VZCZCXRO0762
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0849/01 2642036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 212036Z SEP 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7201
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN PRIORITY 1612
RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA PRIORITY 1542

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000849 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC XY LI IV
SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS UNMIL; LIBERIA REQUESTS 
HELP FOR ITS POLICE 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The Security Council met on September 9 to 
discuss the renewal of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), and 
unanimously adopted UNMIL's resolution on September 15. 
UNMIL's Special Representative of the Secretary General 
(SRSG) Ellen Loj told the Council on September 9 that the 
Liberia National Police required additional support.  Loj 
also noted that Liberians were looking for guidance on its 
Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  All Council members 
supported renewing UNMIL's mandate for one year and including 
election support as part of its mandate.  France continued to 
call for a more rapid drawdown of UNMIL, and the UK requested 
an exit strategy.  Liberian Justice Minister Tah held a 
Partnership meeting at the UN on September 9 to garner 
support for the security sector, but only Denmark offered 
additional assistance.  Bilaterally, Tah requested help from 
the U.S. for the Liberian Bureau of Immigration and 
Naturalization. END SUMMARY. 
 
UNMIL HEAD CALLS FOR HELP FOR THE POLICE 
 
¶2. (SBU) SRSG Ellen Loj briefed the Security Council 
September 9 on the progress of UNMIL.  She stressed that the 
2011 elections will be "critical" to the Liberian peace 
process, and noted that the security sector had many needs. 
Loj underlined that while there have been advances in 
reforming the Liberia National Police (LNP), it was the area 
most in need of attention. 
 
STILL NO CLARITY ON THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION 
 
¶3. (SBU) Loj noted that release of the final report of the 
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in July has created 
a debate within Liberia between those who seek restorative 
justice and those who provide for some level of immunity for 
those involved in the conflict.  She said that many Liberians 
are looking to the international community for guidance, but 
that it is up to the Liberians to find resolution models. 
Finally, she noted with regret the recent suicide of an UNMIL 
staff member after allegations arose of sexual misconduct, 
which highlighted the need for further efforts to eliminate 
sexual exploitation and abuse in the Mission. 
 
COUNCIL SUPPORTS UNMIL ASSISTING WITH 2011 ELECTIONS 
 
¶4. (SBU) All members agreed that the October 2011 
presidential and legislative elections are key milestones in 
furthering democratic rule in Liberia, and welcomed mandating 
UNMIL to support the elections.  All members also expressed 
support for the recommended Phase III drawdown to 8,200 
troops by May 2010 and maintaining the level of formed police 
units (FPUs). 
 
FRANCE CALLS FOR A FASTER DRAWDOWN 
 
¶5. (SBU) French PermRep Araud, however, said his government 
maintains that a reduction of one battalion could be achieved 
after May 2010 and before the elections.  He called for a 
review of the situation following the May 2010 drawdown and 
said that the Council should not hesitate to accelerate 
further cuts if the situation warrants.  Ambassador Rice 
responded that while the Council should continue to review 
the situation closely, to date all assessments have shown 
clearly that the present recommended level is appropriate for 
UNMIL to achieve its mandate through the elections. 
 
UK WANTS "INTEGRATED STRATEGIC PLAN" AND EXIT STRATEGY 
 
¶6. (SBU) UK PermRep Sawers reiterated his government's desire 
for an integrated strategic plan to be implemented following 
the 2011 elections, in order to transition the UN role in 
Liberia from peacekeeping to peacebuilding.  He said that 
while security must be maintained, the plan should consider 
innovative approaches, such as creating a regional mission. 
The SRSG responded that planning for UNMIL's "exit strategy" 
has begun, and that UNMIL has established an integrated team 
to begin work on transition from UNMIL leadership to UN 
Country Team Leadership. 
 
 
JAPAN SUGGESTS USING PEACEBUILDING FUND 
 
¶7. (SBU) Japanese PermRep Takasu, while supporting the draft 
resolution, noted that the UNMIL budget is double that of the 
GOL budget (quoting Sawers' Council comment from last June). 
He said that maintaining peace includes improving the 
security institutions to tackling unemployment and other 
social and economic factors.  He suggested use of the 
Peacebuilding Fund to fill gaps in development.  Loj 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000849  002 OF 002 
 
 
recognized the need for a "tremendous" peacebuilding effort. 
 
CHARLES TAYLOR TRIAL A CONCERN 
 
¶8. (SBU) In response to a question from the UK PermRep, Loj 
said that the Charles Taylor trial has been extended until 
the beginning of 2011.  Each extension increases the chance 
the trial could impact the elections.  Taylor supporters and 
his party, the National Patriotic Party, remain active, she 
reported. 
 
LIBERIA'S MINISTER OF JUSTICE HOLDS POLICE DONOR MEETING 
 
¶9. (SBU) Also on September 9, Liberian Minister of Justice 
Tah chaired a partnership meeting to garner support for the 
security sector.  Tah outlined needs across the entire 
Liberian security sector, and the director of the Liberia 
National Police (LNP) presented his strategic plan.  More 
than 50 nations and donor groups attended the session, but 
only the Danish mission pledged to give additional resources. 
 
 
TCC / PCC MEETING HELD EARLY TO IMPROVE COOPERATION 
 
¶10. (SBU) The U.S. convened the private Council briefing with 
troop and police contributing countries (TCC/PCC) on 
September 3, the week prior to UNMIL's deliberations, in 
order to be more responsive to donor countries' concerns. 
(NOTE: The TCC/PCC meetings historically occur on the same 
day as Council consultations, but were scheduled earlier in 
part due to feedback that TCC/PCC concerns could not be 
thoroughly incorporated into consultations with so little 
time between events. END NOTE.)  Several participants, 
including India, Japan, Jordan, and Uganda, thanked the U.S. 
for accommodating their concerns through this scheduling 
shift.  Senegal said it would look into the possibility of 
offering corrections officers to UNMIL. 
 
JUSTICE MINISTER ASKS U.S. TO AID THE BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION 
AND NATURALIZATION 
 
¶11. (SBU) Minister Tah met with Ambassador DiCarlo on 
September 10 to press further for U.S. assistance.  Tah noted 
in particular that the Bureau of Immigration and 
Naturalization (BIN) needed more international attention, and 
asked the U.S. to consider additional financial support for 
BIN. 
 
UNMIL RESOLUTION ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY 
 
¶12. (U) UNMIL's mandate was extended until September 30, 
2010, by a unanimous vote of the Council on September 15, 
under S/RES/1885. 
RICE