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DE RUCNDT #0011/01 0121341
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD0B97BE TOQ0015-695)
P 121341Z JAN 10
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7986
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2675
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0345
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000011 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV NATO AF PK
SUBJECT: SRSG KAI EIDE BRIEFING AND UNAMA OPEN DEBATE 
 
REF: STATE 000413 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  On January 6, the Security Council held a 
quarterly debate on the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan 
(UNAMA).  SYG Ban, SRSG Eide and Afghan PermRep Tanin 
addressed the Council.  Ban called Afghanistan an on-going 
"main priority" for the UN in 2010, and focused on the need 
to strengthen the role of the Afghan Government and the need 
to increase coordination of international civilian efforts 
under the UN umbrella.  SRSG Eide focused on the need for 
agreement between the Afghan government and international 
community on a non-military political strategy. He reminded 
Council members that the Afghan conflict cannot be solved by 
military means alone, noting that "the political strategy is 
too often shaped as an appendix to military thinking."  The 
Afghan PermRep underscored the need to hold constitutionally 
required elections in May, characterizing any suggestion to 
postpone as ignoring the Afghan constitution.  Tanin also 
relayed the Afghan government's commitment to reconciliation 
and integration of former combatants and asked the Council to 
conduct a review of the consolidated list established under 
resolution 1267 and to remove those Taliban who renounce 
violence and join the peace process.  All Security Council 
members spoke afterwards, as did Australia, Canada, New 
Zealand, Norway, Pakistan and the EU.  The U.S. delegation 
reiterated President Obama's announcement of the U.S. 
government policy review on Afghanistan, the additional 
30,000 troops committed, and the  corresponding 
intensification of civilian programming.  With the exception 
of a strongly worded statement from Brazil, there was little 
discussion of civilian casualties resulting from 
pro-government or ISAF forces.  This Council session marked 
the first time the representative of the EU delegation to the 
UN addressed the Council (rather than the PermRep of the 
country holding the rotating presidency) following the 
ratification of the Lisbon treaty.  End summary. 
 
 
BRIEFING BY SYG BAN AND SRSG EIDE 
 
¶2. (U) Secretary General Ban opened the January 6 quarterly 
Security Council debate on the UN Assistance Mission for 
Afghanistan (UNAMA), calling Afghanistan an on-going "main 
priority" for the UN in 2010.  Ban focused on the need to 
strengthen the role of the Afghan Government and the need to 
increase coordination of international civilian efforts under 
the UN umbrella.  While Ban highlighted SRSG Eide's 
suggestions for a dedicated civilian coordination structure, 
he noted that the main obstacle in coordination is not a lack 
of structures but a problem of political will in donor 
countries.  He remarked that the UN is ready to support 
elections in Afghanistan in 2010 if the Afghan Government 
asks for UN assistance, and if the Security Council agrees, 
signaling the UN's anticipation of an addition to the UNAMA 
mandate to assist with parliamentary elections.  Ban called 
insecurity in Afghanistan as the "single biggest impediment 
to progress," and underscored the continued vulnerability of 
Afghan civilians.  Ban labeled the January 28 conference in 
London an "important opportunity for fresh impetus."  (Note: 
Ban did not detail the role that the UN will play, nor call 
the UN a "co-chair" of the conference.  End note.) 
 
¶3. (U) SRSG Kai Eide briefed the Council next, focusing on 
the need for agreement between the Afghan government and 
international community on a non-military political strategy. 
He reminded Council members that the Afghan conflict cannot 
be solved by military means alone, noting that "the political 
strategy is too often shaped as an appendix to military 
thinking."  Eide cautioned that the military surge should not 
be allowed to undermine important civilian objectives and 
must not lead to increased pressure for quick results in 
governance and economic development efforts which would 
divert long-term institution building and economic growth. 
 
¶4. (U) Eide outlined five components of his recommended 
political strategy: build civilian institutions, balance 
education opportunities, fund the agricultural sector, build 
infrastructure, and launch a peace and reconciliation 
process.  Eide noted that a systematic approach to building 
civilian institutions that are not corrupt and that are 
filled with trained staff in adequate infrastructures is 
necessary.  He highlighted the need for those who are trained 
by the government to also work for the government; and that 
those who come from the provinces return to their provinces. 
He detailed the imbalance of the education system which has 
more than 7 million students in primary and secondary school 
 
yet only 60,000 students in universities and 20,000 in 
vocational schools.  Eide called the agriculture sector 
"seriously underfunded" despite the vast majority of the 
population dependent upon the sector, and the infrastructure 
as "neglected", noting the transportation network and energy 
supplies as top priorities for starting mining projects which 
could yield economic growth.  Eide called for peace and 
reconciliation efforts to be Afghan-led and owned and offered 
UN support. 
 
¶5. (U) Eide elaborated on his recommendations, created in 
collaboration with the Minister of Finance, for further 
improved donor coordination mechanisms.  He recommended that 
the UN remain the "coordination umbrella" with integration of 
officials from key donor countries into UNAMA, while ISAF 
should bring PRTs in line with Afghan strategic plans, noting 
that the military should gradually transfer civilian projects 
to civilian institutions. 
 
¶6. (U) Eide cautioned that the surge of military activities 
expected in 2010, which could lead to more civilian 
casualties, house searches and detentions, can serve as a 
continued and possibly increased source of recruitment for 
the insurgency.  He implored the international community to 
redouble efforts to understand Afghan society - the Afghan 
religion, culture and values - to decrease the perception of 
disrespect, which is a key fuel for the insurgents. 
 
¶7. (U) Expressing concern for the future of the UNAMA 
mission, Eide explained that UNAMA currently faces a crisis 
in recruitment. More than fifty members of UNAMA left in the 
last six months, mostly due to security concerns, with only 
five new staff members being recruited during this same time 
period.  He bluntly noted that the new recruitment system put 
in place in July 2009 is not working, calling it a "major 
systemic flaw in the United Nations" that will "threaten the 
effectiveness, possibly even the survival, of many UN 
missions." 
 
 
AFGHAN INTERVENTION 
 
¶8. (U) Afghan PermRep Tanin took the floor next, calling the 
conclusion of the Presidential elections an "important but 
difficult milestone."  He reiterated points from President 
Karzai's inaugural address and underscored the importance of 
forming a new government without a delay which could cause a 
"vacuum of management."  Tanin relayed the Afghan 
government's commitment to reconciliation and integration of 
former combatants and asked the Council to conduct a review 
of the consolidated list established under resolution 1267 
and to remove those Taliban who renounce violence and join 
the peace process.  Echoing SRSG Eide, Tanin cautioned the 
international community about creating additional or new 
coordination structures which would form parallel governance 
structures.  On elections, Tanin underscored the need to hold 
constitutionally required elections in May, characterizing 
any suggestion to postpone as ignoring the Afghan 
constitution.  He briefly mentioned the January conference in 
London as an opportunity for Afghanistan and the 
international community to "coordinate development and 
capacity-building efforts so that Afghanistan may eventually 
mobilize its resources, generate income and jobs for its 
people, and begin to support its institutions." 
 
 
INTERVENTIONS BY SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, OTHER MEMBER 
STATES AND THE EU 
 
¶9. (SBU) All Security Council members spoke, followed by 
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan and the EU 
delegation.  The U.S. delegation delivered remarks, as 
directed in REFTEL.  This Council session marked the first 
time the EU delegation spoke on behalf of the Union rather 
than the EU member state holding the rotating presidency 
following the ratification of the Lisbon treaty.  France 
attempted at the last minute to slot the EU in the first 
non-Council member speaking position.  This would have set a 
precedent, as regional organizations normally speak after 
member states.  A compromise was reached, which slotted the 
EU after other UN member states but before EU members. 
However, at the last minute Germany and Italy - the two 
non-Security Council EU members slated to speak - opted not 
to speak at all.  The UK did not appear to support the last 
minute French initiative to secure enhanced status for the EU 
in Council proceedings. 
 
¶10. (U) Delegations highlighted the deteriorating security 
situation in the country and the related challenges faced by 
the Afghan government to deliver basic services and 
international humanitarian actors - including the UN - to 
deliver much needed assistance.  Many delegations, including 
the U.S., referenced the October attack in Kabul which killed 
five UN staff and the resulting difficulties the UN faces in 
keeping its staff secure, and suggested support for 
additional security measures would be available when 
requested.  The U.S. delegation reiterated support for 
UNAMA's efforts to strengthen the security of UN personnel in 
Afghanistan and our continued willingness to work with UNAMA 
to support these efforts.  Understanding that this would be 
SRSG Eide's last briefing to the Security Council before 
stepping down in February, members expressed appreciation for 
SRSG Eide's leadership of UNAMA over the past two years. 
 
¶11. (U) Most delegations highlighted the need for increased 
civilian coordination.  The U.S. delegation underscored that 
increased USG military efforts will be joined by a 
corresponding intensification of civilian programming and 
that we are on track to triple the USG civilian presence in 
Afghanistan.  Most delegations - including the U.S. - 
welcomed SRSG Eide's proposal for strengthening UNAMA's 
civilian coordination role, and some called for the ISAF 
coordination role to also be increased, especially in 
relation to coordination of PRTs.  The U.S. delegation gave 
support to Eide's proposal to bolster UNAMA with experienced 
staff from key donor countries, stating the "United States 
stands ready to support such a request with appropriate U.S. 
personnel." 
 
¶12. (U) The majority of delegations, including the U.S., 
referenced the fraud and controversy of the 2009 elections, 
noting that the result was generally considered acceptable to 
Afghans and within the confines of Afghan laws and 
institutions. Many called for needed electoral reforms prior 
to 2010 elections; however, few specific reforms were 
mentioned.  France spoke most clearly in support of an 
election delay, taking note of "the wish of the Afghan 
authorities" to hold elections in May, but suggested that 
electoral reforms must be carried out prior to elections 
being held so that "the fraud witnessed during the 
presidential elections must not be repeated." 
 
¶13. (U) Austria, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gabon, 
Lebanon and Uganda all made references to the need for 
increased focus on the rights of women, specifically noting 
the Parliament's need to review and pass the law prohibiting 
violence against women.  With the exception of a strongly 
worded statement from Brazil, there was little discussion of 
civilian casualties resulting from pro-government or ISAF 
forces. 
 
¶14. (U) A number of delegations mentioned their bilateral 
assistance measures:  Japan noted its USD 5 billion five year 
assistance plan; Russia discussed its recent reconstruction 
of the Polytechnic University of Kabul and a shipment of 52 
Kamaz trucks; Turkey announced it will host the fourth 
trilateral summit in January 24, a regional summit on January 
26, and a regional economic cooperation conference in 2010; 
New Zealand announced the establishment of an Embassy in 
Kabul and the continuation of their PRT in Bamyan province; 
and Australia recommitted to training the Afghan National 
Army in Uruzgan province. 
RICE