INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Police in Un Peacekeeping: Request for Guidance

Published: Fri 11 Dec 2009 09:07 PM
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
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