VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #2704 1892320
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 072325Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 072704 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PARM UNSC AF
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR JULY 9 SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON 
AFGHANISTAN 
 
¶1.  ACTION REQUEST: USUN is instructed to draw from the 
points in para 2 below to respond to the report on the UN 
Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which will be 
presented to the UN Security Council by Special 
Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Kai Eide on 
Wednesday, July 9, 2008.  Para 3 contains "if asked/if 
raised" talking points on civilian casualties.  End Action 
Request. 
 
¶2.  Begin points: 
 
I would like to thank SRSG Kai Eide for his briefing this 
afternoon.  And on behalf of the United States, I would like 
to thank him and the staff of UNAMA for their hard work and 
dedication to improving the lives of the Afghan people and 
helping Afghanistan succeed. At the recent Paris Conference, 
the Final Declaration of the three co-chairs -- the SYG, the 
President of France, and the President of Afghanistan -- 
affirmed strong support for the expanded role of the SRSG and 
UNAMA to lead coordination of international efforts, as well 
as coordination between the Afghan Government and the 
international community. 
 
Today, I would like to make five points: 
 
-- First, we need to present a common front against 
extremists, as well as against corruption and narcotics 
trafficking.  We are deeply troubled by the increasing 
violence in Afghanistan.  As the Secretary General,s report 
indicated, May 2008 recorded the highest number of security 
incidents in the country since the overthrow of the Taliban 
in 2001.  These attacks are becoming increasingly complex and 
coordinated.  Insurgent and terrorists have grown more 
effective and more aggressive, most recently in the cowardly 
and despicable attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul.  The 
international community must support not only increased 
security efforts, but also a broad interagency approach that 
includes infrastructure improvement, foreign investment, and 
economic incentives.  Progress in all these areas is critical 
to the legitimacy of the Afghan Government and ultimately to 
our stabilization operations. 
 
-- Second, the implementation and success of the Afghanistan 
National Development Strategy (ANDS), which connects the 
government to every level of the Afghan people, will require 
a strengthened partnership between Afghanistan and the 
international community, with the SRSG and UNAMA playing a 
crucial role.  The launch of this National Development 
Strategy at Paris means that some eighty international 
stakeholders are now engaged in an Afghan-led coordinated 
effort to implement a roadmap for activities in three broad 
areas: security; governance, rule of law, and human rights; 
and economic and social development. 
 
-- Third, we fully agree with the SRSG's conclusion that 
elections are a key priority and an important measure of 
Afghanistan's democratic progress.  The Afghan Independent 
Election Commission is the lead coordinating body for the 
August 2009 Presidential and Provincial Council elections and 
the summer 2010 parliamentary elections.  We strongly urge 
SRSG Eide to work closely with President Karzai and UNDP to 
relieve pressing issues of voter registration and passage of 
a new election law. 
 
-- Fourth, UNAMA will play an essential role in ensuring that 
the commitments made at the Paris Conference are met.  The 
countries that met at Paris committed themselves not only to 
provide greater resources to the reconstruction of 
Afghanistan, but to make provision of these resources more 
transparent, accountable, and effective.  We welcome the fact 
that they all committed to more local procurement and 
capacity-building and to ensuring that the benefits of 
development can reach all provinces equitably.  For UNAMA to 
play this role, it will require greater resources so that 
SRSG Eide will have the tools to do his job, aid can actually 
reach the Afghan people, and the donor countries can get the 
greatest value added for their contributions.   We concur 
with the Secretary General,s recommendation that UNAMA 
expand its presence throughout Afghanistan with the opening 
of six new provincial offices in the next 12 months.  We 
strongly support SRSG Eide,s drive to increase the capacity 
and effectiveness of UNAMA in a number of key areas through 
staffing increases and possible structural changes, consist 
with an integrated approach that ensures all UN and 
international efforts are properly coordinated. 
 
-- Fifth, Afghanistan's neighbors have an important role to 
play in supporting the Afghan government's efforts to secure 
its borders.  UNSC resolution 1806 highlights UNAMA,s role 
in supporting regional cooperation and the SRSG has been 
active in this area. 
 
-- Today marks a time to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to 
the people of Afghanistan.  The United States will continue 
to work closely with our partners on these issues until the 
Afghan people can live in stability, prosperity, and 
democracy. 
 
¶3.  (If asked/if raised) Civilian Casualties: 
 
-- Coalition forces killed more than a dozen militants 
following an attack on a combat outpost in Nuristan Province 
yesterday evening.  Ground forces at the combat outpost 
observed militants firing at friendly positions.  Ground 
forces defended themselves with small arms fire.  The 
insurgents then entered two vehicles and began traveling away 
from the firing position.  Ground forces called in coalition 
helicopters in support. 
 
-- The helicopter crews coordinated with ground forces to 
positively identify the militants' vehicles.  The helicopters 
then destroyed the two vehicles, killing more than a dozen 
militants.  The attack helicopter engaged no other targets. 
 
-- There are no official reports of non-combatant injuries or 
casualties.  We are aware through media reports that there 
are allegations of civilian casualties.  we are engaging with 
Afghan officials on this matter. 
RICE