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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #6180 0780257
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O 190240Z MAR 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS STATE 026180 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNGA UNSC PREL PGOV UN
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DEBATE ON UNAMA MANDATE 
RENEWAL 
 
¶1. The Department instructs USUN to draw on the following 
points below for its participation in the March 19 UNSC 
debate on the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). 
 
¶2. Begin points: 
 
-- The United States supports the renewal of UNAMA's 
mandate in Afghanistan for 12 months beginning on / about 
March 20, 2009.  The United States strongly endorses 
continuation of the imperative described in UNSC 1806 to 
support UNAMA's leadership to improve aid effectiveness. 
We welcome UNAMA's leadership in coordinating 
international assistance efforts and improving 
collaboration between civilian and military operations. 
 
-- The UN, NATO, and other contributors have an important 
role in increasing security, helping build the Afghan 
government's capacities, expanding economic opportunity, 
and strengthening the justice system. 
 
-- The United States welcomes the UN General Assembly's 
approval of the 2009 budget for UNAMA of $168 million, 
and the authority to hire 437 new staff and expand the 
mission to four new offices this year.  These resources 
are critical if UNAMA is to fulfill its mandate and 
coordinating role.  The United States urges the UN to 
expedite funding to UNAMA, and encourages member States 
to provide appropriately qualified staff to help fill the 
new staff positions.  The U.S. will work closely with the 
Special Representative to the Secretary-General (SRSG) 
Kai Eide and his staff to assist implementation of the 
UNAMA mandate. 
 
-- The Secretary-General's report on Afghanistan:  The 
United States thanks the Secretary-General for his report 
on Afghanistan.  We  offer comments on several items 
discussed in the report.  We also look forward to future 
reporting that describes progress against agreed 
benchmarks. 
 
-- Civilian assistance is critical to success in 
Afghanistan:  The United States agrees with the report's 
assessment that we cannot solve the problem of the 
Taliban and the spread of extremism in the region solely 
through military means.  We are encouraged by the 
formation of the Integrated Approach Working Group and 
look forward to receiving further reports of its progress 
in completing needs assessments and delivering 
assistance. 
 
-- Upcoming elections, the key strategic event in 
Afghanistan in 2009: We support an open and fair election 
in which the people of Afghanistan choose their own 
leader, free of intimidation.  We appreciate the efforts 
by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan, 
the United Nations, international donors, and Afghan and 
international security forces to confront difficult 
challenges in preparing for these elections.  The United 
States supports the IEC's decision to hold elections on 
August 20 to maximize the election's universality, 
fairness, and transparency, and calls upon Afghanistan's 
leaders to find a solution within the Constitutional 
framework for ensuring the continuity, legitimacy and 
stability of government through completion of the 
election process.  Funding for these elections needs to 
be urgently addressed.  The IEC presented a budget of 
$224 million to resource the electoral process properly. 
Donors need to follow-through on their pledges with 
actual donations to the United Nations as soon as 
possible. 
 
-- Good governance and anti-corruption:  There will be no 
sustained progress in Afghanistan, no matter how many 
troops are sent and how much money is spent, if there is 
no substantial progress on Afghan capacity for 
governance.  This will come first and foremost from the 
government and the people of Afghanistan, with our 
continued support. Corruption is a major  challenge to 
better governance in Afghanistan and one of the main 
concerns of the Afghan population.  Corruption undermines 
our efforts to help build an impartial and fair 
government that delivers services to all citizens equally 
and without regard for their wealth or access.  We need 
to see progress from the Afghan government in fighting 
corruption, expanding the reach of central government and 
strengthening local governance while creating economic 
opportunities. 
 
--  Human rights:  We share the concerns outlined in the 
report regarding the deteriorating human rights 
situation.  We note with particular concern the impact 
that discriminatory laws and practices are having on 
women and children.  We are encouraged by the steps the 
Afghan government has taken to implement the National 
Action Plan for Women, but we are in full agreement that 
much more needs to be done.  The United States has 
trained over 3,000 women teachers in the last year, and 
supports higher education  for women at the University of 
Kabul.  We are also  training over 22,000 women to 
support  the conduct of elections.  The United States 
welcomes the SRSG's views on how UNAMA and the 
international community might better cooperate with the 
Afghan government to meet the needs of women and girls 
with regard to education, health care, economic 
opportunity, justice and leadership. 
 
-- Civilian casualties: The United States, NATO Allies 
and coalition partners deeply regret any loss of civilian 
lives.  International forces take extraordinary steps to 
avoid civilian casualties. This is in sharp contrast to 
the Taliban who deliberately attack and endanger 
civilians.  The International Security Assistance Force 
issued a directive in December 2008 specifically aimed at 
reducing the number of civilian casualties resulting from 
Operations.  As a result, cooperation has improved 
between the Afghan government and international forces. 
When incidents occur that may involve civilian 
casualties, joint Afghan and international teams quickly 
investigate and compensate victims when appropriate. 
 
-- Counter-narcotics efforts:  We are encouraged by the 
forecast of the 2009 Afghanistan UN Office of Drug 
Control (UNODC)  Opium Winter Rapid Assessment, which 
projects a possible further decrease in opium cultivation 
in 2009 (as high as 30 percent according to UN 
estimates).  However, the drug threat in Afghanistan 
remains unacceptably high and will require a long term 
commitment by both the Government of Afghanistan and the 
international community. We are particularly concerned by 
the deteriorating security conditions in the south, where 
the insurgency dominates and where 98 percent  of 
Afghanistan's poppy is now grown. 
 
-- March 31st conference on Afghanistan:  We appreciate 
the UN's role in co-chairing, along with the Netherlands 
and the Government of Afghanistan, the March 31 
International Conference on Afghanistan.  We look forward 
to re-confirming   broad international consensus on 
supporting Afghanistan, as embodied in the Afghanistan 
Compact of 2006.  We particularly look forward to a 
dialogue on improving aid effectiveness to achieve 
Government of Afghanistan priorities for improved 
security, governance and economic growth. 
 
End Points. 
CLINTON