VZCZCXYZ0003
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3230 1960041
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150026Z JUL 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 6863
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 1995

UNCLAS STATE 073230 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN PRST 
 
¶1. The Department authorizes USUN to join consensus in 
adopting a Presidential Statement on Afghanistan, scheduled 
to be considered by the UN Security Council on July 15, 
included in para 2. 
 
¶2. Begin statement: 
 
-     The Security Council welcomes the Afghan-led 
preparation for the upcoming presidential and provincial 
council elections and stresses the importance that the 
elections be free, fair, transparent, credible, secure and 
inclusive.  The Security Council also calls upon the people 
of Afghanistan to exercise their vote in this historic 
opportunity for all Afghans to make their voices heard. The 
Security Council calls on all parties concerned to adhere to 
the fundamental principles laid out in the electoral law and 
all other relevant regulations, the Presidential Decree on 
non-interference in election affairs, and the Guidelines 
issued by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General 
to ensure a credible electoral process. It reaffirms the 
primary responsibility of the Afghan Government and the 
Independent Electoral Commission to set the necessary 
conditions for elections, with the active support of the 
international community. The Security Council welcomes the 
intention of international partners, including the European 
Union and the OSCE, to send observation missions at the 
request of the Afghan Government.  The Security Council 
stresses the importance of a secure environment for 
conducting elections, condemns those who resort to violence 
to obstruct the electoral process, and, while recognizing the 
ongoing efforts of the Afghan Government, encourages its 
additional efforts with the assistance of the International 
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to ensure security during 
the electoral period. 
 
-     The Security Council welcomes the strengthened 
commitment that the international community has shown 
recently in various fora, including those in Moscow, The 
Hague, Ankara, Strasbourg/Kehl, Washington, Islamabad, 
Tehran, Yekaterinburg and Trieste, to help the Afghan 
Government build a stable and prosperous Afghanistan 
well-integrated in its region. 
 
-     The Security Council emphasizes the central role of 
UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General 
in leading and coordinating the international civilian 
efforts in Afghanistan and notes the expectation expressed in 
the Hague Conference for expansion of UNAMA's presence.  In 
this regard, the Security Council expresses its support for 
the Secretary-General,s intention to further strengthen 
UNAMA this year and invites the Secretary-General to provide 
further details of his proposals. 
 
-     The Security Council welcomes the progress achieved by 
the Afghan Government on implementing the Afghan Compact and 
the Afghanistan National Development Strategy during the 
period covered by the latest report of the Secretary-General, 
encourages the Afghan Government to undertake enhanced 
efforts in addressing issues in the areas of security, 
governance, the rule of law and human rights, including 
gender equality, and economic and social development as well 
as the cross-cutting issue of counter-narcotics, and calls 
upon the international community to continue to support the 
Afghan Government,s efforts, including provision of 
humanitarian assistance, in this regard. The Security Council 
recalls the priorities identified at the Paris Conference and 
reaffirmed at the Hague Conference, and emphasizes the 
importance to provide sufficient support needed for progress 
in these priority areas. 
 
-     The Security Council takes note of the status of the 
work of developing benchmarks for measuring and tracking 
progress in the implementation of UNAMA,s mandate and 
priorities and expresses its hope that the work will be 
completed through consultation with all actors concerned and 
that finalized benchmarks will be included in the next report 
of the Secretary-General. 
 
End statement. 
CLINTON