immediate, full 
and unimpeded access by humanitarian personnel to all 
persons in need of assistance, as provided for in 
applicable international law; 
 
¶18. Requests MONUC, in view of the scale and severity of 
sexual violence committed especially by armed elements in 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to undertake a 
thorough review of its efforts to prevent and respond to 
sexual violence, and to pursue a comprehensive 
mission-wide strategy, in close cooperation with the 
United Nations Country Team and other partners, to 
strengthen prevention, protection, and response to sexual 
violence, including through training for the Congolese 
security forces in accordance with its mandate, and to 
regularly report, including in a separate annex if 
necessary, on actions taken in this regard, including 
factual data and trend analyses of the problem; 
 
¶19. Encourages MONUC to enhance its interaction with the 
civilian population, in particular internally displaced 
persons, to raise awareness about its mandate and 
activities; 
 
¶20. Takes note of the benchmarks presented by the 
Secretary-General for a future gradual drawdown of MONUC, 
 
SIPDIS 
encourages MONUC to focus the activities of all its 
components on helping the Congolese authorities to achieve 
those benchmarks, and requests the Secretary-General to 
further develop the benchmarks and to report regularly to 
the Council on the progress made in this regard, including 
on the application of the United Nations integrated 
missions planning process (IMPP); 
 
¶21. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to report 
regularly, and at least every three months, on the 
situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on 
MONUC's activities, including on the issues referred to in 
paragraphs 7, 18, and 20 above. 
 
¶22. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. 
 
End text. 
 
¶3. (U) The Department expresses its appreciation for 
Mission's support. 
 
¶4. (U) Please contact Greg Pollock, IO/PSC at 202-736-7789 
with any additional questions or concerns. 
RICE