VZCZCXRO0114
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBZ RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHDU RUEHFL RUEHGI
RUEHJO RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHNP RUEHPA RUEHPOD
RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHTRO RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUCNDT #0910 2871907
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141907Z OCT 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7347
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 0009
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY 0823
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 0397
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 0341

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000910 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM SOCI UNSC BM CO BY UG
SUBJECT: BURMA, BURUNDI, COLOMBIA AND UGANDA ADDRESS SC 
WORKING GROUP ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT 
 
¶1. (SBU)  The Security Council Working Group on Children and 
Armed Conflict (WGCAAC) held a formal meeting chaired by 
Mexican Permanent Representative Claude Heller on October 12 
to adopt the group's conclusions on Burma and to discuss the 
Secretary General's reports on children and armed conflict in 
Burundi, Colombia and Uganda.  UN Special Representative of 
the Secretary General (SRSG) Radhiko Coomaraswamy briefed the 
group on the contents of each report.  Colombian Vice 
President Santos Calderon represented Colombia's delegation, 
Burundi Permanent Representative Gahutu and Ugandan Deputy 
Permanent Representative Mugoya each responded to the 
Secretary General's reports on their respective countries. 
Burmese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director Genderal of 
International Organizations Thant Kyaw gave a statement in 
response to the WGCAAC's adoption of conclusions on Burma. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Burmese Director Genderal Thant Kyaw outlined the 
positive measures that Burma has taken to address child 
soldiers, including passing a law prohibiting military 
recruitment of those under 18.  He regretted that 
"anti-government groups" had provided unverified information 
to the Secretary General which was included in the report. 
Kyawhighlighted Burma's work with the UN Task force to update 
its action plan on children and armed conflict and insisted 
that forced inscription is prohibited in Burma. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos Calderon 
underscored Colombia's commitment to protecting children, but 
was firm in rejecting the report's call for UN dialogue now 
with armed groups including the FARC and the ENL, likening 
this to negotiating with al-Queda.  Santos stated that these 
groups are terrorist organizations, without humanitarian 
sensibilities, and that dialogue would be an "extreme step 
back," citing past experience dealing with these groups and 
hostage situations.  Instead, Santos proposed that the CAAC 
monitoring and reporting mechanism work to support Colombian 
civil society and strengthen institutions, particularly 
efforts to bring armed groups to justice.  Austria, Croatia, 
France, Japan, Turkey and the UK encouraged Colombia to, at a 
minimum, consider limited UN dialogue with armed groups 
within the context of UNSCR 1612.  Russia agreed with 
Colombia's expressed reservations and China stated that the 
UN must respect the will of the country concerned, noting 
that Colombia is not on the agenda of the Security Council. 
The U.S. said that we support Colombia's wish that the 
conclusions of the WGCAAC expressly include the need for a 
permanent consultation process between the Colombian 
governmnet and the UN country task force. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Burundi Permanent Representative Zacharie Gahutu 
welcomed the SYG's report and outlined recent progress, 
including the transfer of the last known children associated 
with armed groups to a reintegration center.  Gahutu stated 
that Burundi is developing a comprehensive strategy on 
combating sexual violence, including systematic support for 
children.  He noted that Burundi integrated child protection 
information into its military's pre-deployment training and 
passed laws prohibiting recruitment of persons below age 18. 
Employment of children in upcoming elections in polling 
stations or other positions is also prohibited.  Gahutu 
stated that Burundi plans to continue positive policy choices 
to ensure continued progress while citing the need for 
continued international assistance.  Delegations commended 
Burundi on its reintegration and demobilization of child 
soldiers and emphasized the need to combat impunity.  Ugandan 
Deputy Permanent Representative Patrick Samuel Mugabwe Mugoya 
welcomed his country's delisting from the annexes of the 
SYG's report on children and armed conflict, and emphasized 
that it is no longer appropriate to include details on the 
LRA's violations within reports on Uganda, as the LRA has now 
moved out of the country.  Delegations agreed with Uganda's 
position and stressed that the WGCAAC should focus on 
regional cooperation and data collection. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  At the close of the meeting, Louis-Georges 
Arsenault, Director of UNICEF's Office of Emergency Programs, 
distributed a paper giving an overview of ten situations of 
concern and highlighted developments in Sri Lanka, the 
Central African Republic and the Philippines. 
RICE