VZCZCXRO1473
PP RUEHDT RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #7235/01 0560114
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 250057Z FEB 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 5012
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 5478

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 017235 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO TT
SUBJECT: UNMIT ADOPTION, FEBRUARY 26, 2009 
 
(U) 1. This is an action request.  USUN should vote in favor 
of the resolution text below, extending the mandate of the UN 
Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) until February 26, 
¶2010. 
 
Begin text. 
 
The Security Council, 
 
Reaffirming all its previous resolutions and statements on 
the situation in Timor-Leste, in particular its resolutions 
1599 (2005) of 28 April 2005, 1677 (2006) of 12 May 2006, 
1690 (2006) of 20 June 2006, 1703 (2006) of 18 August 2006, 
1704 (2006) of 25 August 2006, 1745 (2007) of 22 February 
2007 and 1802 (2008) of 25 February 2008, 
 
Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 4 February 
2009 (S/2009/72), 
 
Reaffirming its full commitment to the sovereignty, 
independence, territorial integrity and national unity of 
Timor-Leste and the promotion of long-term stability in the 
country, 
 
Welcoming the improvements in the political and security 
situation in Timor-Leste, which has recovered from the 2006 
crisis and the events of 11 February 2008, and noting that 
the current political and security situation, although 
generally calm, remains fragile, 
 
Welcoming the Government sponsored six-week nationwide 
weapons collection campaign which ended on 31 August 2008 
with the support of the United Nations Integrated Mission in 
Timor-Leste (UNMIT) and the international security forces and 
the destruction of the collected weapons on the United 
Nations Day of that year, 
 
Commending the political leadership and state institutions of 
Timor-Leste for restoring and securing stability, and 
welcoming the return of a significant number of internally 
displaced persons and the disbandment of the &petitioners8 
group, while recognizing the importance of additional 
measures to achieve meaningful reconciliation and their 
reintegration into their respective communities, 
 
Reiterating its call on the leadership and other stakeholders 
in Timor-Leste to continue to pursue peaceful dialogue and to 
avoid violent means to resolve differences, 
 
Welcoming the efforts of the political leadership of 
Timor-Leste to create opportunities for all the political 
parties to make contributions to issues of national interest, 
 
Reaffirming the need for respect for the independence of the 
judiciary and its responsibility, welcoming the conviction of 
the leaders of Timor-Leste on the need for justice and their 
determination to act against impunity, and in this regard 
acknowledging the serious resource constraints of the 
judicial system and encouraging the leadership of Timor-Leste 
to continue efforts to establish accountability for serious 
criminal offences committed during the 2006 crisis as 
recommended by the Independent Special Commission of Inquiry, 
 
Recalling its previous statements on the need to implement 
fully the &Arrangement on the Restoration and Maintenance of 
Public Security in Timor-Leste and Assistance to the Reform, 
Restructuring and Rebuilding of the Polcia Nacional de 
Timor-Leste (PNTL) and the Ministry of Interior8, concluded 
between the Government of Timor-Leste and UNMIT on 1 December 
2006, and in this regard, stressing the need for constructive 
engagement between UNMIT police and the PNTL with a view to 
developing the capacity and capability of the national police, 
 
Expressing its full support for the role of the international 
security forces in assisting the Government of Timor-Leste 
and UNMIT, in the restoration and maintenance of law and 
stability, in response to the requests of the Government of 
Timor-Leste, 
 
Expressing concern with the increase in poverty among the 
Timorese population, as indicated in the report of the 
Secretary-General, and underlining the importance of 
continued support for socio-economic development of 
Timor-Leste, 
 
Recalling that while the manifestations of the current 
challenges in Timor-Leste are political and institutional in 
 
STATE 00017235  002 OF 003 
 
 
nature, poverty and its associated deprivations also 
contribute to these challenges, paying tribute to 
Timor-Leste,s bilateral and multilateral partners for their 
invaluable assistance, particularly with regard to 
institutional capacity-building and social and economic 
development, and recognizing the progress being made in the 
development of many aspects of governance in Timor-Leste, 
 
Reaffirming its resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) on 
women, peace and security, and 1502 (2003) on the protection 
of humanitarian and United Nations personnel, and welcoming 
the cooperation of UNMIT with other UN partners to support 
the Government's effort to develop a national gender equality 
policy and strategy, 
 
Recognizing the important role that UNMIT continues to play 
in promoting peace, stability and development in Timor-Leste, 
and expressing its appreciation for the efforts of UNMIT and 
the United Nations Country Team, under the leadership of the 
Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), 
 
¶1. Decides to extend the mandate of UNMIT until 26 February 
2010 at the current authorized levels; 
 
¶2. Urges all parties in Timor-Leste, in particular political 
leaders, to continue to work together and engage in political 
dialogue and consolidate peace, democracy, rule of law, 
sustainable social and economic development, advancement of 
protection of human rights and national reconciliation in the 
country, and reaffirms its full support for the continued 
efforts of the SRSG aimed at addressing critical political 
and security-related issues facing the country, including 
enhancing a culture of democratic governance, through 
inclusive and collaborative processes, including the expanded 
High-Level Coordination Committee and the Trilateral 
Coordination Forum; 
 
¶3. Requests UNMIT to extend the necessary support, within its 
current mandate, for local elections currently planned for 
2009, responding to the request from the Government of 
Timor-Leste, and encourages the international community to 
assist in this process; 
 
¶4. Reaffirms the continued importance of the review and 
reform of the security sector in Timor-Leste, in particular 
the need to delineate between the roles and responsibilities 
of the Falintil-Foras de Defesa de Timor-Leste (F-FDTL) and 
the PNTL, to strengthen legal frameworks, and to enhance 
civilian oversight and accountability mechanisms of both 
security institutions, and requests UNMIT to continue to 
support the Government of Timor-Leste in these efforts; 
 
¶5. Supports the gradual resumption of policing 
responsibilities by the PNTL beginning in 2009 through a 
phased approach, while emphasizing that the PNTL must meet 
the criteria mutually agreed between the Government of 
Timor-Leste and UNMIT as set out in paragraph 21 of the 
report of the Secretary-General to guarantee the PNTL,s 
readiness for the resumption of such responsibilities in any 
given district or unit, and requests the Government of 
Timor-Leste and UNMIT to cooperate with each other to 
implement the resumption process, and requests UNMIT to 
continue to ensure, through the presence of UNMIT police 
component and the provision of support to the PNTL, the 
maintenance of public security in Timor-Leste, which includes 
interim law enforcement and public security until the PNTL is 
fully reconstituted; 
 
¶6. Underscores the need for the concept of operations and 
rules of engagement to be regularly updated as necessary and 
to be fully in line with the provisions of this resolution, 
and requests the Secretary-General to report on them to the 
Security Council and troop and police contributing countries 
within 90 days after the adoption of this resolution; 
 
¶7. Requests UNMIT, working with partners, to intensify its 
efforts to assist with further training, mentoring, 
institutional development and strengthening of the PNTL with 
a view to enhancing its effectiveness, including with respect 
to addressing the special needs of women; 
 
¶8. Reaffirms the importance of ongoing efforts to achieve 
accountability and justice, and underlines the importance of 
the implementation by the Government of Timor-Leste of the 
recommendations of the United Nations Special Commission of 
Inquiry report of 2006((S/2006/822), including paragraphs 225 
through 228 of the report); 
 
¶9. Underlines the importance of a coordinated approach to the 
justice sector reform, based on needs assessment, and the 
ongoing need to increase Timorese ownership and strengthen 
 
STATE 00017235  003 OF 003 
 
 
national capacity in judicial line functions, including the 
training and specialization of national lawyers and judges; 
 
¶10. Emphasizes the need for sustained support of the 
international community to Timor-Leste to develop and 
strengthen its institutions and further build capacities in 
the justice sector; 
 
¶11. Requests UNMIT to continue its efforts, adjusting them as 
necessary to enhance the effectiveness of the judiciary, in 
assisting the Government of Timor-Leste in carrying out the 
proceedings recommended by the Commission of Inquiry; 
 
¶12. Calls upon UNMIT to continue to support the Government of 
Timor-Leste in its efforts to coordinate donor cooperation in 
areas of institutional capacity-building; 
 
¶13. Takes note of the Timor-Leste National Recovery Strategy 
and the Government's declaration of 2009 as the year of 
infrastructure, rural development and human resources 
capacity development, and in this regard, calls upon UNMIT to 
continue to cooperate and coordinate with the United Nations 
agencies, funds and programmes, as well as all relevant 
partners, to support the Government of Timor-Leste and 
relevant institutions in designing poverty reduction, 
promotion of sustainable livelihood and economic growth 
policies; 
 
¶14. Encourages the Government of Timor-Leste to strengthen 
peacebuilding perspectives in such areas as integration of 
internally displaced persons, employment and empowerment, 
especially focusing on rural areas and youth, as well as 
local socio-economic development including agricultural 
activities; 
 
¶15. Requests UNMIT to fully take into account gender 
considerations as set out in Security Council resolutions 
1325(2000) and 1820(2008) as a cross-cutting issue throughout 
its mandate, and further requests the Secretary-General to 
include in his reporting to the Security Council progress on 
gender mainstreaming throughout UNMIT and all other aspects 
relating to the situation of women and girls, especially on 
the need to protect them from gender-based violence, 
detailing special measures to protect women and girls from 
such violence; 
 
¶16. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the 
necessary measures to ensure full compliance by UNMIT with 
the United Nations zero tolerance policy on sexual 
exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council informed, and 
urges those countries contributing troops and police to take 
appropriate preventive action and to ensure full 
accountability in cases of such conduct involving their 
personnel; 
 
¶17. Further requests the Secretary-General to keep the 
Security Council regularly informed of the developments on 
the ground, including those related to preparation for the 
planned local elections, and on the implementation of this 
resolution, including in particular progress on transfer of 
the policing responsibility from UNMIT to the PNTL, and to 
submit to the Security Council, no later than 30 September 
2009, a report reviewing, inter alia,  the resumption of 
policing responsibilities by the PNTL, and, no later than 1 
February 2010, a report which includes possible adjustments 
in UNMIT,s mandate and strength; 
 
¶18. Welcomes the work undertaken by the Secretary-General and 
the Government of Timor-Leste to develop a medium-term 
strategy and establish benchmarks for measuring and tracking 
progress in Timor-Leste, and assessing the level and form of 
United Nations support while keeping the benchmarks under 
active review, and underlines the importance of ownership of 
the strategy by the leaders and people of Timor-Leste in this 
process; 
 
¶19. Decides to remain seized of the matter. 
 
End text. 
CLINTON