VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1016/01 3161515
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121515Z NOV 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7582
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR PRIORITY 0286
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHNA/DEA HQS WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001016 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DAKAR PLEASE PASS TO BISSAU WATCHER; IO PLEASE SHARE WITH 
PM/PPA FOR ACTION REQUEST, IF APPROPRIATE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC PHUM SNAR XY PU ZA
SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY: GUINEA-BISSAU: SECURITY COUNCIL 
CONCERNED WITH SECURITY SECTOR, DRUGS, AND UN TRANSITION 
 
REF: STATE 1140261 
 
¶1. (SBU) This is an action request. Please see para 15. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: In various UN and USUN meetings recently on 
Guinea-Bissau, UN officials have discussed the challenges 
facing both the country and the follow-on UN mission there. 
In the Security Council on November 5, UN Peacebuilding 
Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS) Representative 
Joseph Mutaboba said in an open session that there has been 
progress on national reconciliation, especially since he has 
secured a dialogue between President Sanha and Prime Minister 
Junior.  He reiterated the "window of opportunity" for 
Guinea-Bissau, but warned that hegemonic politics and 
intra-party divisions threaten stability.  Ambassador Rice, 
during the Council's closed consultations, said the U.S. 
remains deeply committed to helping Guinea-Bissau achieve a 
sustainable peace and pushed for progress on the Commission 
of Inquiry into the March and June political assassinations. 
 
¶3. (SBU) SUMMARY CONTINUED: Also in the Council's closed 
consultations, UN Office on Drugs and Crime Executive 
Director Costa described a "disturbing" drug problem in both 
Guinea-Bissau and in broader West Africa.  Ambassador Rice 
noted the U.S. concern with drug trafficking.  Following 
consultations, the Council adopted a Presidential Statement, 
S/PRST/2009/29.  In a meeting with a DPA staffer on November 
2, USUN staff heard that the transition from UNOGBIS to the 
integrated mission, UNIOGBIS, planned for January 1, 2010 is 
on track, although most of the staff for the mission probably 
will not be in Bissau until mid-January and beyond.  Earlier, 
Mutaboba, in a meeting with Ambassador DiCarlo on October 30, 
asked for U.S. assistance in obtaining a biometric passport 
reader for Guinea-Bissau, and asked the U.S. to deploy the 
PISCES program there.  Finally, Mutaboba asked to be put in 
touch with the Department's Coordinator for Counter Piracy so 
that UNOGBIS (and UNIOGBIS) can play a role in that effort. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
POLITICAL RECONCILIATION AND SSR ON TRACK...FOR NOW 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) During an open session of the Security Council on 
November 5, UNOGBIS Representative Mutaboba said that there 
has been momentum in recent days on political reconciliation. 
 President Sanha had opened the legislature on November 3 and 
called for a National Stability Pact.  The Speaker of the 
Parliament also called on legislators to expedite security 
sector reform (SSR) laws.  Sanha's appointment of a new 
Prosecutor General for the Commission of Inquiry was a 
positive step, and the new defense leadership (including the 
swearing in of the Chief of General Staff on October 27) has 
been "legitimized."  Mutaboba reiterated the 
Secretary-General's sentiment that there is a "window of 
opportunity" in Guinea-Bissau, and told Council members that 
Guinea-Bissau still needs help. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Brazilian PermRep Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, as 
Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission's (PBC) configuration 
on Guinea-Bissau, also participated and flagged insufficient 
infrastructure in the country as key to economic recovery. 
African Union Acting Permanent Observer Tete Antonio worried 
that Guinea-Bissau's army was oversized compared to the 
general population; he also said that solving the problems 
with the pension fund for retired military was the key to 
success on SSR.  Guinea-Bissau PermRep Alfredo Lopes Cabral, 
in unscripted remarks, explained that the needs of his 
country still warrant the international community's 
confidence.  He also asked for international partners to help 
build prisons, explaining that the people of Guinea-Bissau 
need to have faith in their justice system. 
 
¶5. (SBU) In closed consultations following the open session, 
Mutaboba shared two "good news" items with Council members. 
First, he said he has been able to secure a dialogue between 
President Sanha and Prime Minister Junior.  Sanha, according 
to Mutaboba, expressed his appreciation to the UN for 
bringing the two officials together.  Mutaboba suggested this 
momentum could help with the national political dialogue and 
appealed for Council members to help bilaterally.  Second, 
Mutaboba has urged the Guinea-Bissau military to break away 
from partitions, and called this the "only way to end 
impunity."  He pleaded with the Council to help fight 
organized crime (including drugs, small arms and light 
 
 
weapons, and human trafficking), as well as to help secure 
and monitor Guinea-Bissau's borders. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Ambassador Rice noted that the U.S. remains deeply 
committed to helping Guinea-Bissau achieve a sustainable 
peace, and is encouraged by the June and July elections.  She 
also informed Council members that the U.S. planned to 
re-open a Mission in Bissau in the near future.  She 
suggested that the national defense reform plan adopted by 
the National Popular Assembly in 2007 should serve as the 
basis for SSR in Guinea-Bissau. The United Kingdom agreed 
that SSR, as well as counter-narcotics, were the "immediate 
priorities" for Guinea-Bissau. Most Council members mentioned 
elements of SSR in their statements.  Mutaboba while 
answering wrap-up questions at the end of consultations asked 
Council members to be more proactive in their SSR assistance, 
and not wait for the Government of Guinea-Bissau to sign off 
on a strategy.  He said he would repeat this message when he 
met with the European Union in Brussels on November 9. 
(COMMENT: During negotiations prior to November 5, the French 
and UK experts mentioned holding off on SSR until the 
Government had a better idea of what it wanted to do.  France 
took a hard line on protecting European Union equities in the 
PRST, which noted the EU's role in SSR. END COMMENT.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) Ambassador Rice asked for an update on the 
Commission of Inquiry into the March and June political 
assassinations, including what could be done to protect 
witnesses associated with its work.  She flagged the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) technical assistance to the 
Commission and asked partner countries to do what they can to 
assist; Russia thanked the U.S. for the FBI's work in this 
area.  During Mutaboba's rebuttal, he did not answer the 
questions posed about the Commission, deferring judgment 
until after the anticipated "progress" the new Prosecutor 
General would kick-start. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
SOBERING MESSAGE ON DRUGS IN WEST, AND EAST, AFRICA 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) In both the open meeting and closed consultations, 
UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director 
Antonio Maria Costa alerted Council members to what is 
becoming a disturbing drug problem in Guinea-Bissau.  He 
expressed concern that the international community had 
"wasted time" since he first alerted members five years ago 
about the West Africa drug problem.  He also made a link 
between the country's rising drug trade and its poor judicial 
system, uncontrolled sea and air space, and open land 
borders.  In closed consultations, Costa highlighted the 
intercontinental drug problem, in which drugs originating 
from Afghanistan and Pakistan are transiting through East 
Africa and converging in the Sahel area with those from West 
Africa.  He also explained that West Africa is becoming a hub 
for drug consumption, not just transit.  He posited that 
chemical precursors do not originate in West Africa, so are 
obviously coming from elsewhere (he suggested Asia, coming 
through the Democratic Republic of Congo, and then to Mexico 
and West Africa). 
 
¶9. (SBU) Ambassador Rice said that the U.S. is extremely 
concerned about drug trafficking in West Africa, and 
suggested the Economic Community of West African States 
should be encouraged and supported to take the lead on a 
coordinated, regional approach to fight drugs.  She also 
encouraged the UN Office for West Africa to do its part in 
the effort.  All Council members agreed with Rice, with most 
calling for more funding for counter-narcotics efforts. 
France asked for regular UNODC briefings on Africa-related 
trafficking; Costa in response said he would welcome the 
opportunity.  Libya said that the drug problem in West Africa 
is not only a regional issue, highlighting the role North 
Africa plays in fueling the trafficking. 
 
------------------ 
A HARD FOUGHT PRST 
------------------ 
 
¶10. (SBU) Following consultations, the Council adopted a 
Burkinabe-drafted PRST (S/PRST/2009/29) after last-minute 
revisions from Russia.  Intense side negotiations during 
consultations between Burkina Faso, Mexico (who insisted on 
inclusion of the wording), and Russia--as well as the U.S. 
and France--ultimately helped work out differences. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
TRANSITION TO UNIOGBIS ON TRACK FOR JANUARY 1, 2010 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶11. (SBU) Mutaboba told the Council that the integrated 
follow-on mission, UNIOGBIS, would be ready to go on January 
¶1.  He said that UNIOGBIS had been given an "ambitious" 
mandate and offered no details on other aspects.  In a 
meeting with USUN staff on November 2, UN Department of 
Political Affairs (DPA) Integrated Peacebuilding Missions 
Unit staffer, Vina Najibullah (protect), who is responsible 
for all hiring and administrative aspects of DPA 
peacebuilding missions, gave blunt details about the 
transition from UNOGBIS to UNIOGBIS.  Like Mutaboba, she 
believes UNIOGBIS will be up and running on January 1, but 
full staffing will take a number of months.  She said that 
DPA was "not good at field work," but has learned lessons 
from the integrated peacebuilding mission in Sierra Leone 
(the first such integrated mission).  DPA has requested $19 
million for UNIOGBIS with 119 staff, which includes 35 safety 
and security staff and 32 support staff.  She said that DPA 
has completed 80 percent of the interviews for 
staff positions, but new UN hiring practices are slowing down 
the process. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Najibullah asked for U.S. assistance in ensuring 
the ACABQ recommends to the UNGA's Fifth Committee that it 
adopt the proposed budget for UNIOGBIS, adding that 
Under-Secretary-General Lynn Pascoe often says that "we 
should not continue anemic (peacebuilding) missions; we need 
to invest for five years instead of continuing to trickle a 
small amount of money in."  She also said that Department of 
Field Support (DFS) Assistant-Secretary-General Anthony 
Banbury (U.S.) was a "breath of fresh air," and personally 
spearheads a group in DFS to help with peacebuilding 
transition missions.  (COMMENT: Mutaboba during his myriad 
meetings in NY offered no staffing details.  Similarly, the 
Secretary-General's recent report (S/2009/552) on 
Guinea-Bissau lacked adequate information on plans for 
UNIOGBIS.  Post found out more in the meeting with the DPA 
staffer than we had in any other meeting. The Mission has 
received an advance version of the proposed budget which will 
be issued as A/64/349/Add.3.  The Fifth Committee will begin 
its consideration of the proposed 2010 budgets and ACABQ 
reports on all special political missions in late November. 
END COMMENT.) 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
MUTABOBA ASKS FOR U.S. HELP ON CRIME, DRUGS, AND 
COUNTER-PIRACY 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶13. (SBU) In a meeting with Ambassador DiCarlo on October 30, 
Mutaboba asked for U.S. assistance to curb transnational 
crime and drugs.  He expressed frustration that Guinea-Bissau 
now has biometric passports, but does not have the necessary 
machine to read them.  He had personally visited the airport 
in Bissau and had taken a trip to the Senegalese border in an 
effort to expose the key problem: lax security associated 
with having a diplomatic passport; Bissau authorities do not 
check a diplomatic passport holder's bags at all, making drug 
trafficking easy. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Mutaboba also asked for the U.S. to deploy PISCES 
(Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation 
System) in Guinea-Bissau.  In this regard, he commented that 
INTERPOL's presence in Bissau is incompetent staff, therefore 
other assistance is needed.  He lamented that Guinea-Bissau's 
police are "close to nothing," and UNOGBIS has only been able 
to help sporadically with training.  Mutaboba also expressed 
appreciation for the FBI's work on the Commission of Inquiry. 
 
-------------- 
ACTION REQUEST 
-------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) Mutaboba asked to be put in touch with the 
Department's Coordinator for Counter Piracy, Robert Maggi, to 
discuss counter piracy and Guinea-Bissau's role.  Ambassador 
DiCarlo agreed such a meeting was a good idea.  (COMMENT: 
Mutaboba seemed anxious to carve out a role for himself in 
counter piracy, including by working with other UN missions 
in West Africa.  END COMMENT.)  Post requests Department 
assistance to arrange such a meeting or telephone call.  Post 
 
 
also requests Department's position on Mutaboba's two 
requests above (paras 13 and 14), and whether Post should 
seek more information from the UN on these requests. 
Rice