VZCZCXYZ0024
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUCNDT #0526 1681536
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161536Z JUN 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4432
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0677
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0977
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3// PRIORITY
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000526
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF UNSC IZ
SUBJECT: UN SECURITY CHIEF DISCUSSES SECURITY FOR IOM, UNAMI
REF: A. STATE 57100 B. STATE 60813
1. (SBU) Per ref A demarche, D/Political Counselor met with
Under Secretary-General for Safety and Security David Veness
June 11 to request UN approval of a plan to provide IOM
caseworkers with housing, office space and security coverage
by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Veness said he had only
received the plan the day before but based on his initial
review he had concluded that he needed additional information
from IOM. Specifically, he expressed concern that the plan
divides security responsibility for the IOM caseworkers
between the RSO office at the U.S. Embassy and UN unit for
safety and security at the UNAMI compound. In principle,
explained Veness, he opposed "split security plans" because
they cause confusion regarding responsibilities and
information flow. He said he would be consulting with IOM in
the coming days about revising the current proposal. He said
he would prefer that the United States assume full security
responsibility for the IOM caseworkers. D/Political
Counselor underscored U.S. support for the presence of the
IOM caseworkers, and urged Veness to contact USUN with any
follow-on concerns so the two sides could reach a
satisfactory conclusion. She observed that there could be
resource implications for a complete U.S. assumption of
security responsibilities.
2. (SBU) Turning to the subject of the upcoming U.S.-UN
high-level dialogue on Iraq, currently scheduled for July 11,
Veness noted that he would lead the security portion of the
discussion. He confirmed that the UN is looking closely at
the security arrangements for UNAMI following the end of
MNF-I's mandate and will expect to discuss this matter during
the July meeting. He relayed informally the UN's assessment
that the Iraqi Security Forces will not be in a position to
provide adequate security for UNAMI by the end of the year
and said the UN would prefer continuation of the current
security arrangements. He said he raised this topic with
General Petraeus and DCM Butenis when last visiting Baghdad
in February.
Khalilzad