VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #6217 3432340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 092340Z DEC 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 9022
INFO RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 8341
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0111
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 6288

UNCLAS STATE 126217 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO SY IS
SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS FOR UNDOF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE 
UN SECURITY COUNCIL 
 
¶1. USUN may draw on the talking points in paragraph 2 
during December 14 Security Council consultations on the 
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). 
 
¶2.  Begin talking points 
 
-- Mr. President, we are pleased the UNDOF area of operation 
has remained generally quiet during this period and that 
UNDOF has continued to perform its function effectively, with 
the cooperation of the parties. 
 
-- We commend the six troop contributing countries and their 
personnel, now at a combined strength of over 1,000, for 
their superb professionalism and dedication, and welcome the 
Philippine contingent to the mission. 
 
-- Mr. President, in June we strongly advocated in extending 
UNDOF's mandate to 12 months, vice the traditional six 
months, in order to achieve greater Council efficiency, given 
the non-controversial nature of UNDOF's mandate renewal. 
This would also make it consistent other peacekeeping 
missions in the region which have a one-year mandate. 
 
-- At the time,  one of the parties, Syria voiced a strong 
preference that the six-month mandate be 
retained, viewing an extension to a 12-month mandate as a 
negative political signal on the peace process.  We 
understand that Syria continues to hold that same position. 
 
-- We continue to respectfully disagree. The United States 
has made it very clear that we are firmly committed to 
achieving comprehensive peace in the Middle East and we are 
pursuing it vigorously.  We are doing everything we can to be 
constructive, effective partners in this process. 
 
-- Making UNDOF into a 12-month mandate is a matter of 
promoting UN efficiency and best practices, not a statement 
about the peace process, to which the U.S. is very clearly 
committed, as is this Council. 
 
-- As the largest financial contributor to UNDOF and to the 
UN itself, we would like to see greater efficiencies wherever 
possible.  We also ask DPKO to consider whether it should 
recommend a 12-month mandate for the next renewal period 
rather than the traditional six-month renewal. 
 
-- We also ask DPKO to provide more detailed analysis in its 
report to the Council.  In particular, we would like to hear 
about UNDOF,s efforts to maintain the ceasefire and whether 
the Force,s assets and resources are configured most 
appropriately to fulfill its mandated task. 
 
-- In too many of these semi-annual consultations, the 
Secretary-General,s written report to the Council contains 
far less information than DPKO,s oral briefings.  It is 
unclear to us why some or all of that information is not 
contained in the written report.  We understand if there is 
additional information to share after the publication of the 
report.  The report, however, should not be virtually 
identical from period to period.  It should be more 
reflective of the actual on-the-ground situation during the 
reporting period and not use recycled text. 
 
-- Thank you, Mr. President. 
 
End talking points 
CLINTON