VZCZCXRO4889
PP RUEHDT RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #4578/01 0490057
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 180041Z FEB 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4896
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 5461

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 014578 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO TT
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 19, 2009 SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS 
ON UNMIT 
 
(U) USUN may draw from the following building blocks during 
UN Security Council consultations on the UN Integrated 
Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) scheduled for February 19, 
¶2009.  Department requests that post reclear the final 
statement if it is significantly and substantively different 
than the building blocks below. 
 
 
Begin building blocks. 
 
     We warmly welcome President Jose Ramos-Horta, and 
congratulate him, Prime Minister Gusmao, and the political 
leadership, state institutions, and the Timorese people, for 
their courage in restoring peace and stability to the 
country.  We congratulate all of them for the significant 
progress they have made since the crisis in 2006 and the 
events of February 11, 2008, in which there were attempts to 
take the lives of both Prime Minister Gusmao and President 
Ramos-Horta. 
 
     The United States also commends the advances that 
President Ramos-Horta and the Timorese government have made 
in creating opportunities for all political parties to make 
significant contributions to areas of national interest.  We 
are confident that such positive involvement will continue. 
 
     I must echo the sentiments the Special Representative 
of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Atul Khare, made to my 
colleagues in Washington when he emphasized that it is time 
for the Timorese to take control of and address the 
underlying causes of the issues that bring instability to 
Timor-Leste.  This must be done through promotion of a 
culture of democratic values, including the development of 
compromise solutions, accountability, and transparency. 
     Security sector reform (SSR) is a primary issue that 
must be addressed.  Timor-Leste has taken positive steps 
forward, and must continue with the momentum of reform.  The 
National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) and UNMIT police must 
strengthen cooperation and constructive engagement, 
particularly as the PNTL gradually resumes policing 
responsibilities.  The United States also encourages 
stakeholders to carry on efforts to increase the 
effectiveness of the PNTL. 
 
     Likewise, Timorese leadership must clarify roles and 
responsibilities between the Timor-Leste Defense Force 
(F-FDTL) and the PNTL, including defining a meaningful role 
for military forces in a peacetime setting, and determining 
what types of police units would be most effective in the 
country.  Augmented civilian oversight and accountability 
mechanisms are vital to both security institutions. 
 
      The responsibility and independence of the judiciary 
is critical to sustained progress in Timor-Leste.  The 
Timorese must persist in their fight for justice, and 
establish a system of accountability for criminal offenses. 
 
     Equally important, Timorese must take strong action 
against the culture of impunity in order to achieve true and 
meaningful reconciliation.  We consequently believe that the 
leadership in Timor-Leste should continue to pursue 
accountability for criminal offenses committed during the 
2006 crisis. 
 
     We maintain our support for the efforts of the 
Secretary-General and the Special Representative of the 
Secretary-General in their promotion of a coordinated 
approach to justice sector reform, based on an independent 
needs assessment. 
 
     The United States expresses concern over the increase 
in poverty in Timor-Leste, as noted in the report of the 
Secretary-General, and agrees with stakeholders that 
implementation by Timorese leadership of rural development 
policies and targeted programs aimed at reducing poverty 
levels and lowering the unemployment rate are critical. 
 
     The United States encourages the international 
community to assist the Government of Timor-Leste with local 
elections, currently planned for this year.  The United 
States also encourages UNMIT to support this effort, acting 
within its mandate. 
 
     We welcome the return of a substantial number of 
internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes.  We are 
optimistic that the Timorese will continue the process of 
 
STATE 00014578  002 OF 002 
 
 
reintegration into their communities.  However, we remain 
concerned about those IDPs who are unwelcome or otherwise 
unable to return to their communities of origin, as well as 
those who claim they have no communities to return to.  We 
urge the Timorese to find sustainable solutions for these 
vulnerable citizens.  Furthermore, we encourage the Timorese 
to closely monitor the status of returned IDPs in the coming 
months as their resettlement funds are depleted. 
 
     The United States stresses its support for the efforts 
of the Government of Timor-Leste in developing a national 
gender equality policy and strategy, which we believe is a 
key to success in Timorese society. 
 
     We encourage the Government of Timor-Leste to consider 
peacebuilding capacities in areas such as IDP integration, 
employment and empowerment, and socio-economic development. 
 
     The United States welcomes the February 4 report of the 
Secretary-General, and acknowledges the work done by the 
Secretary-General, the Government of Timor-Leste, the Special 
Representative of the Secretary-General and UNMIT, as well as 
the international community in developing a medium-term 
strategy and establishing benchmarks for measuring and 
tracking progress in Timor-Leste. 
 
     Finally, the United States would like to commend 
Timor-Leste for its advancements and its achievements, and 
would like to recognize the hard work of Special 
Representative of the Secretary-General, Atul Khare, the 
dedicated UNMIT staff who serve alongside him, and the UN 
Country Team for their efforts.  We also would like to pay 
tribute to the bilateral and multilateral partners for the 
positive impacts they have made in Timor-Leste, and the 
international security forces who work diligently to maintain 
law and stability. 
 
End building blocks. 
CLINTON