VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #5114 1741959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231937Z JUN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHFN/AMEMBASSY FREETOWN IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 065114 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPKO LI
SUBJECT: UNSC CONSULTATIONS:  LIBERIA AND COTE D'IVOIRE 
 
REF: STATE 25568 
 
 ¶1. (U) USUN may draw on the points in paragraph 3 for the 
June 25 Security Council consultations.  We understand that 
U/SYG LeRoy will brief on his recent visits to both Liberia 
and Cote d'Ivoire, so have included points on both countries. 
 
¶2.  (U) The Secretary-General's June 10 report on Liberia 
S/2009/299 includes a summary of the findings of the 
Technical Assistance Mission (TAM) that visited Liberia from 
April 26 to May 6, and endorses those recommendations.  The 
TAM concluded that, given the current security situation, the 
continuing but still limited progress in developing Liberian 
security institutions, and the likely need for UN support for 
the 2011 Liberian elections, there could be some small 
adjustments to the UNMIL drawdown plan.  Specifically, the 
TAM recommended moving up to mid-2010 the original December 
2010 target date for drawing down UNMIL,s military strength 
to 7,952 troops in Liberia and 250 troops in Sierra Leone 
(total of 8,202).  The TAM also recommended reducing the 
number of vehicles and aircraft, as well as further 
consolidation of UNMIL locations.  The TAM recommended 
maintaining police at the current levels.  The report took 
into account a possible need for UNMIL to temporarily 
reinforce UNOCI (with one military company and four 
helicopters) a month before the Ivorian elections, currently 
scheduled for November 29, 2009, but notes that once UNMIL 
has completed the third phase of its drawdown, in May 2010, 
it will not have sufficient capacity to reinforce UNOCI (that 
is, if the Ivorian elections are postponed again, it may not 
be possible for UNMIL to provide additional capacity).   The 
U.S. supports the Secretary-General's recommendations. A 
joint Department of Political Affairs/UN Development Program 
electoral needs assessment went to Liberia in May; the 
Secretary-General will include recommendations on the UN's 
(including UNMIL's) role in the 2011 elections in his 
mid-August report.  UNMIL's current mandate will expire on 
September 30, 2009. 
 
¶3. (U)  Begin points: 
 
-- We thank U/SYG LeRoy for his briefing on his recent visit 
to Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire. 
 
-- The U.S. continues to work in close cooperation with the 
UN and the Government of Liberia in developing good 
governance and a solidly-based Liberian security architecture 
which will be sustainable over the long term. 
 
-- We welcome the Secretary-General's recommendations, which 
represent a well-informed and thorough review of the 
situation on the ground by the Technical Assessment Mission, 
as well as by SRSG Loej and her military, political and 
civilian advisors. 
 
-- They call for a very slight acceleration in the pace of 
phase three of UNMIL's drawdown beyond what the Council 
approved last September, moving up the end date by six 
months, but clearly endorse the repeated findings of the UN's 
experts that we should not take precipitous steps to draw 
down more rapidly than is prudent.  As we have said before, 
crises in Liberia have in the past affected the entire 
sub-region, and the United States believes that we should 
take the long view, rather than risking the work of years by 
too hasty a departure. 
 
-- We also look forward to his recommendations in his next 
report on the appropriate role for the UN in the 2011 
Liberian elections. 
 
-- We wish to thank the Panel of Experts for its midterm 
report recommending several options to further strengthen the 
efficacy of the sanctions regime. The United States is 
exploring ways we can be responsive to President Sirleaf's 
request for support building the GOL's ability to carry out 
its assets freeze obligations. 
 
-- The United States commends the invaluable assistance that 
UNMIL is providing to the Government of Liberia in 
re-establishing proper administration of its natural 
resources and authority in mining and forestry areas, and 
believes that this help is still needed. 
 
-- In that regard, we welcome the passage by the Liberian 
legislature of the "Act Establishing the Liberia Extractive 
Industries Transparency Initiative." 
 
-- We also wish to express our support for continued 
cooperation and collaboration between the Liberia Panel of 
Experts and the Cote d'Ivoire Sanctions Committee's Group of 
Experts. 
 
-- As the Liberia Panel,s recommended, we encourage the 
Government of Liberia to continue to strengthen its internal 
controls on diamond mining and trading and to enhance 
collaboration with the Kimberley Process and neighboring 
countries, to ensure that diamonds from Cote d'Ivoire do not 
enter Liberia for subsequent export as Liberian diamonds in 
contravention of the Ivorian diamond ban. 
 
-- The United States continues to encourage the Ivorian 
parties to carry out their commitments, in order to hold 
free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections as scheduled 
on November 29.  No one can be more weary than the Ivorian 
people of the repeated delays and postponements.  We urge all 
concerned to act in the common interest of their country and 
take the steps necessary for Cote d'Ivoire to return to 
political stability and prosperity. 
 
-- We thank the men and women of UNMIL and UNOCI for their 
continuing dedication and sacrifice. 
 
End points. 
CLINTON