VZCZCXYZ0007
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1113 3452107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 112107Z DEC 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7784
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 2046
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0822

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001113 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
IO/ATTN DEBORAH ODELL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC KPKO KCRM SOCI CVIS SN
SUBJECT: POLICE IN UN PEACEKEEPING: REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE 
 
REF: AHO-ODELL EMAILS OF 12/8/09 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraphs 2, 4, 
and 5. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations 
Police Division officials asked member states on December 4 
to assist in developing national follow-up plans to the 
Singapore Ministerial meeting on international policing held 
in October.  USUN requests Department's guidance by COB 
December 11 on the UN's process, timeline, and suggestion for 
a convention (outlined in paragraph 4), as well as 
instructions for any necessary revisions that USUN should 
discuss with DPKO and other delegations.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (SBU) USUN PolOff and Police Advisers from a handful of 
member states met with the UN Department of Peacekeeping 
Operations (DPKO) Police Division and INTERPOL Special 
Representative to the UN Harper Boucher on December 4 to 
discuss national follow-up plans to the Singapore Plan of 
Action adopted by Ministers in October (copy and other docs 
available at www.interpol.int/Public/ICPO/IntLiaison/UN/ 
MinisterialMeeting200910). DPKO is seeking national points 
of contact in each member state, particularly those 
who attended the Ministerial in Singapore.  The Ministerial 
meeting with the theme "The Role of International Policing in 
Building Sustainable Security," endorsed a partnership between 
INTERPOL and DPKO to build police and rule of law capacity 
in post-conflict states and to cooperate in addressing 
challenges, such as organized crime, that can destabilize at 
the national and regional level. Deputy Attorney General 
Ogden represented the U.S. at the Ministerial. 
 
¶4. (SBU) At the DPKO/INTERPOL meeting on December 4, Andrew 
Carpenter, Chief of the Strategic Policy and Development 
Section in DPKO, laid out a proposed timeline for the next 
year.  The UN will host the first follow-on meeting of the 
points of contact in February 2010 in New York (before the 
start of the C-34 Special Committee on Peacekeeping 
Operations on February 22, in order to allow participants in 
both meetings to attend).  At the February meeting, working 
groups will be created (to be determined at that time) and 
member states will assume leadership roles.  In June, 
probably in Lyon, France, a second follow-on meeting will be 
held, with a view to engaging regional and sub-regional 
organizations (including the AU, EU, Pacific Islands Forum, 
ASEAN, OAS, APEC, and ECOWAS) during the June-October 
timeframe.  In October or November, the UN and INTERPOL hope 
to hold a Singapore follow-on meeting, with either Minister 
or Head of State attendance.  The 2009 Ministerial 
declaration called for development of consensus on an 
international police doctrine in post-conflict environments. 
DPKO suggested that a UN Convention on Police Peacekeeping 
might be one approach.  ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests 
Department's guidance on this process, timeline, and 
suggestion for a convention, as well as instructions for any 
necessary revisions that USUN should discuss with DPKO and 
other delegations. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The UN and INTERPOL hope that the national points of 
contact for the Singapore Plan of Action will have a blend of 
experience in both policing and peacekeeping.  DPKO 
Under-Secretary-General Le Roy will send a letter to PermReps 
before December 18 asking for a "focal group" to be appointed 
from each country.  DPKO has asked us, and other missions, to 
provide any insights for this letter by December 11.  ACTION 
REQUEST: USUN requests Department assistance in identifying 
appropriate U.S. representation to that small group.  DPKO 
and INTERPOL wish to receive names before January 22, 2010, 
in order to allow time for U.S. visa processing. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: There has been growing interest in 
developing a doctrine on UN policing.  DPKO's Police Division 
sees the Singapore Ministerial as an opportunity to gain 
consensus on a police doctrine.  The United States can exert 
leadership in this process, similar to that seen in the 
Formed Police Unit doctrine development process.  We will 
need to ensure that participants in the upcoming Singapore 
Plan of Action meetings take into account the ongoing and 
concurrent discussions on strengthening UN peacekeeping--many 
of which involve police issues. 
RICE