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FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
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INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 0008
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MONROVIA 000390 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS, PREL, PGOV, KPKO, UNSC, LI 
SUBJECT:  UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING WITH PRESIDENT SIRLEAF 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Meeting with the UN Security Council during their 
May 19-20 visit to Liberia, President Sirleaf expressed strong 
support for a continued UNMIL presence until Liberia can take over 
its own security.  On several occasions, she called the peace 
"fragile" and easily able to be reversed.  While economic recovery 
is advancing, the global economic downturn has affected Liberia, and 
Sirleaf and her ministers requested direct budget support while the 
GOL continues to improve its public financial management.  Sirleaf 
believes that the reform of the police is not advancing at the same 
pace as the army, and the police may need to be completely 
restructured, and said the leadership of a bilateral partner is 
necessary or its success.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) President Sirleaf opened the meeting by expressing her 
appreciation for the UNSC visit as a demonstration of international 
support for peace in Liberia.  "It is a fragile peace nonetheless," 
she said, but thanks to the UN Liberia has been able to use the 
peace to plan for a renewal through the four "pillars" of the 
Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). 
 
¶3. (SBU) Of the four, Peace and Security is "paramount" and Sirleaf 
noted the progress in establishing a new army thanks to the support 
of the United States and the UN.  Sirleaf outlined Liberia's efforts 
on the second pillar, adding that partners must help Liberia reduce 
its vulnerability to the global economic downturn, jeopardizing 
efforts to revitalize the economy.  Progress has been satisfactory 
in awarding concessions for minerals, agriculture and forestry, but 
the results so far have not at a level to create jobs.  Liberia has 
been successful in reducing its debt and Liberia will reach HIPC 
Completion Point sometime next year, at which time Liberia will have 
access to other sources of funding in order to be more 
self-sufficient.  As for the third pillar, governance is weak and 
the judicial system suffers from weak capacity and low compensation. 
 Corruption is one of the greatest menaces and Liberia needs to 
build value systems to limit corruption.  Sirleaf outlined progress 
in the fourth pillar, and the continued need for progress in roads 
and electricity. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Seen in the Liberian context, this is excellent progress, 
she said, but the situation remains fragile.  There are too many 
still without jobs, and this is a threat to peace as many only know 
violence as a response to adversity.  There are far too many people 
in Monrovia and they need to be enticed to return to the rural 
areas.  This includes providing basic services to those who return. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Turning to regional issues, Sirleaf said that Liberia has 
good relations with all its neighbors, although there are some 
activities occurring along the borders that need to be addressed. 
Liberia and Sierra Leone face common problems in defending their 
democracies, and the situation in Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire remain 
uncertain. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In her response, Ambassador Rice said that the Security 
Council was aware of the fragility and the importance of UNMIL in 
the process, but the Council must begin discussion on "where this 
all leads" by having a clearer understanding of what is needed for a 
successful conclusion to UNMIL. 
 
¶7. (U) Sirleaf then invited her ministers to expand on the four 
pillars of the PRS. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Peace and Security:  Defense Minister Brownie Samukai noted 
that security institutions still had some way to go before they can 
take over from UNMIL.  The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) needs two 
to three more years before being fully operational, and require a 
series of exercises, some in conjunction with UNMIL.  The Liberia 
National Police (LNP) is too small at 3,500, but there has been a 
shift of emphasis on making the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) 
operational.  Other security institutions, like customs or the 
Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization have received little 
assistance.  Sustainability remains an issue.  Sirleaf added that 
the recruitment and training of the 2,000 soldier AFL has gone well, 
but there is no leadership developed yet, and the Coast Guard is 
just starting. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Minister of Justice Philip Banks said there has been some 
progress with the police but progress has been slowed because the 
police, like the army, was factionalized during the war but unlike 
the AFL, the police force was not demobilized.  There were flaws in 
the initial vetting, and re-vetting is needed.  The present 3,500 is 
insufficient to cover all the counties.  The public has come to see 
the ERU as the only effective force and ways need to be sought to 
have them deployed around the country.  Sirleaf said one factor for 
the small police force is the cost. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Economic Revitalization:  Minister of Finance Augustine 
Ngafuan said that lower revenues and the inability to borrow have 
 
MONROVIA 00000390  002 OF 003 
 
 
forced the government to "streamline spending", which is opposite to 
what the government should be doing.  He called for more budget 
support from donors, while saying that the government needed to do 
its part by continuing the pace of reforms and ensuring that its 
resources are used more effectively. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Governance and Rule of Law:  Minister of Planning and 
Economic Affairs Amara Kone acknowledged that Governance and Rule of 
Law has been the weakest pillar as it relies the most on human 
capital, can the conflict created a massive brain drain.  The entire 
public sector became factionalized and corruption became accepted 
culturally -- people began to believe it was normal to cheat.  Civil 
service reform is needed as well as decentralization of government 
authority.  However, property rights was cited during the PRS 
process as the primary source of conflict, and the proposed Land 
Commission needs to be established to address land tenure.  He said 
that the Judiciary is weak and more support is needed for the 
recently-established judicial training institute. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Infrastructure and Basic Services:  Minister of State 
without Portfolio Natty B. Davis reiterated Kone's remarks that 
Liberians left in significant numbers.  Roads are of primary 
necessity, but Liberia must build an environment for investment.  He 
also called for direct budget support even as the government 
rebuilds sound public financial management. 
 
¶13. (U) Following the presentation, Ambassador Rice invited the 
representatives to ask questions. 
 
¶14. (SBU) The Burkina Faso representative said that ECOWAS 
commitment to Liberia is certain and argued against a precipitous 
drawdown.  He asked what the ECOWAS role has been in developing the 
security sector. 
 
¶15. (SBU) The UK representative noted that peacekeepers are no 
longer required in Sierra Leone and, while no one is seeking a 
precipitous drawdown, he asked why the situation in Liberia is so 
much more difficult.  The police force remains too small and police 
are unarmed, which will not allow them to respond to traditional 
forms of violence. He noted UNMIL's annual $600 budget, 80% of which 
is paid for in assessed contributions by the U.S. EU and Japan, and 
asked if those funds could be better spent in other ways to support 
Liberia. 
 
¶16. (SBU) President Sirleaf replied that the army is well advanced 
in its formation, although there have been some slippages, and 
thanked ECOWAS nations for contributing officers and resources to 
the effort.  She did not see the army as too small for Liberia to 
take over its own security as long as the borders remain stable. 
The greatest impediment for Liberia to take over its own security is 
the police.  The strategy in the beginning was flawed.  The police 
did not go through proper vetting and unlike in Sierra Leone where 
the UK took leadership over the police, in Liberia a "mixture" of 
countries.  As well, the training was too "human rights oriented" 
and not relevant to this society.  She said she did not want to arm 
the police until they are effectively trained.  With the police, 
things have to be done all over:  recruiting, vetting and training; 
resources need to be given to the police, and one country is 
designated to support the police (she mentioned India as an 
example).  She calculated three to four years to train and expand 
the police. 
 
¶17. (SBU) Sirleaf warned that if the international community fails 
to support the police before UNMIL leaves, "it will cost you even 
more" to return to restore order.  She added she heard that there 
was discussion that the original number of 500 might be reduced and 
said that would be a mistake -- the number should in fact be 
expanded. 
 
¶18. (SBU) The Turkish representative said that while it is good to 
attract large investment through infrastructure investment, perhaps 
more emphasis should be made in supporting small and medium 
enterprises.  President Sirleaf agreed that it is important to build 
up indigenous enterprises along with concessions, there are some 
initiatives such as micro-credit loans, taking advantage of AGOA and 
allocations in the budget to support businesses. 
The important result is job creation.  The ex-combatants still 
cannot find work.  They do respond to getting job skills, but 
training is not enough; jobs are needed.  Otherwise, "they're coming 
back," she said. 
 
¶19. (SBU) The French representative said France was "disappointed" 
with Sirleaf's decision to pass a law making armed robbery a capital 
crime (Note:  The law in fact made committing murder while 
committing armed robbery a capital crime, a nuance that was lost 
during the public debate.  Capital punishment already existed in 
Liberian law.  End note.)  Sirleaf said she was politically 
 
MONROVIA 00000390  003 OF 003 
 
 
compelled to sign the law because of public outcry.  She said she 
agreed to sign after she was assured she had the authority to 
commute any death sentence.  Liberia is not at a point in its 
security situation that the question of capital punishment can be 
debated, but promised that "while the law is on the books it will 
never be used." 
 
¶20. (SBU) In response to a question from the Russian representative 
on food security, Sirleaf said that a key element of her policy is 
to get people back to the farms to produce more rice to reduce 
dependency on foreign rice imports.  However, mechanized farming 
needs to be introduced to make the venture profitable. 
 
¶21. (SBU) Responding to an inquiry from the Costa Rican 
representative on drug activity in Liberia, President Sirleaf said 
that while some marijuana is grown in Liberia "it is not 
widespread."  Marijuana is illegal in Liberia and it is confiscated 
when found.  And while the GOL is aware of some isolated cases of 
drugs transiting Liberia is not a major transit point.  The GOL is 
working regionally with the United States and other partners to 
develop a quick response should a threat arise.  Drugs played a role 
during the civil war and Liberia could easily fall prey again if 
steps are not taken. 
 
¶22. (SBU) In response to the Austrian representative's question on 
gender, President Sirleaf said that rape continues to be problem 
though women are more likely to report rape than in the past.  Also, 
the security services have not reached the GOL objective of 20%, and 
she hoped that the presence of an all-female Ghana Battalion may 
serve as a model.  She ended by making a plea to troop contributing 
countries to bring more women. 
 
¶23. (U) Ambassador Rice cleared this cable. 
 
THOMAS-GREENFIELD